Since when are parents supposed to pay for college? (get married, generation, kid)
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IMO, college is not just about vocational training. But we've been down that road before here on this forum.
I was before I went back and worked my way through my degree program which allowed me to leave with NO DEBT which is kinda the point of this thread. Who pays for college
I was before I went back and worked my way through my degree program which allowed me to leave with NO DEBT which is kinda the point of this thread. Who pays for college
I'm with Dew here...you're just bringing way too much common sense into play here. I mean, when you listen to what some folks around here say, what you've done simply CAN'T be done these days. I mean,really...it just can't be done! You can't work and go to college. For cryin out loud, I did college, worked, AND was raising 4 children. Was there a lot of free time? Um...yeah, for sleeping a few hours. Do you bring your books with you if you have a game/match/or family outing (if you're not working)...yeah. It's not like you're living like that forever...schooling doesn't (or shouldn't) last forever. When you stop and think about how little time you actually have to spend, burning candle at both ends, it's a pretty small span of time in your life. You learn to be a master of time management and multitasking! It's also an excellent example to set for your kids, who just might try that whiny business about "not being able to work and go to school too!" "Oh really?....hmmmm I did, WHILE I was doing your laundry, shopping, cooking, attending your games, etc!"
That is part of a parent's responsibility!!
How do you think an 18 year old can pay for college?
Simple. It's called "get a job, make your own money, pay for your own schooling". And if you can't/don't want to do that, then consider joining the military...at least then you can go to school on Uncle Sam's dime, while getting instilled with discipline. And if you don't have what it takes to serve your country, consider a pell grant.
Sorry but a parent only owes you the right and ability to finish the 12th grade. If you want to go further than that, then it should be solely on the kid. Think about it...how will your kids grow up if you always wipe their ass for them? Plus what happens if junior flunks a semester? You still gonna pay for that? At least if he's paying and flunks it's him that has to deal with the loss.
Live and learn. My parents never paid for my college. I always had to work and pay for everything I own. It didn't kill me, but it did make me stronger. My wife couldn't afford college but she did it on a pell grant.
Pell grants are federal monies no? Taken from tax payers dollars?
So instead of having her own parents pay for the college, or working through and paying herself, she used this?
I am not saying there is anything wrong in doing so....I am just making notice of the hypocracy in it....you can not say pay for your own schooling with a job and say it should be on the kids and not on the parents, then turn around and say federal tax money that came from others was used.
[quote=Deez Nuttz;18326443]Simple. It's called "get a job, make your own money, pay for your own schooling". And if you can't/don't want to do that, then consider joining the military...at least then you can go to school on Uncle Sam's dime, while getting instilled with discipline. And if you don't have what it takes to serve your country, consider a pell grant.
Sorry but a parent only owes you the right and ability to finish the 12th grade. If you want to go further than that, then it should be solely on the kid. Think about it...how will your kids grow up if you always wipe their ass for them? Plus what happens if junior flunks a semester? You still gonna pay for that? At least if he's paying and flunks it's him that has to deal with the loss.
Live and learn. My parents never paid for my college. I always had to work and pay for everything I own. It didn't kill me, but it did make me stronger. My wife couldn't afford college but she did it on a pell grant.[/QUOTE]
I do not think it is your responsiblity. Once they are adults they can do as many others have done, hard work.
I am not saying that you cannot help them in some form but the bottom line is that at that point they are adults. As such they can find ways to get their college education if it means a lot to them.
My wife and I did not save a single penny for our daugthers education. Instead of spending much effort in saving for the education we spent time. That is something many parents do not do. We spent a lot of time helping them with homework. We spend countless hours taking them to the library to do research and giving them extra work in areas we felt they needt to improve on.
We encouraged them to volunteer in the community for two reasons, to instill their civic sense in helping others and to make sure they could put community service in scholarship applications, it helps a lot.
On our daughter's senior year my wife spent countless hours looking for scholarships on the computer. She had our daughter sing probably a 100 applications and who know how many essays that were required.
The results? Our daughter got enough money from different scholarships to cover all four years and half of her masters program she will complete this december.
The only thing we did is buy a brand new car and told her that that car was ours, not hers. We bought it for her to use and make sure it did not break down on the road but once she is done with education that care stays with us.
