The Most Confusing, Chaotic College Admissions Season in Years - WSJ (gift link)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for my kids and everyone applying next year. It's gotten so complicated with the end of TO, new messy digital testing, FAFSA changes...can't they just let those kids have some predictability?

Here's a tip. Prepare well and take the standardized tests. A great score will trump all this nonsense. TO itself was BS and just complicated the admission process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The number of low income students going to college dropped during covid and is now dropping again because of the FAFSA f**-up. This is going to lead to more income inequality. But on dcum, everyone is yelling about the unfair advantage first gen and poor students get and plotting how they can look like they are first gen.

The whole thing is sad and gross.

we are the only country in the world that pays for people that aren't citizens to be educated in higher institutions. It's laughable in other countries.

We don't pay for international students to attend college here. Vast majority are FULL pay with little to no merit (and merit is from the school not the govt if it's received). If anything, them coming reduces the tuition rates for everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: The department of education was too busy trying to figure out how to forgive student loans so FAFSA suffered..the same company responsible for healthcare.gov in the Obama years is responsible for new and improved FAFSA.

Gotta love the democrats.

Funny how I’m still paying my student loans while waiting for my child’s fafsa to process. So wish you were right.

WTH do you still have student loans if you have a kid 18+

You took the loans for college, you should have figured out how to pay them back in a timely manner (ie 10 years) In reality, you should prioritize paying off bulk of your loans before you start having kids/increasing your expenses.


Fact is most states have several good in-state schools that most kids can get into. Pick one of those for your kids and don't send them into massive debt.
My state has 2 good ones that cost only ~$25K all in. Acceptance rates are high (75%+, automatic admission if you have a 3.5+ UW HS gpa at one and that school literally has every major imaginable). A kid can work summers/breaks and earn $10K, add in a PT job (10 hours/week) while on campus and they can earn $13k+ towards college. That leaves $12K. Take $5.5 in fed loans and there is only $6.5K to finish paying for college. Then you come out with only $27K in loans and that should be easily paid off in 5-10 years if you make it a priority.

There is no need to take more than that in loans. If you cannot afford it, don't attend a school that costs $50K+

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The number of low income students going to college dropped during covid and is now dropping again because of the FAFSA f**-up. This is going to lead to more income inequality. But on dcum, everyone is yelling about the unfair advantage first gen and poor students get and plotting how they can look like they are first gen.

The whole thing is sad and gross.

we are the only country in the world that pays for people that aren't citizens to be educated in higher institutions. It's laughable in other countries.

We don't pay for international students to attend college here. Vast majority are FULL pay with little to no merit (and merit is from the school not the govt if it's received). If anything, them coming reduces the tuition rates for everyone else.

I kinda agree and disagree with both of you..

Yes, International students are full pay barring some merit aid (not much). However, some undocumented immigrants/immigrants without a clear path to residency or citizenship in this country are still technically foreigners and they qualify for need-based aid, sometimes amounting to a free ride.

No, we don't need foreigners to subsidize costs. That would make sense if foreigners are only allowed to go to schools that Americans aren't fighting over each other to attend (say T50.. maybe it's T30). Rather, they compete with US full pay students and take away seats at top schools. I'd rather my full pay kid get that seat at Harvard that was given to a foreigner and 'subsidize' costs for Harvard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The number of low income students going to college dropped during covid and is now dropping again because of the FAFSA f**-up. This is going to lead to more income inequality. But on dcum, everyone is yelling about the unfair advantage first gen and poor students get and plotting how they can look like they are first gen.

The whole thing is sad and gross.

we are the only country in the world that pays for people that aren't citizens to be educated in higher institutions. It's laughable in other countries.

We don't pay for international students to attend college here. Vast majority are FULL pay with little to no merit (and merit is from the school not the govt if it's received). If anything, them coming reduces the tuition rates for everyone else.

I kinda agree and disagree with both of you..

Yes, International students are full pay barring some merit aid (not much). However, some undocumented immigrants/immigrants without a clear path to residency or citizenship in this country are still technically foreigners and they qualify for need-based aid, sometimes amounting to a free ride.

No, we don't need foreigners to subsidize costs. That would make sense if foreigners are only allowed to go to schools that Americans aren't fighting over each other to attend (say T50.. maybe it's T30). Rather, they compete with US full pay students and take away seats at top schools. I'd rather my full pay kid get that seat at Harvard that was given to a foreigner and 'subsidize' costs for Harvard.

