Who pays for college

[TERRIBLETOM]

How many of you believe that a son or daughter should sustain a job while going to college or pay back all or a portion of it's tuitions to help learn the value of a dollar in todays society. Or should they be left to socialize in there clique groups and just inherit Mommy and Daddies money?

[sbp]

If parents want to pay for or help out with college thats fine. No where is it written that parents must pay for college tuition.

[Burzhui]

i pay for my own college edumacation!

it's a lil too late to be learning the value of many that is to be done at a much younger age.

If you're paying for them then don't expect to be paid back, cause then they can take a loan.

And don't be cheap man, that's a bad trait

[TERRIBLETOM]

Originally posted by Burzhui
i pay for my own college edumacation! I tip my hat off to you.

[whitak24]

Originally posted by TERRIBLETOM
How many of you believe that a son or daughter should sustain a job while going to college or pay back all or a portion of it's tuitions to help learn the value of a dollar in todays society. Or should they be left to socialize in there clique groups and just inherit Mommy and Daddies money?
somehow, the way this question is asked seems to suggest the answer :hmm:

[Burzhui]

Originally posted by whitak24

somehow, the way this question is asked seems to suggest the answer :hmm:

that's why i suggested the not being cheap option ;)

[Burzhui]

Originally posted by TERRIBLETOM
I tip my hat off to you.

thank you kind sir, btw my parents did always offer to pay for me, and now my dad wants to pay off my loans... but i never accepted money from them because i like the independance, they can't tell you oh since i'm paying for you you better study your ass off, or something of that nature

[Jihforce]

My folks paid for my school. They are great parents and didn't except much from me. Sure, they wanted me to study hard and do well. Who wouldn't? That should be your own expectation as well. If you go into school with a mentality other than that, then why bother going to college at all? Just go to some JC and go back groceries at your local supermarket.
You can make a case for independence or whatever. However, not all parents expect you to do something in return for paying off your loans. Some parents, like mine, just want me to do well in life and be able to support my family, instead of spending the next 10 years of my life trying to pay off my student loans.

[sachin tendulkar]

Well, what about me? Im a high school senior now..
I came from India about 3 years ago...
My folks cant help me out even if they try bcos we've been here only 3years, and u guys know what they could've saved in 3 years : nothing..
Those damn colege ppl want so much money.
What the hell should I do?
I do well in school, my gpa has never dipped below a 4.0
almost all ghp and honor couses.
But the thing is these stupid colleges want extra-curricular stuff like sports and stuff.
I waste most of my life studying my ass of for the 4.0 gpa and they also want me do other volunteering and stuff.
This philosophy really really sucks.
In India, a guy does his best and works his ass of in 11th and 12th grades and concentrates on nothing but his studies, heck not even girls..
The colleges there take u for ur grades and moola of course.. But they dont ask for mad amounts of $$$$$$$$ like colleges here do.
I never knew america would be like this,
Hate it :angry: :angry: :angry:

U might ask me to get some student loans...
well, i aint a us citizen. so im not applicable for those damn loans...:bawl:

[zenbooty]

Its a tough choice for parents. On the one hand, you don't want to give your kids everything on a silver platter. On the other, since you are spending all this money on college, wouldn't you want your kids to spend their time focusing on their studies rather than how to pay for it? My folks were hardly wealthy people, but they did what they could to put their sons through college, albeit the only options they could afford (4 kids, btw) were state schools. When my oldest brother dropped out of UMASS and later enrolled a couple years later elsewhere, he took over paying for himself. My other older brother took advantage of the parents generosity and made it through all four year. My younger brother tried for a year or so at a local community college, but wasn't really ready for higher education at the time. After a couple years "finding" himself, he joined the Navy, and is currently serving his second term of duty, and enrolled in school either near or on his base.

Gotta admit I did a little better. I was a little brainiac in school, and earned a four year full tuition scholarship to a very good private school. Another smaller scholarship I earned covered my books and a fair bit of my living expenses.

I think all of us worked part time while going to school, but honestly that was mostly for personal spending money, so we never had to make the calls home for money that have become so popular for students today.

