How are normal people paying for college?

[Anonymous]

They save. Their kids win some merit aid. The students work while in college. The kids take out loans. They attend more affordable schools.

Mix and match

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I find that somewhat flippant, op. "And in state is off the table?"
In-state is expensive for most people, my family included. Quite frankly, your condescending attitude is off-putting.
-I have two kids in-state and it is a struggle to pay for it. Quite frankly, you can figure it out on your own when so clueless about the realities of life for most "normal!!!!" people.

Its just people being snobs and think the privates are that much better when they aren't. I went to both public and private and there were no differences but preferred the public for many reasons. I'd rather mine go where we can afford to pay for college and graduate school with no debt. Mine understand how important that is and are fine with a state school.

Your preferences are smart but you're objectively wrong to say that public and private universities are comparable.

She is not objectively wrong. There are thousands of private colleges, few are better than flagship state ones. The rest are terrible, money grab that offers no education.

Few? The top 20 privates are far better than the top 20 publics. Publics, apart from the fact that the vast majority of students come from one state, are notoriously difficult to navigate. Many students can't graduate in four years because they simply can't enroll in the required classes.

Yes, a few. Most people do not go to 20 best colleges in the country. Get off your entitled horse, you snob.

Eh, I did and my children did as well. So from my perspective, you're still entirely incorrect. And I'd argue that the top 500 privates are objectively superior to the top 500 publics. Who in their right mind would choose to go to a college where 80% of the students hailed from a single state? It boggles the mind.

[Anonymous]

Normal families don't live in the DCUM world of $1 million+ houses and expect aid, and either safe or they cannot afford it and either the kids do loans or don't go.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:DD is going to have to work her way through college. I am not going to be able to pay for it for her.

If she can get a job for $70K a year (the cost of tuition alone) without a degree, then why would she go to college?

that's why OP's set up is ridiculous. If instate is off the table and you don't have savings, your kid is SOL

for those of us in the district(lemme check, this is DC urban moms & dads right) there is no in state option. you get $10,000 tarp and the rest you come up with yourselves and not all dc residents skew super wealthy/ URM/first to go to college. lots of "normal" ppl live here, even asian ppl who have to jump through higher hoops, get less merit aid and often come from immigrant families who take money from us instead of leaving us some. So yes sometime sin state tuition is off the table.

Move to Tacoma Park or South Arlington or whatever. Most of us in your situation moved expressly because of college and our kids’ future. I know several parents who have moved back to DC after their kids graduated from college in Maryland or Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Forgo kitchen renovation, any other renovation thet's a want rather than a need. Forgo new cars. Do this for 18-12 years.

This is pretty much what we lived with, as well as starting 529s once they were born. Currently have 2 kids in in-state universities. We saved enough for roughly 75% of their overall college expenses. The rest we are paying as they go. No student loans.

[Anonymous]

OP, I know you are a long way off, but I also think it is important to be honest and realistic with your child(ren) when the time comes. I have several friends whose kids aimed high for a dream school and then got admitted, only to wind up telling the kids that the dream schools were off the table for financial reasons. That seems cruel to me. You can say that the only chance for the school would be if you get significant aid, but for the top schools and a middle to upper income family, that is unlikely. Be honest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find that somewhat flippant, op. "And in state is off the table?"
In-state is expensive for most people, my family included. Quite frankly, your condescending attitude is off-putting.
-I have two kids in-state and it is a struggle to pay for it. Quite frankly, you can figure it out on your own when so clueless about the realities of life for most "normal!!!!" people.

Its just people being snobs and think the privates are that much better when they aren't. I went to both public and private and there were no differences but preferred the public for many reasons. I'd rather mine go where we can afford to pay for college and graduate school with no debt. Mine understand how important that is and are fine with a state school.

Your preferences are smart but you're objectively wrong to say that public and private universities are comparable.

She is not objectively wrong. There are thousands of private colleges, few are better than flagship state ones. The rest are terrible, money grab that offers no education.

Few? The top 20 privates are far better than the top 20 publics. Publics, apart from the fact that the vast majority of students come from one state, are notoriously difficult to navigate. Many students can't graduate in four years because they simply can't enroll in the required classes.