See I love that my kid is at a T50 private school where about 25% are International students. They love the diversity. It is the private school's choice as to whom to admit. All of the international students are full pay, thereby helping to keep down tuition costs and actually providing more merit aid for those "US people" who truly need it.

Those "undocumented immigrants" are not free loading, their parents are contributing to society, often doing jobs that you and most other US citizens refuse to do (it's beneath you). Often paying into a system that they cannot access the benefits. I'd rather their kids get a college education and become contributors to the system rather than a drain on the system in the future. Just the same as I want any kid with ability to go to college to get that---education is the key to getting the next generation out of lower income/poverty.
Also, most immigrants are not the "drain on our system". Far more uneducated US citizens in that are a drain on our system than any immigrant. Most are working their asses off to succeed---they came here to escape a life much worse than any here can really imagine and majority work to make something for themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The number of low income students going to college dropped during covid and is now dropping again because of the FAFSA f**-up. This is going to lead to more income inequality. But on dcum, everyone is yelling about the unfair advantage first gen and poor students get and plotting how they can look like they are first gen.

The whole thing is sad and gross.

we are the only country in the world that pays for people that aren't citizens to be educated in higher institutions. It's laughable in other countries.

We don't pay for international students to attend college here. Vast majority are FULL pay with little to no merit (and merit is from the school not the govt if it's received). If anything, them coming reduces the tuition rates for everyone else.

I kinda agree and disagree with both of you..

Yes, International students are full pay barring some merit aid (not much). However, some undocumented immigrants/immigrants without a clear path to residency or citizenship in this country are still technically foreigners and they qualify for need-based aid, sometimes amounting to a free ride.

No, we don't need foreigners to subsidize costs. That would make sense if foreigners are only allowed to go to schools that Americans aren't fighting over each other to attend (say T50.. maybe it's T30). Rather, they compete with US full pay students and take away seats at top schools. I'd rather my full pay kid get that seat at Harvard that was given to a foreigner and 'subsidize' costs for Harvard.

See I love that my kid is at a T50 private school where about 25% are International students. They love the diversity. It is the private school's choice as to whom to admit. All of the international students are full pay, thereby helping to keep down tuition costs and actually providing more merit aid for those "US people" who truly need it.

Those "undocumented immigrants" are not free loading, their parents are contributing to society, often doing jobs that you and most other US citizens refuse to do (it's beneath you). Often paying into a system that they cannot access the benefits. I'd rather their kids get a college education and become contributors to the system rather than a drain on the system in the future. Just the same as I want any kid with ability to go to college to get that---education is the key to getting the next generation out of lower income/poverty.
Also, most immigrants are not the "drain on our system". Far more uneducated US citizens in that are a drain on our system than any immigrant. Most are working their asses off to succeed---they came here to escape a life much worse than any here can really imagine and majority work to make something for themselves.

Sorry, need to respond to this: "Those "undocumented immigrants" are not free loading, their parents are contributing to society, often doing jobs that you and most other US citizens refuse to do (it's beneath you)."

Americans generally don't do these jobs because they see it as "beneath them," they don't do this jobs because the wages offered aren't high enough. People need to stop thinking of immigration as a left/right issue and more of a class warfare issue. Open borders BY DEFINITION depress wages at the bottom of the scale, which is why corporations/big business, which talk such a big game about border security, actually love the status quo. Why pay higher wages and deal with a unionized workforce when you can just hire undocumented immigrants under the table and pay them peanuts for unpleasant and often dangerous work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The number of low income students going to college dropped during covid and is now dropping again because of the FAFSA f**-up. This is going to lead to more income inequality. But on dcum, everyone is yelling about the unfair advantage first gen and poor students get and plotting how they can look like they are first gen.

The whole thing is sad and gross.

we are the only country in the world that pays for people that aren't citizens to be educated in higher institutions. It's laughable in other countries.

We don't pay for international students to attend college here. Vast majority are FULL pay with little to no merit (and merit is from the school not the govt if it's received). If anything, them coming reduces the tuition rates for everyone else.

I kinda agree and disagree with both of you..

Yes, International students are full pay barring some merit aid (not much). However, some undocumented immigrants/immigrants without a clear path to residency or citizenship in this country are still technically foreigners and they qualify for need-based aid, sometimes amounting to a free ride.