Sachin, you are now living in a country that places heavy emphasis on both personal freedom as well as an individuals contribution. There is no automatic allocation of human resources like in many countries where centralized government control of industry, education, and allocation is much stronger. People must seek their own dreams and success here, and that requires a lot of self motivation. Colleges want people who are going to do more than just do well in school. They want people who they think will actively participate and do well in all of life's endeavors, because that is what is required to succeed here. Extracurricular activities and leadership roles tell them that you live a full life, and have interests to pursue in life that matter to you, and in which you can make use of your education.

[johnnymk]

It's nice to believe that colleges have that Mom and American Pie attitude about how you should be well equipped to fit into American mainstream. But the truth is that they only care whether you can pay their astronomical bills for a lukewarm education that they provide.
And sports? If today's sports people( they should be called entertainers) were a model for any kid, it would be a joke...a real bad joke!
Sports today in colleges and universities are revenue enhancers. Figure it out. You give a couple of athletic kids a scholarship and the return on your investment is incredible. Example: 20,000 fans times thirty bucks a seat times the number of events. That's a lot of money that you normally wouldn't have. And if they have a winning team or teams, it's free advertising for the institution.

[Pinkgirl36]

Right now I am going to community college, and my dad is helping me out when he can. I don't like asking him for money. He paid for my enrollment and stuff last semester because it was my "birthday" present. But I have to pay for the books and anything else I need. I don't expect him to help me pay for it. If I don't have the money to go anymore, I probably won't be going. It's my choice to go, I should be paying for it.

[mojo]

Originally posted by whitak24

somehow, the way this question is asked seems to suggest the answer :hmm: :stupid:

so of course now i got that song "jealousy" (nat merchant) stuck in my head for the day i guess :P

[Ladogaboy]

Originally posted by sachin tendulkar
Well, what about me? Im a high school senior now..
I came from India about 3 years ago...
My folks cant help me out even if they try bcos we've been here only 3years, and u guys know what they could've saved in 3 years : nothing..
Those damn colege ppl want so much money.
What the hell should I do?
I do well in school, my gpa has never dipped below a 4.0
almost all ghp and honor couses.
But the thing is these stupid colleges want extra-curricular stuff like sports and stuff.
I waste most of my life studying my ass of for the 4.0 gpa and they also want me do other volunteering and stuff.
This philosophy really really sucks.
In India, a guy does his best and works his ass of in 11th and 12th grades and concentrates on nothing but his studies, heck not even girls..
The colleges there take u for ur grades and moola of course.. But they dont ask for mad amounts of $$$$$$$$ like colleges here do.
I never knew america would be like this,
Hate it :angry: :angry: :angry:

U might ask me to get some student loans...
well, i aint a us citizen. so im not applicable for those damn loans...:bawl:

Research a few colleges/universities that you are interested in going to, and try to make contact with someone in their Financial Aide offices. Find out what you are and aren't eligible for, and work from there. Another suggestion would be to keep those schools in mind while spending your first 2 years at a community college. You should be able to pay for your schooling while working a job, and in the meantime, you can also work on your citizenship. Once you have that, you will be all set to move on. Transfer to some of the 4-year schools that you were looking at, get loans, keep working if you really have to, etc.

As for myself and my plans for my family...

I've decided that my children will never have to worry about the essentials, i.e. clothes, housing, food, education, etc. More than likely, anything beyond that will be have to come out of their own money, whether it be in the form of an allowance or job. When they are in college, I would push them to have some sort of a job. If nothing else, they could use the money they make for all of the "extras" they might need. :naughty:

[zenbooty]

Originally posted by johnnymk
It's nice to believe that colleges have that Mom and American Pie attitude about how you should be well equipped to fit into American mainstream. But the truth is that they only care whether you can pay their astronomical bills for a lukewarm education that they provide.


Its not about mom and American pie. Colleges want their students to succeed because that brings notoriety back upon the University, and also because successful alumni donate more money back to the institution.

[Pinkgirl36]

Oh and my dad said that he will always help me with school when I need it, as long as I am doing good, so i am not just throwing money down the drain...

Also I have decided that once I have a kid, and like before they are born, I am going to open an account and have it be like money set aside for them to go to college if they wanted to, kinda like a trust fund that they wouldn't have access to until they graduated high school.

