How do you grapple with the cost of expensive colleges?

[Anonymous]

We saved and we are 2 in income household. But I must tell u in this anonymous forum that I feel jealous of the time that stay at home parents had w their kids. I feel depressed now for missing their childhood. But my kids are happy that they can go to any college without any debt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't anyone's kids on here go into the military? Almost half of the people I work with went to college on the GI Bill. College was relatively cheap when I attended, so going to college was an easy decision. But now it's so expensive that I'm starting to question if the return on investment is really worth it.

Sh*t! Are you kidding me? This is DCUM, where they all think the military is for losers yet all sleep calmly in their beds at night under the very protective blanket those losers supply. I am all for a draft, even though our military doesn't want it or need it. I think there is something to be said for mixing the pot so to speak, having all classes of people from across the country serve together. It would certainly make it more difficult for our political leadership to get us involved in useless wars.

I'm PP. I've met very few people who had their college paid for by their parents. In fact, a lot of my friends didn't even go to college and their lifestyle isn't a whole lot different than mine. I just think that college isn't for everyone and it's not the end of the world if you take a different route.

[Anonymous]

Its completely possible to get a BA from a good school for about $80K total.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its completely possible to get a BA from a good school for about $80K total.

I find this hard to believe. Could you give some specifics?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its completely possible to get a BA from a good school for about $80K total.

I find this hard to believe. Could you give some specifics?

LOL. I would love to see it too!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its completely possible to get a BA from a good school for about $80K total.

I can see this if the student can live at home rent free and go to the local in state school, or live at home rent free for two years while attending the local CC and transferring to an in state school. This of course is a great option if it is an option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its completely possible to get a BA from a good school for about $80K total.

I can see this if the student can live at home rent free and go to the local in state school, or live at home rent free for two years while attending the local CC and transferring to an in state school. This of course is a great option if it is an option.

You hit the nail on the head, and there are schools like South Carolina giving significant aid. Total net price at South Carolina is about $22K including room & board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its completely possible to get a BA from a good school for about $80K total.

I can see this if the student can live at home rent free and go to the local in state school, or live at home rent free for two years while attending the local CC and transferring to an in state school. This of course is a great option if it is an option.

You hit the nail on the head, and there are schools like South Carolina giving significant aid. Total net price at South Carolina is about $22K including room & board.

Can you explain this. I don't think anyone here can You count on financial aid. Doesn't that depend on the family's HHI and all that? The OOS tuition and board at South Carolina is is about $40,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its completely possible to get a BA from a good school for about $80K total.

I can see this if the student can live at home rent free and go to the local in state school, or live at home rent free for two years while attending the local CC and transferring to an in state school. This of course is a great option if it is an option.

You hit the nail on the head, and there are schools like South Carolina giving significant aid. Total net price at South Carolina is about $22K including room & board.

Can you explain this. I don't think anyone here can You count on financial aid. Doesn't that depend on the family's HHI and all that? The OOS tuition and board at South Carolina is is about $40,000

p.s: the 4 year graduation rate there is 55%, so maybe it will take a lot more than $80K to get your BA from there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its completely possible to get a BA from a good school for about $80K total.

I can see this if the student can live at home rent free and go to the local in state school, or live at home rent free for two years while attending the local CC and transferring to an in state school. This of course is a great option if it is an option.

You hit the nail on the head, and there are schools like South Carolina giving significant aid. Total net price at South Carolina is about $22K including room & board.

Can you explain this. I don't think anyone here can You count on financial aid. Doesn't that depend on the family's HHI and all that? The OOS tuition and board at South Carolina is is about $40,000

We qualified for our in-state tuition due to DC's grades and test scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its completely possible to get a BA from a good school for about $80K total.

I can see this if the student can live at home rent free and go to the local in state school, or live at home rent free for two years while attending the local CC and transferring to an in state school. This of course is a great option if it is an option.

You hit the nail on the head, and there are schools like South Carolina giving significant aid. Total net price at South Carolina is about $22K including room & board.

Can you explain this. I don't think anyone here can You count on financial aid. Doesn't that depend on the family's HHI and all that? The OOS tuition and board at South Carolina is is about $40,000

We qualified for our in-state tuition due to DC's grades and test scores.

o.k, so some students can get their total net cost significantly reduced, it's not an automatic thing.

[Anonymous]

Also, at least in Virginia you can do two years at NOVA and transfer to a four year school get your BA for a total cost of around $8OK. Where there's a will there's a way. An "expensive" four year college is not the only way to a degree.

FYI, California community colleges also have such articulation agreements. People are so myopic than they focus on the "traditional" college experience.

As to PP above do your research about which schools have the programs that interest your DC AND offer merit aid for someone with their profile. That's what we did. Our DD got merit aid packages from every school she was accepted to,that brought the costs in-line with VA in-state tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its completely possible to get a BA from a good school for about $80K total.

I can see this if the student can live at home rent free and go to the local in state school, or live at home rent free for two years while attending the local CC and transferring to an in state school. This of course is a great option if it is an option.

You hit the nail on the head, and there are schools like South Carolina giving significant aid. Total net price at South Carolina is about $22K including room & board.

Can you explain this. I don't think anyone here can You count on financial aid. Doesn't that depend on the family's HHI and all that? The OOS tuition and board at South Carolina is is about $40,000

We qualified for our in-state tuition due to DC's grades and test scores.

o.k, so some students can get their total net cost significantly reduced, it's not an automatic thing.

Just like Alabama it is one of the state schools that actively reduces tuition for medium high achieving students to entice them to come. For students in Virginia who get wait listed or rejected at he big three it is an option if their budget is for in state schools. Most in state schools save their merit dollars for in state applicants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, at least in Virginia you can do two years at NOVA and transfer to a four year school get your BA for a total cost of around $8OK. Where there's a will there's a way. An "expensive" four year college is not the only way to a degree.

FYI, California community colleges also have such articulation agreements. People are so myopic than they focus on the "traditional" college experience.

As to PP above do your research about which schools have the programs that interest your DC AND offer merit aid for someone with their profile. That's what we did. Our DD got merit aid packages from every school she was accepted to,that brought the costs in-line with VA in-state tuition.

The $80k price tag assumes the student has living expenses for free when they attend NOVA.

[Anonymous]

Given all the options out there I simply do not believe a college degree is unobtainable for the majority of the MC and UMC provided they have either save or are smart and strategic about the the schools their DC applies too.

My DD was rejected from UVA and W&M, and South Carolina was a safety choice but in the end better for us financially and probably better for her academically as it has a better program in her major than either of the VA top 2.

Also, don't believe anything that the schools tell you about last joint at the whole package. They heavily weigh test scores and GPA. My DD had a 3.7 unweighted GPA full IB diploma, 1420 SAT (33 ACT) and has started her own successful business and won numerous state and national awards in her ECs and for academics and was rejected by seven schools.

I am happy she is going to Carolina, getting out of the Northeast pressure cooker, prestige bubble and will get out and be with real folks. Plus, I get a School with a football team I can root for - Go Cocks!