Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:In today's world - I don't consider it optional. Of course it is actually optional -- just like someone could drop out of high school at 16, emancipate themselves from their parents and never finish school. So high school graduation is optional, too. So is learning to read, if you think about it. But that's not reality.
If you want your kid to have a decent living -- 99.1% chance they have to go to college. About 0.9% will succeed without.
I am one of the PPs whose parents paid nothing for college. DH's parents paid for undergrad but not grad school. I will pay for both. That is what I have been working for -- if you working more than you literally need to survive ... then what exactly are you working for other than your family?
And to really rock everyone's world who thinks that college is optional -- I have saved more than enough for 4 years, without financial aid, for the most expensive college in the country for each DC. Basically more than $300K per kid. That's their money, in my view. If they decide to go in-State (which we also prepaid), it will cost hardly anything, and their $300K will be there for them for any reasonable purpose -- grad school, house, start up... I do not consider it my money - it's theirs, with some parental approval -- can't use it for new shoes.
You are clueless and obnoxious.
Anonymous wrote:In today's world - I don't consider it optional. Of course it is actually optional -- just like someone could drop out of high school at 16, emancipate themselves from their parents and never finish school. So high school graduation is optional, too. So is learning to read, if you think about it. But that's not reality.
If you want your kid to have a decent living -- 99.1% chance they have to go to college. About 0.9% will succeed without.
I am one of the PPs whose parents paid nothing for college. DH's parents paid for undergrad but not grad school. I will pay for both. That is what I have been working for -- if you working more than you literally need to survive ... then what exactly are you working for other than your family?
And to really rock everyone's world who thinks that college is optional -- I have saved more than enough for 4 years, without financial aid, for the most expensive college in the country for each DC. Basically more than $300K per kid. That's their money, in my view. If they decide to go in-State (which we also prepaid), it will cost hardly anything, and their $300K will be there for them for any reasonable purpose -- grad school, house, start up... I do not consider it my money - it's theirs, with some parental approval -- can't use it for new shoes.
Anonymous wrote:In today's world - I don't consider it optional. Of course it is actually optional -- just like someone could drop out of high school at 16, emancipate themselves from their parents and never finish school. So high school graduation is optional, too. So is learning to read, if you think about it. But that's not reality.
If you want your kid to have a decent living -- 99.1% chance they have to go to college. About 0.9% will succeed without.
I am one of the PPs whose parents paid nothing for college. DH's parents paid for undergrad but not grad school. I will pay for both. That is what I have been working for -- if you working more than you literally need to survive ... then what exactly are you working for other than your family?
And to really rock everyone's world who thinks that college is optional -- I have saved more than enough for 4 years, without financial aid, for the most expensive college in the country for each DC. Basically more than $300K per kid. That's their money, in my view. If they decide to go in-State (which we also prepaid), it will cost hardly anything, and their $300K will be there for them for any reasonable purpose -- grad school, house, start up... I do not consider it my money - it's theirs, with some parental approval -- can't use it for new shoes.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
New poster. Aren’t you paying for their apartment, meals, clothes, and expenses if they go to school full time on your dime and not working or helping to contribute in their own adult lives? I am confused how they are indeed not in the same category.
What if they don’t get a job after graduation? Do you continue paying?
What if they go to grad school? Do you continue paying?
Irrelevant questions to the main issue: If you can pay for your kids' college and you don't, you are a shitty person and a bad parent

Anonymous wrote:I am astounding that people believe they must pay for an optional education. Only on DCUM.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I didn’t have a parent pay my schooling, but my DH did. Our experiences were world’s apart. You can bet we are paying our DD’s in full.
+1. Same here. I paid for my college at a state school and DH had every penny paid for at an expensive private university. His experience was so much better than mine and his friends from college are important in his business. He never took anything for granted and worked his ass off and got top grades. I was balancing school and a job and never had any time to experience college or make lasting friendships. I think I value my education less than DH does. And he got to take unpaid internships in his field and spend a semester in a college in France. Meanwhile I was working as a waitress and never got to do anything except study.
DD is only 3 but we will be paying for her college 100%.
Anonymous wrote:I didn’t have a parent pay my schooling, but my DH did. Our experiences were world’s apart. You can bet we are paying our DD’s in full.
Anonymous wrote:
New poster. Aren’t you paying for their apartment, meals, clothes, and expenses if they go to school full time on your dime and not working or helping to contribute in their own adult lives? I am confused how they are indeed not in the same category.
What if they don’t get a job after graduation? Do you continue paying?
What if they go to grad school? Do you continue paying?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:"Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. "
Oh yes it does.
Oh yes, it does?Not sure what post you are responding to, but you can’t be serious?
What about their apartment expenses, a new house, a new work wardrobe, their wedding, a car to commute in?
If you can afford it, you just keep giving them anything they need?
If you put a college education in the same category as those other things, we live in different worlds, and have little to discuss.
Anonymous wrote:I am astounding that people believe they must pay for an optional education. Only on DCUM.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:"Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. "
Oh yes it does.
Oh yes, it does?Not sure what post you are responding to, but you can’t be serious?
What about their apartment expenses, a new house, a new work wardrobe, their wedding, a car to commute in?
If you can afford it, you just keep giving them anything they need?
Anonymous wrote:
100% disagree with this and agree with PP above. Kids have very little ownership in anything these days and work ethic is extremely low.