Is it really worth the money for your child to choose a college away from home?
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Anonymous
| I did it three ways: lived in dorm freshman year, at home and off-campus group house. Group house was the BEST! Three months in the dorm would have been enough for me. You meet all the people the first 3 months of schools after that it is an unhealthy prison cell. |
Anonymous
Considering the crushing debt most kids have, this is a VERY important question more families SHOULD be asking. |
Anonymous
Exactly this. If you live at home you are basically still in high school while taking college classes. |
Anonymous
What exactly is the value of CRUSHING debt, and NOT being able to get MARRIED or buy a HOUSE? |
Anonymous
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College costs are unsustainable.
It's smart to consider the costs and evaluate the type of salary you anticipate your kid will likely get in their chosen field. VA has a great program where the student can do to 2 years at NOVA and then transfer to another VA school. To me that's pretty savvy on the part of the student and the parents to take advantage of this and not take out a lot of loans to cover the costs for 4 years. I also see where that takes discipline on the part of the student and it's not ideal, but I've long thought my kids won't have the same college experience I had. |
Anonymous
The crushing debt loads you hear about from undergrad are usually when someone goes to a high priced institution and borrows extra. The maximum federal subsidized student loans for undergraduate are 23,000 for the total 4 year period. At current rates this results in about a $265/month payment for 10 years. The problem comes when people decide to add in private loans and take them to pay for additional living expenses and then live fairly large or they opt to go to an expensive private university, don't qualify for financial aid but also don't have savings to support it. Then the big cost is from tuition not R&B. The average cost of room and board is $11,000 year. It's cheaper to stay home, but you'd have to add in food costs at home, commuting/parking costs for school and any eating out done at school because of the commuting factor. |
Anonymous
Why would you not be able to get MARRIED due to debt? |
Anonymous
I agree with you except for one thing: It IS worth the money to get this kid out of my house. And with this kid, it will grow her up in a good way. So I'm paying for my own sanity, and for her to grow up some. Yes the price is worth it. My other kid...she could live with me forever; she's very helpful and kind. But I think that's because she's very independent--already acts like an adult. So she doesn't need the push and could stay home. |
Anonymous
Um, lack of money. Perhaps not enough space in their parents basement. |
Anonymous
This is my mother’s philosophy and i will also encourage my DCs to go out of state. It was a great experience and offered me the opportunity to become independent. |
Anonymous
Bingo! A college guidance counselor once chuckled this is EXACTLY why colleges get away with charging ANYTHING. Colleges indeed USED to be a safe space. But that’s HISTORY. Now, you throw your kid into a lion pit AND you PAY for the OPPORTUNITY. What a deal!!!! |
Anonymous
Not everybody didn't save for college. |
Anonymous
Not everyone is rich. Most kids have crushing debt. Hey, can you please pop your little bubble? |
Anonymous
Then don’t send them to college. No one is forcing you. Have them learn a trade. You’re such a whiny baby. |
Anonymous
NP: About 70% of kids take on student loans. Their average student loan debt is under 30k. Manageable student loan debt is considered 1 year of starting salary or less. Most college graduates have a starting salary > than 30k. So I think it's mistaken to say that most kids have crushing debt. |