No, we don't need foreigners to subsidize costs. That would make sense if foreigners are only allowed to go to schools that Americans aren't fighting over each other to attend (say T50.. maybe it's T30). Rather, they compete with US full pay students and take away seats at top schools. I'd rather my full pay kid get that seat at Harvard that was given to a foreigner and 'subsidize' costs for Harvard.

Except your entire thesis is wrong. All the immigrants in Germany can go to college for free (at many) or nearly free...and actually Americans can attend those colleges right now for the exact same tuition.

Here is just a sampling of colleges in Germany that ANYONE accepted can attend for free tuition (all taught in English):

Here is a list of tuition-free universities that have English-taught programs in Germany:
Technical University of Munchen.
University of Bonn.
University of Hamburg.
TU Darmstadt.
FAU Erlangen Nurnberg.
University of Munster.
Hamburg University of Technology.
SRH University of Heidelberg.

You pay for your own room & board...but $0 tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The number of low income students going to college dropped during covid and is now dropping again because of the FAFSA f**-up. This is going to lead to more income inequality. But on dcum, everyone is yelling about the unfair advantage first gen and poor students get and plotting how they can look like they are first gen.

The whole thing is sad and gross.

Look, people's loyalty is to their own children, okay? Stop looking for racism.

[Anonymous]

I can’t think of anything more stupid than a kid committing to a school without knowing cost and needing financial aid, especially an unranked one like Concordia. Then there’s the one who will get federal aid whose parents came here illegally years ago and still haven’t gotten a SSN. At this point, I think the government should get out of the student loan business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The number of low income students going to college dropped during covid and is now dropping again because of the FAFSA f**-up. This is going to lead to more income inequality. But on dcum, everyone is yelling about the unfair advantage first gen and poor students get and plotting how they can look like they are first gen.

The whole thing is sad and gross.

we are the only country in the world that pays for people that aren't citizens to be educated in higher institutions. It's laughable in other countries.

Schools can’t use federal student aid money on non-U.S. students. Whatever aid international students are getting is coming from the schools themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The number of low income students going to college dropped during covid and is now dropping again because of the FAFSA f**-up. This is going to lead to more income inequality. But on dcum, everyone is yelling about the unfair advantage first gen and poor students get and plotting how they can look like they are first gen.

The whole thing is sad and gross.

we are the only country in the world that pays for people that aren't citizens to be educated in higher institutions. It's laughable in other countries.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another thread immediately overrun by MAGA trolls.

MAGA trolls or students in Russian, Chinese or Iranian troll training programs?

If they’re troll trainees, that’s sort of weirdly cute. Little baby Smershlings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't say I'm loosing sleep over fewer lower income students going to college. Those turning away from colleges are those who never really needed to go to college in the first place, racking up loans just to be a store manager afterwards struggling to pay back the loans. These aren't the kids who'd have used college to genuinely leap ahead economically, but spending a few years getting lost at a regional state school before dropping out and still ending up an assistant store manager.

Did you know you’d be such a miserable bastard when you were younger?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The number of low income students going to college dropped during covid and is now dropping again because of the FAFSA f**-up. This is going to lead to more income inequality. But on dcum, everyone is yelling about the unfair advantage first gen and poor students get and plotting how they can look like they are first gen.

The whole thing is sad and gross.

we are the only country in the world that pays for people that aren't citizens to be educated in higher institutions. It's laughable in other countries.

+1

Are people really incapable of reading a post that is maybe three posts up?

I listed 10 universities in Germany that are free for anyone, including US students that want to attend (and they are taught in English).

There are examples in the Netherlands as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The number of low income students going to college dropped during covid and is now dropping again because of the FAFSA f**-up. This is going to lead to more income inequality. But on dcum, everyone is yelling about the unfair advantage first gen and poor students get and plotting how they can look like they are first gen.

The whole thing is sad and gross.

we are the only country in the world that pays for people that aren't citizens to be educated in higher institutions. It's laughable in other countries.

Wow, this post is amazing in managing to be so exactly opposite of correct. Many countries pay for non-residents to study in their countries. Germany, for example, has programs teaching in English to try to attract foreign students. Permanent resident noncitizens in almost every country in the world EXCEPT THE US get very highly subsidized tuition.

The ONLY noncitizens eligible for student aid in the US are permanent residents, residents of territories like Micronesia, and those that fall into very narrow categories such as designated victims of human trafficking, people granted asylum, and abuse victims. And that aid is very, very much less than the subsidies that permanent residents or asylum seekers get in almost every other country in the world.