[Hunny]

Paying for college should be a joint effort here...
What you have is this:
Parents who want their children to succeed and have more in life than they did...and the college bound child who wants to further their education...
Should the child sit on their rears and do nothing...nope...I would like to think my daughter would have a part time job to share in the added expense/ expenses.

I had a friend who went to college ...a free ride all the way from Mom & Pop...out of state no less which adds to the expense ...I remember her saying she didn't want to be there, so instead of telling her parents and bursting their bubble, She majored in "Party 101"...stayed for two years, dropped out...got married...had a baby...and the rest is history...Had she been sharing that expense..I seriously doubt she would have continued into her 2nd year...

When children share the responsibility..I think they learn alot more..literally.:amidala:

[CynJon]

I am a firm believer in the importance of a quality education. Note: there is a big difference between a degree and an education. I will do whatever I can to ensure that my kids have access to a good education if they are willing to work for it. When my kids were born, I started buying bonds to use for college. Should they choose not to go to college, then more for me :) . The amount available should be substantial enough to pay for a 4 year degree at a decent state school--anything above and beyond that will be a direct result of their motivation/ability (i.e. working/contributing, scholarship, etc.). Should they choose to go to college and not apply themselves, I will be controlling the funds and the "free ride" will be over. My hope is that they will be appreciative enough for the opportunity, that they will make an honest effort to make the best of it. I have the utmost respect for those who are able to work their way through college...I did it myself...I feel that this is one lasting and irreplaceable gift that I can give my kids to help them succeed in life. I just know that I could have applied myself more if I wasn't working to pay the bills at the same time.

[johnnymk]

Originally posted by zenbooty


Its not about mom and American pie. Colleges want their students to succeed because that brings notoriety back upon the University, and also because successful alumni donate more money back to the institution.

Yes, that could be true. I wonder what percentage of the operational budjet comes from alumni :confused:

[Burzhui]

Originally posted by johnnymk


Yes, that could be true. I wonder what percentage of the operational budjet comes from alumni :confused:

I will never give my school a ****ing cent, they can kiss my ass

[dbax791]

Yeah, I think parents should budget and pay for college.

In my house we had a deal, my folks would pay the costs to attend an in-state University. Out of state, or grad school, I would have to pay for.

So I was on scholarship for my undergrad degree, but I paid for my grad school ($32,000) thanks to student loans.

And thanks to a booming stock market in the late 90's, I paid 'em off in like 2 years...whoo hoo! :P

[WhiskeyPapa]

Originally posted by sbp
No where is it written that parents must pay for college tuition. Almost... Illinois courts routinely order divorced parents to pay the entire cost of their children's college tuition (while imposing no such responsibility on married parents.)

I am more than willing to allow my kids to live at home while they attend the local state college. In fact, I'd even be willing to assist with the tuition. However, if they want to attend a more "prestigious" school, they're on their own.

[Kim]

I would love to be able to pay for my children to go to school. Hopefully we can save enough for that to happen. I'm also hoping that they qualify for some scholarships.

Hey, does anyone know if there is a website that rates universites? I am curious how "good" our local USU is. TIA!

[Jihforce]

Originally posted by Ladogaboy


Research a few colleges/universities that you are interested in going to, and try to make contact with someone in their Financial Aide offices. Find out what you are and aren't eligible for, and work from there. Another suggestion would be to keep those schools in mind while spending your first 2 years at a community college. You should be able to pay for your schooling while working a job, and in the meantime, you can also work on your citizenship. Once you have that, you will be all set to move on. Transfer to some of the 4-year schools that you were looking at, get loans, keep working if you really have to, etc.


As wonderful as your idea sounds, this only works if he's either a permanent resident and citizen.
Since he's only been here 3 years, I will assume he's under his parent's visa. He'll need to apply for his own student visa once you goes to college. It won't matter which school he goes too, he'll be paying as a foreign student so out of state tuition applies. (throughout his college year). More than likely he is not going to eligible for Financial Aid. Financial Aid is mainly reserver for citizens and permanent residents. He can get a loan from the gov't, but it will require him to have some US citizens/perm residents to sponsor him. The reason foreign students can't get much aid here is because when they come to the States, they are expected to be financially capable of paying for their school. Since his grades are very high, then he may be able to apply for scholarships.
As far as working, he probably won't be able to work in many places other than at the college he goes to. That's what happens when you don't have a green card.

