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I paid for some of my college education and my parents paid for some of my college education.
We paid for our kids' college education. They had no loans.
Who is the better parent? Neither. My college was partially paid by my middle class parents. I worked the rest of the college loan debt off in a very short time.
The education for my kids was much, much more expensive. It would have taken a decade or more for them to pay for the same education we got. Why is that? Why is college so expensive now?
Parents saving for their kids college is considered to the thing to do, but if parents don't do you think that makes them automatically bad parents? In my case my parents never did. They both had the idea of making it your own way. Not that they were mean or abusive in any way, just how they felt, not that they ever made that much.
The usual "it depends". To me, the answer is no. My parents have done so much for that even if they didn't pay for any of my college, I wouldn't think any less of them.
Many parents have their own opinions on the value of a college education and in some circles parents are very uneducated about college, but specifically financing education, especially when it comes to financial aid and the numerous options within FA.
I don't judge parents who do not save for their children's college education regardless if it is by choice or inability. I think there are too many easily accessible resources for students now for students to use their parents not paying for college as an excuse.
I do take issue with families who try to make it impossible for their children to go to college. I have countless personal experience with parents who refused to fill out their end of the paperwork for no reason other than they didn't want to.
No, I do not. The first duty we have is to save for our own retirement. Over and above that, I helped my children as much as I could. Child one had her tuition paid by her father, and I supplied spending money, but she also worked.
Child two went into the Army.
Child three went into the Army, and child four had a paid up Ohio College Plan, which was done away with after we used it, so we really made out well with it.
Fast forward to my grandchildren, who got scholarships and grants, but who will all have student loans..not because their parents are too busy saving for retirement, but because college is too expensive for anyone but the rich now.
Many parents have their own opinions on the value of a college education and in some circles parents are very uneducated about college, but specifically financing education, especially when it comes to financial aid and the numerous options within FA.
I don't judge parents who do not save for their children's college education regardless if it is by choice or inability. I think there are too many easily accessible resources for students now for students to use their parents not paying for college as an excuse.
I do take issue with families who try to make it impossible for their children to go to college. I have countless personal experience with parents who refused to fill out their end of the paperwork for no reason other than they didn't want to.
Too True! We've discussed such issues before on here. There are lots of parents who believe there are all sorts of "free ride" scholarships available for just about everything, baton twirling, what have you. There are people who believe that if you get good grades you'll automatically get an academic scholarship. In reality, even most sports scholarships are not "free ride", except for mens' football and basketball, and academic scholarships are given out very subjectively. Many public colleges don't give out a lot of academic scholarships at all.
There are plenty of jobs out there that don't require a degree that need to be filled. I don't have children but if i did they would have to pay for their own college education. College is a luxury not a necessity in life. I would be extremely proud of my children working hard to pay their own way through college. When you turn 18 you are an adult and no more spoon feeding. I wouldn't even buy them their first car. I paid for my first car by working summer jobs and that's what i would teach my kids to do. Teaching them to work hard and obtain things on their own teaches them responsibility. Handing them money only teaches them to ask for more money.
And still other parents use the money for tattoos, season tickets to NFL and MLB sports, and tricked-out lifted pickup-trucks.
True. I work in healthcare and I'm always surprised at people who come to the ER because they have no health insurance (so come to the ER where they can't be turned away because they have no money - they don't have to pay for their care, but SOMEONE ends up paying for it) and can't afford their medications. Yet they have an iPhone, smoke a pack a day and drink. I don't get it.
Hmm not bad parents but in my case poor planners. We were your typical middle class, two kid family and I know they could of put at least $100 each a month away but instead spent it on little luxuries or vacations. I never really missed out on anything so I'm thankful for that.
I just know for my own kids I want to do everything in my power to give them the gift of education. I don't know if we will fully fund it as I do want them to have to work for it and own it so they are more driven to do better. This is coming from a place of someone who did have to work to get my degree and to me it's been such a life changer. The opportunities it provides is well worth it.
I would say the "bad parent" is the one/ones who doesn't value education; who doesn't do anything to facilitate the student going to college if that's what s/he wants to do. It's not so much an issue of money but attitude.
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