|
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 16
Newbie
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 16 |
For those of you with children who are planning to go to college, are you starting to save yet? I thought this article was interesting and really shows how many people struggle with college debt.
BellaOnline ALERT: Raw URLs are not allowed in these forums for security reasons. Please use UBB code. If you don't know how to do UBB code just post here for help - we will help out!
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,616
Koala
|
|
Koala
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,616 |
I have a daughter who is currently in college. With having 3 kids from my husband's first marriage, we never saved anything for college. My daughter started out with $10,000 which we'd saved from gifts she got over the years and her god mother was the biggest contributor to that. That was spent the first year.
That being said, when she graduated high school she was valedictorian and got quite a few good scholarships, plus a softball scholarship in college and a Freshman honors scholarship which ran for 4 years because of her grades.
Now she's finishing the fifth year of her program and working part time. We've paid for her car insurance and cell phone, plus I buy her some food when I got to the store but otherwise, she's handling it.
I think that if kids want to go to college, they can make it work. My personal belief is that it isn't the parents' responsibility to pay the entire thing. If you can help, fine, but the kids should have some responsibility too. There are lots of scholarships based on grades out there.
I got my own college education by joining the Navy for 7 years and getting the GI bill.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 16
Newbie
|
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 16 |
I have a daughter who is currently in college. With having 3 kids from my husband's first marriage, we never saved anything for college. My daughter started out with $10,000 which we'd saved from gifts she got over the years and her god mother was the biggest contributor to that. That was spent the first year.
That being said, when she graduated high school she was valedictorian and got quite a few good scholarships, plus a softball scholarship in college and a Freshman honors scholarship which ran for 4 years because of her grades.
Now she's finishing the fifth year of her program and working part time. We've paid for her car insurance and cell phone, plus I buy her some food when I got to the store but otherwise, she's handling it.
I think that if kids want to go to college, they can make it work. My personal belief is that it isn't the parents' responsibility to pay the entire thing. If you can help, fine, but the kids should have some responsibility too. There are lots of scholarships based on grades out there.
I got my own college education by joining the Navy for 7 years and getting the GI bill. Thanks for sharing...that is so strange because I actually do some work with the Navy! Their financial aid programs are really helpful in paying college tuition costs, especially since admissions keep going up every year. That is great that your daughter received so academic and athletic scholarships! It sounds like she will do well in college.
Last edited by NavyAsh33; 09/04/08 10:51 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,172
Koala
|
|
Koala
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,172 |
That's terrific that you've found alternative ways to pay for college. Parents don't have to bear the entire burden of college expenses, but should be prepared to help out in any way they can.
In terms of regular financial aid (grants, work-study, loans), the government (state and federal) assumes that the parents WILL bear some of the costs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 809
Parakeet
|
|
Parakeet
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 809 |
When my daughter filled out her FASFA, it boldly stated "Parent's expected contribution - $22,000" Unfortunately, my daughter is caught in a black hole where my husband and I make "too much money" for her to qualify for any grants, etc, yet this doesn't take into account our actual financial situation.
Even loans these days are based on need. My daughter would have gotten much more help to go to school if we'd been "poor".
I hear an interesting discussion on the radio the other day that said one reason college costs are so high is BECAUSE of all the grants and assistance. Colleges figure everybody will get some sort of financial assistance, take out loans, plus the parents will kick in, so the prices are higher. If it was strictly pay as you go, no assistance, no grants, no "need based" things to qualify for, they'd have to keep the prices down or nobody would be able to attend college at all.
The military does offer a way to get money for college but these days, not sure I'd recommend it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 16
Newbie
|
|
OP
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 16 |
The military does offer a way to get money for college but these days, not sure I'd recommend it!
I definitely agree that the military is not for everyone. Through my work with the Navy, however, I have learned that they do offer a lot of educational benefits. They actually just launched a site called My Navy My Future so people can get more information about their officer programs. If anyone wants to learn more about college funding through the Navy, feel free to check it out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We take forum safety very seriously here at BellaOnline. Please be sure to read through our Forum Guidelines. Let us know if you have any questions or comments!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This forum uses cookies to ensure smooth navigation from page to page of a thread. If you choose to register and provide your email, that email is solely used to get your password to you and updates on any topics you choose to watch. Nothing else. Ask with any questions!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