[whitak24]

Originally posted by Kim
I would love to be able to pay for my children to go to school. Hopefully we can save enough for that to happen. I'm also hoping that they qualify for some scholarships.

Hey, does anyone know if there is a website that rates universites? I am curious how "good" our local USU is. TIA!
check out the u.s. news rankings (www.usnews.com). the complete version isn't available online, but they should have it in your local library or something (or you can do what i do and go to the bookstore, read it, and then put it back :hihi: )

there are other rankings out there, of course. and u.s. news doesn't look at everything, nor are their rankings perfect (no rankings are). but they do give a fairly good overview of where a school stands in relation to other schools.

[Kim]

Thanks Whitak!

[Jihforce]

not to rain on your parade but have you notice how useless those rankings are? Do the effectively measure how good a school is and how good their education really is?

[Kim]

Originally posted by Jihforce
not to rain on your parade but have you notice how useless those rankings are? Do the effectively measure how good a school is and how good their education really is?

Yeah, I know, and my oldest is only 6, so I have a long time to worry about it. I was just curious about how USU would rank. :)

[mcs328]

My parents paid for my education. I don't know if it's cultural but that's how I think the Chinese folks do it. It's sort of expected I guess to pay for your childrens education. I worked on campus while going to school to pay for food and gas. Made my education first and still had room for friends and going out. I may not pay them every cent specifically for the tuitoin but they are rewarded in other intangible ways. My family is by no means rich and the Federal Pell Grants helped alleviate the finanical burden.

Since I graduated they don't have to worry if they need to feed me even though they try, or shelter me since I can rent out my own place, or clothe me since I can buy my own clothes. I visit when I can, buy them dinner, buy everything on thier xmas list for them, buy food and cloths for all my other brothers who are still in school and whatever they need I try to get it for them. Even though they will never ask for money or help, me and my older brother continually come back and take care of their needs. It's a fair exchange for raising us...you take care of us when we're young and we take care of you now that we're older. No recordkeeping, no tally marks, no scorecard.

[WhiskeyPapa]

Originally posted by mcs328
It's a fair exchange for raising us...you take care of us when we're young and we take care of you now that we're older. I think that's a virtue that has been lost in the "American" culture. After the kids move out, many parents have an "I've done my job and I'm finished" attitude. While the children never feel any responsibility to care for their parents (other than choosing what nursing home to stick them in.)

Hopefully I can change that in my family.

[gear02]

You know, there are schools out there that will pay 100% of your financial need. They calculate what you or your parents can theoretically pay and they'll figure out a way to cover the rest, either in grants or subsidized loans.

[Ladogaboy]

Originally posted by Jihforce


As wonderful as your idea sounds, this only works if he's either a permanent resident and citizen.

Yeah, I was assuming that he was a permanent resident.


Originally posted by Jihforce
not to rain on your parade but have you notice how useless those rankings are? Do the effectively measure how good a school is and how good their education really is?

I agree. Those rankings are there for the sole purpose of tooting the Ivy League's horn. :rolleyes:

[gear02]

Originally posted by Ladogaboy


Yeah, I was assuming that he was a permanent resident.



I agree. Those rankings are there for the sole purpose of tooting the Ivy League's horn. :rolleyes:

Are you kidding?? I went to an Ivy League school and even we are pissed off at those rankings. They're useless.

They only reinforce parents' notion that their child is going to a good school, to give parents bragging rights to other parents (ooo my kid is going to a higher ranked school that your kid), and to give bragging rights to other schools to show they're ranked higher than Ivy schools.

[mcs328]

Originally posted by gear02


Are you kidding?? I went to an Ivy League school and even we are pissed off at those rankings. They're useless.

They only reinforce parents' notion that their child is going to a good school, to give parents bragging rights to other parents (ooo my kid is going to a higher ranked school that your kid), and to give bragging rights to other schools to show they're ranked higher than Ivy schools.

