Do you worry about being able to pay for college?

[Anonymous]

No, not really. We're saving what I think is a reasonable amount and should be enough to cover in-state tuition. And we'll be able to provide some on-going support while our kids are in school. But we expect our kids to have some skin in the game. They won't absolutely need loans, but they'll need a part time job. My friends who had to work to pay their rent in college graduated with a much more mature sense of money management, and more relevant job experience, than those of us who got a full free ride.

[Anonymous]

My child is 2.5 and I have saved a very small amount (529 has about 1700 in it). I don't worry about it because I am truly stretched to my max. I will do what I can but there is no way to predict what I will be able to provide. I just focus on giving my child a great childhood and doing the best we can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The overriding assumption here is that these costs can continue rising indefinitely and the system will carry on much as it has well into the future. I believe there is a decent chance that the current model will break down at some point. It's at least worth considering.

It's already happening at the smaller privates.

I wish I knew how the industry will change. More reputable online education (no room and board)?

Kids are 1 and 4 and we haven't started saving yet because we are still paying off our loans.

[Anonymous]

I did a lump sum for DS when he was 3 of about $60K. That was in 2009 so it's about doubled now. It's enough to pay for four years of tutition, room & board, and fees for in-state. I don't intend to fund it much further in case that's the route he goes, but I save elsewhere and will contribute as much as I can if he chooses a more expensive college. I'd like him to graduate debt-free, and am able to help him a fair amount since he's my only.

[Anonymous]

DS is 6. His 529 is worth ~140K last time I looked about a month ago and we stopped make contributions.

[Anonymous]

We are open to all sorts of strategies to pay less:
Doing distribution requirements at community college, or working and going to school as a commuter, or first 2 years at community college and then transfer.
Also we recently learned that 529 funds can pay for school in other countries, like Canada or the UK. You can graduate in 3 years in the UK. Not sure about Canada.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did a lump sum for DS when he was 3 of about $60K. That was in 2009 so it's about doubled now. It's enough to pay for four years of tutition, room & board, and fees for in-state. I don't intend to fund it much further in case that's the route he goes, but I save elsewhere and will contribute as much as I can if he chooses a more expensive college. I'd like him to graduate debt-free, and am able to help him a fair amount since he's my only.

Doubled in 5 years WOW

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did a lump sum for DS when he was 3 of about $60K. That was in 2009 so it's about doubled now. It's enough to pay for four years of tutition, room & board, and fees for in-state. I don't intend to fund it much further in case that's the route he goes, but I save elsewhere and will contribute as much as I can if he chooses a more expensive college. I'd like him to graduate debt-free, and am able to help him a fair amount since he's my only.

Doubled in 5 years WOW

Invested at almost exactly the market bottom in March 2009 - pure luck

[Anonymous]

I don't worry about it because I can't do anything about it. We live in San Francisco, I earn under $40k a year, and haven't saved a cent for DD's college. She's a rising sixth grader.

I will have to hope she can get scholarships up the ass when it comes time for college. I don't want her to have to take out school loans.

[Anonymous]

Same as above; I don't worry about paying for our kids' college because that horse left the barn long ago. We don't have a penny saved either and I have other things to worry about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, I purchased 4 years of pre-paid college tuition for my DS at a Maryland state school when he was 2 years old, and I'm sure we'll be able to manage to help him with his living expenses.

+1 - we did this when our son was an infant. We paid it off in three years to avoid the interest and are slowly starting to save in a 529 (we need to put the house and other things as a priority right now). At least we have something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We started 529s a few months before each kid was born. Our oldest is now 5 and once she had $50k in her account we stopped. We have upped what we put in DS account to catch him up. We think we will have 1/3 saved and will pay 1/3 during school (more if we can).

I work in higher ed and I agree. Even research universities will have to adapt and online education is already a major disruptor.

[Anonymous]

We contribute 4k a year to 529s for both kids.
Have also thought about community college first to save money or go to school abroad (both kids have also EU passports).
If they out take student loans, we'd probably help pay back the loans.

[Anonymous]

No, I'm not worried about it.

1. It is economically not feasible for tuitions to keep rising as they have, while middle class incomes are so stagnant. It simply will not be possible.
2. We live in VA - in state tuition very reasonable and a lot of great public options.
3. DS6 is very bright, and driven. I guess that could change, but I think he will have some options. Too soon to tell with DD since she is very little.
4. We have set up 529s for each of our 2 kids - not funded to the max like some PPs, but enough to take the edge off (so far, with projected earnings will be more than enough to pay full year or tuition for each kid. We still have some good saving years)
5. DH maintains permanent residence in another very nice country. DCs and I are also eligible and becoming fluent in the language. (I lived there for several years) There are many educational options there, student housing is cheap, and the kids will have family support. It is our "insurance policy" in case things get really bad here.
6. We plan to stay in our "starter home" - since I was SAHM for several years, we are used to living very frugally and don't need to have the latest, greatest everything. When we are done with daycare and our income to mortgage ratio improves, this will open up a lot of room for saving.
6. There is always ROTC.