| Fee | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $5,352 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,100 |
| Other Fees | $2,002 |
| Room and Board | $9,966 |
| Other Expenses Budget | $3,248 |
Not true. My oldest did two years at a community college, then transferred to a state four year college that is rated decent or above, and finished her BS degree with almost $10k in the bank. She chose to commute to class and live at home, and worked 20-25 hours a week while doing so.
And that is not the college experience, but does save money. Also, if we limit college to commuting distance from parents house, it greatly limits options for many college students. It’s great it worked for her, but that isn’t a blue print for the vast majority of college students.
Fixed it for you. Most of the population lives within a hour of a city with a community college. People who live Rural are the exception not the rule. Just look at voting data concentrations.
Bingo. A couple of generations ago someone sold American families on the purported value of “the college experience.” I think a lot of us are waking up to the realization that we got a pig in a poke. “The college experience” I want for my kids is not dorm living, pick the school with the best-looking campus and amenities, socialize with peers, etc., but rather a lesson in value, hard work, budgeting, and strategic career-building. To each their own.
Hence why we moved to Montana for 3 years. Out of state was cheaper than in-state at home. Montana is a tuition anomaly, good school that’s super cheap. You can’t use that nation wide.
My daughter is a senior this year, so we’ve been checking costs everywhere in state. This is from UM’s website. You are close on the tuition. It’s not feasible for her to live at home, so it would cost her over $20k per year. MSU is a couple grand more.
If you live close enough to commute. It’s the room and board that gets you. Plus you have to eat if you aren’t on the meal plan.
Or you could work more, get some job experience and go 1 semester a year. Lots of ways to still make it happen without having your parents refinance their house, rob from retirement, or force them to work another 10 years.
It’s easy to enjoy when your not the one funding it. Pretty sure the one funding is not having a enjoyable time.
Absolutely not true in this case. No one forced them to do anything they didn't want to do. In this case, they've commented numerous times, on how much they enjoyed following along on my track career through college. Had they not assisted in the payment of said college I would have probably gone CC and ditched sports. But it's pretty cool to own the title All-American.
For me and my kids, the thought of telling them "you are 100% on your own for college costs, get a damn job or incur debt if you want to go", is just as stupid as saying "I got this covered you just enjoy yourself while I dole out money". A little from A and little from B. Summer should be spent working and saving money, scholarships will be pursued and sound major choices are in order. If they want to study Russian Literature, not sure how much I am willing to contribute. If they want to study engineering, law, med, I'm willing to be more generous.
Good points, and I think the key is finding balance. I have told our kids it’s okay to come out with a little bit of debt if you want to play more and work less. BUUUT, taking out $10-15k a year in loans is stupid for an undergrad degree.
Oh, I was tracking what your Dad was laying down, that is until my best friend who'd graduated a couple years before me came back to visit and warned, "you better find somebody here, 'cause the pickin's get a lot worse once you leave..." So I shifted gears my senior year.