We believe our method covered many areas where we train them for the future. With homework we train them to be punctual and neat in their work. With community service we trained them to have a taste of how it is to work out there with customers and interaction with other people.
Again, in my opinion you are not responsible to pay for their college. We felt we are responsible to help them get the skills to be responsible and proficient citizens. Those skills is what got them through college in a very successful way and we did not spend a single penny paying for their education. We simply did what many do not do, parenting. Take care.
This right here is what I think it's all about! In a nutshell!
I like Dave Ramsey's approach to young adult children and money. If they (adult children) can't afford it, they basically don't need parents to buy it. I don't see them appreciating the value unless they are putting in their hard working money.
Just like cars, I've seen parents buy their kids their first car and down the road its wrecked or not very well cared for.
I like Dave Ramsey's approach to young adult children and money. If they (adult children) can't afford it, they basically don't need parents to buy it. I don't see them appreciating the value unless they are putting in their hard working money.
Just to clarify, Ramsey does advocate saving for a child's college education. He also says that a parent should plan to only pay for the first four years of higher education, and with an emphasis that the student will be getting good grades and working toward a usable degree. He also talks about having the student attend in-state schools or community colleges (for at least the first two years) that won't "break the bank".
Just to clarify, Ramsey does advocate saving for a child's college education. He also says that a parent should plan to only pay for the first four years of higher education, and with an emphasis that the student will be getting good grades and working toward a usable degree. He also talks about having the student attend in-state schools or community colleges (for at least the first two years) that won't "break the bank".
I must have been listening to his radio show when he was talking about parents paying for college when a caller complained about their parents not supporting them through college like other parents do. It seems like the parents were gambling on passing grades.
I'm with Dew here...you're just bringing way too much common sense into play here. I mean, when you listen to what some folks around here say, what you've done simply CAN'T be done these days. I mean,really...it just can't be done! You can't work and go to college. For cryin out loud, I did college, worked, AND was raising 4 children. Was there a lot of free time? Um...yeah, for sleeping a few hours. Do you bring your books with you if you have a game/match/or family outing (if you're not working)...yeah. It's not like you're living like that forever...schooling doesn't (or shouldn't) last forever. When you stop and think about how little time you actually have to spend, burning candle at both ends, it's a pretty small span of time in your life. You learn to be a master of time management and multitasking! It's also an excellent example to set for your kids, who just might try that whiny business about "not being able to work and go to school too!" "Oh really?....hmmmm I did, WHILE I was doing your laundry, shopping, cooking, attending your games, etc!":
Undoubtedly, there are kids out there who would somehow find a way to get through college on their own. There always have been and always will be.
Andrew Carnegie found a way to rise from being a penniless immigrant child to being the owner of the largest steel company in the world.
What I take issue with are those who believe this is a typical outcome. I have the following questions for you:
1. What was a semester's tuition when you went to school?
2. What was a semester's cost for the books you needed?
3. What were computer fees? (this is a "loaded question")
4. What were your rental expenses?
5. What did you earn per hour or per week?
If you analyze these factors honestly today when tuition for a semester of tuition begins at $3500 for a single semester a public institution (or $7000 per year) , I think you will observe that your idea about "working your way through college" has become an unrealistic pathway for all, but maybe the top 5% most dedicated students.
Working my way through school in 1977 was very realistic, but only because tuition was $350 a semester (one-tenth of what is today). On the other hand, my wages were reasonably decent. I recall earning about $3.50 an hour which in those days could create a minimal existence for someone who was determined to economize.
What you and others seem to miss either accidentally or deliberately is that wages haven't begun to keep pace with educational costs.
I almost think a better discussion would be: "Why do so many parents today claim you can work you work through college when its a near impossibility to do so without any financial support"?
I personally speculate its one of the following:
1. The parent never went to college and does not have an appreciation for the real value of a college degree.
2. The parent truly can't afford to pay for college or provide meaningful financial assistance, but can't bring themselves to admit that.
3. Worst of all, the parent can afford to provide meaningful financial assistance to a child, but has made a deliberate choice not to do so and now seeks a means to rationalize their beliefs so they can avoid feelings of guilt.
I personally am unwilling to take the chance that my kids would somehow find their way through college without my financial support.
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"Oh really?....hmmmm I did, WHILE I was doing your laundry, shopping, cooking, attending your games, etc!"