Yah I get that sometimes...comparing what school I went to versus some other guy/gal at another higher ranked school then getting snubbed soon afterwards. That was a few years ago. Now with all the corporate scandal and accounting problems, what can I say but I have a job still and your son/daughter doesn't when their high prestigious firm was caught cooking the books and screwed over the stakeholders. Happy holidays..ask Santa for some ethics and a heart.

[gear02]

Originally posted by mcs328
Now with all the corporate scandal and accounting problems, what can I say but I have a job still and your son/daughter doesn't when their high prestigious firm was caught cooking the books and screwed over the stakeholders. Happy holidays..ask Santa for some ethics and a heart.

hehehehehe...exactly... :D

[Ladogaboy]

Originally posted by gear02


Are you kidding??

No, I'm not. The statistical data used to determine rankings was recently changed to ensure that Harvard, Princeton, and Yale were all ranked in the top 3.

On another note, I do agree with you. The rankings are used as a bs meter to figure out who can be snobbish. Personally, I only pass out judgement of a school based on the people that I have met from there. I know that is a dangerous practice too, because I've had some extremely stupid classmates. But I've found that it is a far better basis for comparison than college rankings. :shrug:

[attgig]

yeah, rankings are pretty bs....


but still feels good when u see your school rising :)

anyways...who pays?

the kid shouldn't be denied a good education.....
if the kid is smart, and can get into harvard, but the parents are so adamant saying, that's just a name....it's too much money, go to (enter state name here) state university, and get your full ride that they're offering you...that's bad imo.

if the kid's smart enough to get into a top notch school....help your kid out.


and yeah, sachin...look for scholarships for indian families that immigrated over in the past 3 years....think i'm joking? you'd be surprised at how many special interests groups give money to kids...
stuff like:
http://www.aaiia.org/Programs/programs.html

there's scholarships out there....if you can work your butt off to get a 4.0, I'm sure you can work your butt off for a few grand...(sometimes a heckavalotta money)

[rajatQ2]

Originally posted by Jihforce
not to rain on your parade but have you notice how useless those rankings are? Do the effectively measure how good a school is and how good their education really is?

I agree with you there ,,, My school is ranked #4 for engineering (University of illinois at urbana champaign) and i'm an engineer, but my classes are really boring and the professors usually wish they were doing something else (Their research).

However, these rankings directly affect your job marketability afterward, and they also reflect how much / what sort of resources you will have available at the ranked school. We have many of the best companies in america coming to recruit on our campus, and endless amazing research opportunities for anyone who is interested.

Ithink those are the two most significant benefits of being at a school with high ranks, the resources and the job recruitments.

[rajatQ2]

I think its good to have a job on campus!
I have one and it balances out my day a little bit. Rather than spending 16 hours in the lab finishing a project, and the only thing to do the next day is sleep and booze, its actually a little calming to go to work and work on a research project.

Also, the money really helps. I dont have to ask my parents for money anymore, i think before i spend on frivolous items (sometimes..), and it feels good to buy top shelf liquor or take a girl out someplace nice knowing that you really did earn it :)

My room mates dont have jobs, they mooch off of their parents, and when they have free time, they spend it on the couch or in the bars. I think that they are idle for so much of the time it doesnt motivate them to do anything else. its a vicious cycle

[mcs328]

Originally posted by rajatQ2

Also, the money really helps. I dont have to ask my parents for money anymore, i think before i spend on frivolous items (sometimes..), and it feels good to buy top shelf liquor or take a girl out someplace nice knowing that you really did earn it :)

My room mates dont have jobs, they mooch off of their parents, and when they have free time, they spend it on the couch or in the bars. I think that they are idle for so much of the time it doesnt motivate them to do anything else. its a vicious cycle

So instead of buying drinks at a bar like your roomates you buy yourself premium liquor to drink in you room. Hmm...money well spent. :P

[whitak24]

Originally posted by Jihforce
not to rain on your parade but have you notice how useless those rankings are? Do the effectively measure how good a school is and how good their education really is?
well, like i said, they're not perfect.

however, they can give you a general sense of where a school stands in relation to other schools given a certain set of criteria.

obviously, when deciding where to get an education, you have to take a lot of things into consideration -- cost, location, campus atmosphere, academic rigor, majors offered (and the strength of the major you're interested in). you also have to decide what you want to use your education for -- how prestigious of a future you're shooting for.

just looking at a ranking book shouldn't be enough to decide for you, but it is going to tell you that the University of Michigan provides a better education than Eastern Michigan University, for instance.

