Anonymous
Post 11/14/2025 17:33     Subject: Do your children expect you to pay for grad school?
I think it is good to work before law school too.

We will help if we can, undergrad will be fully paid for. It is likely younger will cost more than older, in which case we would at a minimum give the older the difference towards grad school.
Anonymous
Post 11/14/2025 16:49     Subject: Do your children expect you to pay for grad school?
Aside from professions like law medicine vet - who needs grad school immediately after undergrad these days??
Anonymous
Post 11/14/2025 16:24     Subject: Do your children expect you to pay for grad school?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Paying for graduate school is a luxury. It’s not something many parents plan to pay for, unless you have nothing else to with your money, got a large inheritance, etc.


Or, you make lifestyle choices so you can afford it. We told ours that we could afford a state school for college and grad school. We live in a small house in an area where DCUM attacks and it's been years since we had a vacation. No housekeeper, no gardener. We do spend a lot on activities. I'd rather pay for grad school than go on a few vacations.


Even in-state can be 50K total.

It's not just a few vacations - it can literally be $50K+ x 2.
Anonymous
Post 11/14/2025 16:23     Subject: Do your children expect you to pay for grad school?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Paying for graduate school is a luxury. It’s not something many parents plan to pay for, unless you have nothing else to with your money, got a large inheritance, etc.


Or, you make lifestyle choices so you can afford it. We told ours that we could afford a state school for college and grad school. We live in a small house in an area where DCUM attacks and it's been years since we had a vacation. No housekeeper, no gardener. We do spend a lot on activities. I'd rather pay for grad school than go on a few vacations.


It's not just a few vacations - it can literally be $50K+ x 2.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2024 11:23     Subject: Do your children expect you to pay for grad school?
Anonymous wrote:Expect no, but we plan to within reason.


+1
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2024 10:42     Subject: Do your children expect you to pay for grad school?
No
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2024 10:41     Subject: Do your children expect you to pay for grad school?
We're in the camp of if there's educational funds left over bc of your choices undergraduate, you can use them for grad school or a house. One kid went to a top private and got an in demand STEM degree but used most of their funds so should have no problem getting an employer to pay for a grad degree, other kid went to a state public with merit and will have a nice little nest egg to use for grad school should they want to.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2024 10:26     Subject: Do your children expect you to pay for grad school?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Paying for graduate school is a luxury. It’s not something many parents plan to pay for, unless you have nothing else to with your money, got a large inheritance, etc.


Or, you make lifestyle choices so you can afford it. We told ours that we could afford a state school for college and grad school. We live in a small house in an area where DCUM attacks and it's been years since we had a vacation. No housekeeper, no gardener. We do spend a lot on activities. I'd rather pay for grad school than go on a few vacations.


I'm sad for you.


DP: Why? They clearly value education and live within their means. It's their choice for their family.



Well, DH and I have advanced degrees, so clearly we value education (what a weird implication that we don't). But children should pay for their own graduate school.


And that is your opinion. But medical/law school is extremely expensive. So many people feel otherwise. We have the $$$ so if our kids want to attend grad school, we will ensure they graduate debt free. Don't want to burden them for 10+ years with massive debt, when we can afford to help.

Anonymous
Post 04/16/2024 10:25     Subject: Do your children expect you to pay for grad school?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Paying for graduate school is a luxury. It’s not something many parents plan to pay for, unless you have nothing else to with your money, got a large inheritance, etc.


Or, you make lifestyle choices so you can afford it. We told ours that we could afford a state school for college and grad school. We live in a small house in an area where DCUM attacks and it's been years since we had a vacation. No housekeeper, no gardener. We do spend a lot on activities. I'd rather pay for grad school than go on a few vacations.


I'm sad for you.


DP: Why? They clearly value education and live within their means. It's their choice for their family.



Well, DH and I have advanced degrees, so clearly we value education (what a weird implication that we don't). But children should pay for their own graduate school.


Should? Lucky for us we have YOU to tell us what to do. GTFOH.

My kid will have help for grad school and have a leg up as a result. That's what we intend in doing so. DC should not have to slog through 10's to 100's of thousands of dollars of loans just b/c we did.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2024 10:20     Subject: Do your children expect you to pay for grad school?
Anonymous wrote:My parents didn't pay for my grad school and I'm not planning on paying for my child's.

This was me, and then my oldest got $25K per year in merit aid and my youngest has special needs and will never be able to go to college, so we will have a lot of extra 529 money laying around.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2024 10:18     Subject: Do your children expect you to pay for grad school?
No but I am going to anyway.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2024 10:17     Subject: Do your children expect you to pay for grad school?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Paying for graduate school is a luxury. It’s not something many parents plan to pay for, unless you have nothing else to with your money, got a large inheritance, etc.


Or, you make lifestyle choices so you can afford it. We told ours that we could afford a state school for college and grad school. We live in a small house in an area where DCUM attacks and it's been years since we had a vacation. No housekeeper, no gardener. We do spend a lot on activities. I'd rather pay for grad school than go on a few vacations.


Do you have restrictions on what type of grad school you'd pay for? I can't imagine sacrificing my later years for some of these frivolous graduate degrees (which I myself have and paid for with loans).
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2024 10:04     Subject: Do your children expect you to pay for grad school?
Anonymous wrote:No. But they understand that if there’s money left in their 529s after paying for undergrad, it is theirs for either grad school or to transfer to a Roth.


Same. DS is likely to have a bit left and hopes he'll be able to work someplace that will provide some tuition help.

DD is in the sciences and aims for a PhD which only makes sense if you get funding from the school
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2024 10:03     Subject: Do your children expect you to pay for grad school?
No. But they understand that if there’s money left in their 529s after paying for undergrad, it is theirs for either grad school or to transfer to a Roth.
Anonymous
Post 04/16/2024 10:02     Subject: Do your children expect you to pay for grad school?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Paying for graduate school is a luxury. It’s not something many parents plan to pay for, unless you have nothing else to with your money, got a large inheritance, etc.


Or, you make lifestyle choices so you can afford it. We told ours that we could afford a state school for college and grad school. We live in a small house in an area where DCUM attacks and it's been years since we had a vacation. No housekeeper, no gardener. We do spend a lot on activities. I'd rather pay for grad school than go on a few vacations.


I'm sad for you.


DP: Why? They clearly value education and live within their means. It's their choice for their family.



Well, DH and I have advanced degrees, so clearly we value education (what a weird implication that we don't). But children should pay for their own graduate school.