quote:

Originally posted by L90814:
He's worth every bit of it, as I could not have hoped for a better son.

At this point, his goal is to be a chemical engineer, after going through Air Force ROTC, serving his duty time, and obtaining his master's degree.

quote:

Originally posted by joatmonv:
As a side note, she did tell me that what I made last year isn't helping her secure a student loan.

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
Times have changed. Neither good nor bad, it's just different.

There was a time, not too long ago, where walking out the door at 18 meant freedom and endless opportunities. Education was cheap if you wanted it, but you didn't even really need it--you could go out and get a blue collar job and provide a decent living for you and family. A decent living meant a mortgage, a car payment, and a wife at home holding down the fort.

It's not quite the same these days. A college degree is almost mandatory in this economy. Employers for even basic jobs will often require a Bachelors or at least an Associates. But even basic jobs don't really guarantee a "decent" living these days. Imagine the sort of job you can get today at age 20 or 22 today with only an AA, and you certainly aren't going to imagine a house, a car, and a stay-at-home spouse with a kid or two being very comfortable.

Things really aren't the same these days. A college degree is overwhelmingly expensive for most people. So much so, that loans are pretty much the norm for people whose parents aren't helping with the bill. In-state tuition can run as much as $15k a year, plus living expenses in college towns are typically off-the-charts, and you'll see that working part-time through college will only put a dent in the total bill.

Faced with this environment, parents are planning ahead. Yes, the money for college isn't needed until the kids are technically adults, so yes, you could just wave them goodbye and wish them luck. Or, as many parents choose to do, they plan for these obligations while their child is still a child. That's where the "obligation" comes in. For example, if your kid needs orthodontia, you can choose to let them handle it as an adult, or you can choose to do it while they're a kid. The only "obligation" to provide orthodontia for their kid is from parent to child to provide the best they can for them.

And so, it's the same for college. Yes, they will be adults when they need the money for college. But planning for it falls squarely during the period where the kids are still kids.

Part of parenting is equipping your kids to face adulthood. This means making sure they are clothed, fed, and educated as children. This means teaching them good character, integrity, perseverance, and mundane things like righty-tighty/lefty-loosey. But it also means things like set aside money for your retirement and healthcare so you aren't a burden on them in the future, and helping them plan for their future. Sometimes that planning means letting your kids know that they'll need to work a few years before they start college, or letting them know that they'll be completely reliant on loans, or in some cases setting aside some money for them each year.

If you plan ahead correctly, it's not so much like writing a check for your kid when they turn 18...but more like giving them access to the money that you had helped them save while they were children.

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
Times have changed. Neither good nor bad, it's just different.

There was a time, not too long ago, where walking out the door at 18 meant freedom and endless opportunities. Education was cheap if you wanted it, but you didn't even really need it--you could go out and get a blue collar job and provide a decent living for you and family. A decent living meant a mortgage, a car payment, and a wife at home holding down the fort.

It's not quite the same these days. A college degree is almost mandatory in this economy. Employers for even basic jobs will often require a Bachelors or at least an Associates. But even basic jobs don't really guarantee a "decent" living these days. Imagine the sort of job you can get today at age 20 or 22 today with only an AA, and you certainly aren't going to imagine a house, a car, and a stay-at-home spouse with a kid or two being very comfortable.

Things really aren't the same these days. A college degree is overwhelmingly expensive for most people. So much so, that loans are pretty much the norm for people whose parents aren't helping with the bill. In-state tuition can run as much as $15k a year, plus living expenses in college towns are typically off-the-charts, and you'll see that working part-time through college will only put a dent in the total bill.

Faced with this environment, parents are planning ahead. Yes, the money for college isn't needed until the kids are technically adults, so yes, you could just wave them goodbye and wish them luck. Or, as many parents choose to do, they plan for these obligations while their child is still a child. That's where the "obligation" comes in. For example, if your kid needs orthodontia, you can choose to let them handle it as an adult, or you can choose to do it while they're a kid. The only "obligation" to provide orthodontia for their kid is from parent to child to provide the best they can for them.

And so, it's the same for college. Yes, they will be adults when they need the money for college. But planning for it falls squarely during the period where the kids are still kids.

Part of parenting is equipping your kids to face adulthood. This means making sure they are clothed, fed, and educated as children. This means teaching them good character, integrity, perseverance, and mundane things like righty-tighty/lefty-loosey. But it also means things like set aside money for your retirement and healthcare so you aren't a burden on them in the future, and helping them plan for their future. Sometimes that planning means letting your kids know that they'll need to work a few years before they start college, or letting them know that they'll be completely reliant on loans, or in some cases setting aside some money for them each year.

If you plan ahead correctly, it's not so much like writing a check for your kid when they turn 18...but more like giving them access to the money that you had helped them save while they were children.

quote:

"You're 18. Adios. You're on your own."

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Originally posted by L90814:

My parents couldn't afford to put me through college. So, it was graduate high school in June, and U.S. Army in July for me....

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Originally posted by Elk Hunter:
Who the hell can afford college in this day and age?

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Kids leaving college with upwards of $100K in debt, etc etc.

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I was at a BBQ with a group of folks from work the other day and one of the gals was complaining about having to pay for her son's Master's Degree at the University of Washington.

quote:

I was at a BBQ with a group of folks from work the other day and one of the gals was complaining about having to pay for her son's Master's Degree at the University of Washington.