Yes, a few. Most people do not go to 20 best colleges in the country. Get off your entitled horse, you snob.

Eh, I did and my children did as well. So from my perspective, you're still entirely incorrect. And I'd argue that the top 500 privates are objectively superior to the top 500 publics. Who in their right mind would choose to go to a college where 80% of the students hailed from a single state? It boggles the mind.

Again, you are an irritating, entitled, detached from real-life person. You are also insulting. So, from my perspective, you can shove off and shut up.

[Anonymous]

Real world kids go to state schools even if OOS. Look into ECU, NC State, WVU if in state is not an option for you. Also, look at satellite campus for first two years.

[Anonymous]

We are normal people and decided when my son was born to do the Maryland pre-paid college fund. We knew it would probably get harder to afford college as he grew older so was able to invest in 4 years of college at the rate at which it was when he was born. There are some caveats - state school, room and board not included, etc. But for us, knowing that at least tuition is covered is nice.
Also, he must have a good reason to go to a private school.

[Anonymous]

We are an average family. We are paying this years tuition - zero aid in any form, via stuck/dividends. Our DC will take a loan next year to help build up credit (praying Biden offers interest free college loans), and we will it off over time.

We didn’t save ahead of time as I was a SAHM and we were stretched with our house. The house has been an incredible investment, tho. So very much worth it for us, imo.

[Anonymous]

We are paying for our child's education with post-9/11 GI benefits. My H is a reservist. We have a small 529 to help out with the difference if he chooses a private college.

[Anonymous]

We are normal people. No college savings, HHI of 200k, and a family of four. Kid does not qualify for academic aide. We only looked at inexpensive schools.

Tuition is 15k
We are in DC so they give 10k/yr (5k for each semester)
Through the years we have found some small scholarship money (1k or so here and there).
Financial Aid is 3k/yr

Our kid will graduate with about 12k in student loan debt.

[Anonymous]

I went to a local state school within commuting distance of home. I lived at home and worked 16-20 hours a week answering the phone at an local office, and this paid for my commuting costs, textbooks, class fees, food, phone, etc. I had a small scholarship that covered some of the tuition. My parents paid the rest.

[Anonymous]

"Eh, I did and my children did as well. So from my perspective, you're still entirely incorrect. And I'd argue that the top 500 privates are objectively superior to the top 500 publics. Who in their right mind would choose to go to a college where 80% of the students hailed from a single state? It boggles the mind.

Again, you are an irritating, entitled, detached from real-life person. You are also insulting. So, from my perspective, you can shove off and shut up."

They are pretty obnoxious.

For their information, by the time you are picking between the bottom 80% of those top 500 privates, those private schools also have 80% of their students coming from one state.

-parent of a student at a 90 something ranked school where 80% of students are from a single state

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find that somewhat flippant, op. "And in state is off the table?"
In-state is expensive for most people, my family included. Quite frankly, your condescending attitude is off-putting.
-I have two kids in-state and it is a struggle to pay for it. Quite frankly, you can figure it out on your own when so clueless about the realities of life for most "normal!!!!" people.

Its just people being snobs and think the privates are that much better when they aren't. I went to both public and private and there were no differences but preferred the public for many reasons. I'd rather mine go where we can afford to pay for college and graduate school with no debt. Mine understand how important that is and are fine with a state school.

Your preferences are smart but you're objectively wrong to say that public and private universities are comparable.

She is not objectively wrong. There are thousands of private colleges, few are better than flagship state ones. The rest are terrible, money grab that offers no education.

Few? The top 20 privates are far better than the top 20 publics. Publics, apart from the fact that the vast majority of students come from one state, are notoriously difficult to navigate. Many students can't graduate in four years because they simply can't enroll in the required classes.

Yes, a few. Most people do not go to 20 best colleges in the country. Get off your entitled horse, you snob.

Eh, I did and my children did as well. So from my perspective, you're still entirely incorrect. And I'd argue that the top 500 privates are objectively superior to the top 500 publics. Who in their right mind would choose to go to a college where 80% of the students hailed from a single state? It boggles the mind.

Eh, guess you won’t be interested in Pomona College or my SLAC then. Too many Californians.