[Nija]

I do.

[TERRIBLETOM]

Originally posted by Nija
I do. You should feel good about that!

[gear02]

Originally posted by Ladogaboy


No, I'm not. The statistical data used to determine rankings was recently changed to ensure that Harvard, Princeton, and Yale were all ranked in the top 3.

On another note, I do agree with you. The rankings are used as a bs meter to figure out who can be snobbish. Personally, I only pass out judgement of a school based on the people that I have met from there. I know that is a dangerous practice too, because I've had some extremely stupid classmates. But I've found that it is a far better basis for comparison than college rankings. :shrug:

Well, there ARE other ivies other than Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. And most of us don't have a dinosaur stuck up our ass :D

Plus I think I remembered something about the top schools pulling out from cooperating with US News or whomever does those rankings. I guess that's why they changed their criteria.

In any case, I shudder when I see or hear someone refer to those rankings.

[Ladogaboy]

Originally posted by gear02


Well, there ARE other ivies other than Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. And most of us don't have a dinosaur stuck up our ass :D

Plus I think I remembered something about the top schools pulling out from cooperating with US News or whomever does those rankings. I guess that's why they changed their criteria.

In any case, I shudder when I see or hear someone refer to those rankings.

Well, the rest of the Ivy league schools aren't ranked in the top 3. :P

What I was refering to, however, was a case not too long ago when Cal Tech was--IMHO, rightly so--ranked #1 among all schools in the nation. Shortly after that, the criteria was changed, and guess who was in the top 3. :rolleyes:

Anyway, I have more respect for the guys I've met from UPenn, Columbia, and Brown than I do for the guys I've met from Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. :shrug:

[gear02]

Originally posted by Ladogaboy

Anyway, I have more respect for the guys I've met from UPenn, Columbia, and Brown than I do for the guys I've met from Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. :shrug:

:) yay!

[cheapie]

my parents didn't pay a dime of my education. however, they did let me live with them while attending college. i appreciated that because it was the most they could do.

[Ladogaboy]

Originally posted by gear02


:) yay!

Hehe, where did you go? :P

[Hunny]

Originally posted by cheapbast@rd
my parents didn't pay a dime of my education. however, they did let me live with them while attending college. i appreciated that because it was the most they could do.


Your statement" I appreciated that because it was the most they could do"...speaks volumes about you Cheap :) ...Understanding a financial plight or for whatever reason they didn't pay for your education, and not bitchin they didn't pay for your college also shows more about you than you realize...

I've always had people tell me that when you live off campus you miss the whole "college experience"...
What are your thoughts on that? Do you feel you missed out on anything by living home?

[cheapie]

yes and no. i really wish i would have been able to go away to school. however, i was able to keep my costs down and get out of school with minimal debt. i missed having a roomie, going to football games and sitting in the student section, and coming home for the holidays. i also missed getting smashed all of the time, letting my grades drop, and being in extremely large classes. so it worked out pretty well

i went to indiana university's fort wayne campus. when anyone looks at my diploma, they see indiana university. nobody cares where you went to school after your first job. as long as you have the diploma, it's your experience that counts. unless you go to an ivy league school.

[Nanotech9]

split it with my parents so far... but i've moved out, so i'm saving up to go back, eventually.

[kimchicowboy]

now that i'm in college, i like being more independent from my parents. one of my pet peeves is seeing "daddy's little girl" driving a brand new escalade or some guy driving a mercedez his parents probably bought him. i figure now that i'm 22, i should learn how to take care of my own finances because i'll have to sooner or later. i have loans covering my tuition that i'll be paying back myself. my parents are paying for my housing costs just to help me out. but everything else i have is bought with my own money. i do work part time to have some pocket money, but it's nowhere enough to pay for my education and my parents wouldn't want me working a lot to pay because they know and i know that it'll affect how i perform in school.