What would you do?

[Anonymous]

Would you push your kid to go to a college because their parent works there and can receive free tuition, even if the college would not otherwise make the child’s list? It is a top 75 school and the right fit academically for the child.

[Anonymous]

It depends on finances and the child. I would encourage it and let them live in the dorms to have a better experience. I'd rather use the money for grad school.

[Anonymous]

Free tuition? Most colleges on the east coast stopped this many years ago - are you grandfathered in, and have you worked there for over 15 years, OP?

If it was reduced rate for so many years (I have not heard of free tuition for many, many years!), and the school was indeed a genuine match for the child, then yes, the child should apply.

[Anonymous]

I would if other options required loans or would require a significant financial sacrifice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Free tuition? Most colleges on the east coast stopped this many years ago - are you grandfathered in, and have you worked there for over 15 years, OP?

If it was reduced rate for so many years (I have not heard of free tuition for many, many years!), and the school was indeed a genuine match for the child, then yes, the child should apply.

Yes I just looked again at the tuition remission benefit information and it would be 100 percent because my spouse has worked there for over 20 years

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would you push your kid to go to a college because their parent works there and can receive free tuition, even if the college would not otherwise make the child’s list? It is a top 75 school and the right fit academically for the child.

It really depends on the financial situation.

I went to grad school for free because of similar circumstances. Great program for what I studied. Top 5.

Would I have chosen it if I had unlimited funds? No.

No regrets though. Two years of grad school for free is no small thing.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely!

[Anonymous]

Yes for sure. I assume you live close to the school—I would let my child live on campus.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the alternative. If DC would otherwise make a T20 school, it would be something to think about. If not, Free tuition trumps everything. DC may even realize that staying at home works best for them. Happened to my DC. I moved back home after my first year and had a comfortable life through my senior year.

[Anonymous]

UMD system employees get free tuition at the college they work at or 50% tuition at other MD state colleges.

[Anonymous]

Depends. Which college is giving the free tuition, and what do you predict is the best college your DC could get into?

[Anonymous]

I would not make my kid go to UMD over Yale, for example.

[Anonymous]

Yes!!! Absolutely

[Anonymous]

It certainly would be hard to turn that down, though I kind of feel for the kid who has no choice in where to go to college.

My spouse works at an Ivy that gives us $20,000 per kid per year to go anywhere, perhaps acknowledging that the kid likely would not be able to get into the Ivy. I think there are also many colleges that have a tuition exchange program for kids of staffers. (Ours doesn't participate.)

[Anonymous]

I’d say about half or more of the university staff I know tell their kid they must attend the college they work at. It’s just a given, there is no debate about it.