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My husband and myself paid our way through college. We had jobs and still had decent grades. We both graduated with honors.
I live in a college town and see plenty of rich, spoiled teens. This college costs $60k a year for a basic liberal arts school. The brats who go here - in general - are used to getting their own way. They better work for their parents or they are in for a rude awakening. If they don't get something they want, they contact the police, American Civil Liberties Union, NY Times, etc. Spoiled brats.
Plenty of people are very successful without having received a college degree, and I'm not referring to Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. I'm talking about craftsmen, builders, mechanics, and all kinds of business owners. There's a big World out there, and not everyone in it needs or wants a college degree.
I know plenty of people in trades and the vast majority of them agree that it's not a life they want for their kids.
I know plenty of people in trades and the vast majority of them agree that it's not a life they want for their kids.
I don't think what a parent wants should be the deciding factor. If a kid wants to be a plumber, or a mechanic, there isn't much sense in pushing a college education on them.
I know plenty of people in trades and the vast majority of them agree that it's not a life they want for their kids.
Isn't that the truth? I am from Joe Namath's hometown, a steel mill town in Pennsylvania. There is a story in one of his biographies about how his father took home down to the mill where he worked, showed him around and said "I didn't want this for you". Now you could make good money in the mills, but it was hard, hard work. And those jobs are all gone now.
My 2nd husband (my *last* husband) put himself through college 7,000 years ago (late 1970s). He was very poor (Appalachian poverty), got a scholarship, but also worked as a janitor for several years. Hard times, but good life lessons. He's been a litigation attorney for 30+ years now.
When it was time for his son to go to college, my husband spent many tens of thousands to put his son through four years of college. He didn't want Junior to have to work like he'd worked. (Boy, I could write an entire essay on that.)
Well, that story did not have a happy ending.
Even if you have the money to pay for a child's degree, it's not always a good thing.
I have to agree. I went to a private university on a full scholarship. My experience was that the kids whose parents paid their way did not appreciate what they were being given.
I do plan on helping my kids get through school but they will have to foot most of the bill themselves. That wasn't my plan but I'm a teacher now and we got a pay cut this year after pay being frozen for years. I didn't expect to get rich doing this job but I thought I'd get a raise every year or two but that is not happening. My ability to help my kids is very limited as a result. All I can really offer is help. The bulk will go on student loans. It wasn't what I planned but I'm not an engineer anymore and I have zero disposable income. All we have is what we saved but that's not enough to pay for college outright. My kids will have to work and take out student loans and I will have to take out parent loans.
I don't think what a parent wants should be the deciding factor. If a kid wants to be a plumber, or a mechanic, there isn't much sense in pushing a college education on them.
I think parents can encourage their kids. Look at how many follow in their parents footsteps. Of course, in the end, the child does make the final decision.
I don't think what a parent wants should be the deciding factor. If a kid wants to be a plumber, or a mechanic, there isn't much sense in pushing a college education on them.
I think you misunderstood. I see a lot of romanticizing of the trades on here as an alternative to college education, and I think it's kind of misguided. If that's what a kid wants, they should absolutely pursue them. But a kid who actively desire a college education should not be told, "Oh, you can just become a plumber!"
Last edited by strawflower; 10-12-2014 at 07:46 PM..
I know plenty of people in trades and the vast majority of them agree that it's not a life they want for their kids.
Well, it's not up to them. Sorry, but not everyone wants to go to college. Not every can handle/deal with college. I know people who struggled to make it through high school. Books just aren't their thing. Give them something to do with their hands and they're golden.
Like it or not, the world needs plumbers, roofers, garbagemen, cab drivers, snow plow drivers, mechanics, etc. Nothing wrong any of those professions. They are NEEDED jobs. Tell me you don't need my dad when your car breaks down on a Friday afternoon and you're from out of town. He's the guy who will work til 9 pm working on your car to get you home. The dealership won't do that neither will magic fairy dust.
Why people who have these types of professions are so looked down upon by society is beyond me. They are keeping your life going while putting food on their table. Not everyone wants to be a lawyer or doctor. Thankfully, we all have choices and many people choose to work in these types of professions because I assure you that when your septic tank cracks your lawyer son/daughter won't know a damn thing about it, but your son/daughter who is a roofer has the right friends or can do some work on their own.
I think you misunderstood. I see a lot of romanticizing of the trades on here as an alternative to college education, and I think it's kind of misguided. If that's what a kid wants, they should absolutely pursue them. But a kid who actively desired a college education should not be told, "Oh, you can just become a plumber!"
Yes, the trades are greatly romanticized on this forum.
Parents who instilled in their children the motivation and imparted the ability to save for their education did them a huge favor.
Those that did not and then fund that education didn't do much in that area except write a check.
At the start, the child who saved starts out way ahead compared to the free rider.
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