Comments on: College Expenses: Should Parents Pay For Their Children’s Tuition?

By: Robert

Robert — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:47:13 +0000

What a wonderful discussion this is, and one that all parents and their kids should have. Like many things in life there is no one right answer to the question posed here it depends on the people asking the question.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:03:07 +0000

Adam, you should take your life into your own hands and do what you have to do.

If that means waiting tables, buying used books, and applying for scholarships then do it.

Another route is community college for your 1st 2 years which is cheaper by far than going the traditional route.

Also, who says you have to go to college? You have other options as well.

Don’t waste your time being bitter, go out and do something.

By: Adam

Adam — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:30:24 +0000

Thanks to blogs like this my mom isn’t helping me pay for college at all so thanks for that. My mother is in a good place to at least help me with books but won’t because I need to learn how the world works so see all of you full time McDonalds workers out there because I can’t pay for college alone, as a 19 year old with zero credit I can’t take out any loan’s. Thank you so much for your blog on teaching kids about life and the value of the dollar because now those kid’s will know now that they will be forced into working minimum wage jobs the rest of their life. Lastly loans for college, all of them require a parent to cosign so even if I had the credit to do so I couldn’t without a parent so I salute you on helping today’s and the future youth.

By: SingleGuyMoney

SingleGuyMoney — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:15:29 +0000

I used a combination of student loans, scholarships and working to pay for my college education. It was hard having to go to work when my friends were out having fun. Unfortunately, a couple of those who didn’t work and spent most of their time drinking ended up flunking out and having to go back home.
SingleGuyMoney´s last blog ..MyPoints – A Rewards Program That Actually Works

By: Dian

Dian — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:04:19 +0000

I do not believe parents should have to pay for their child’s college education, nor should they be forced to contribute at all. We raised these kids all their lives and paid for everything , not just in a financial aspect. There are plenty of ways to get through college or technical school without going into debt. Yea, it might take a little longer to get through, but you will if YOU want it and it means something to you!
Two of my six have gone to college now and one other than self educated and passed a licensing exam on her own. We did not contribute to their extended education, but we did support them in every other way that we could. All of them have agreed that had they not had to do it on their own they would not appreciate their achievements.
On another note, we have many friends that did pay for thier childs college education only to have their child bum out or not even use the degree once they graduated. Their parents however are still paying those bills.

Isn’t 18 + yrs of raising a child our only real obligation? We need to raise mature responsible adults, not grown children.

By: Marybeth

Marybeth — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:09:12 +0000

I did not party. I studied and worked and got high honors. In order to get into med school, you need a 4.0 and hundreds of hours of volunteer work and cultural experiences..which is hard to do when you need to support yourself financially. I did not go to a luxurious school… I went to a state school. If you cant continue on to medical school or affort to go right into graduate school, you work in research funded by the government, which is what I do. Do not assume that money is correlated with responsibity.

By: Carl

Carl — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:45:34 +0000

I am sorry, but the fact that you graduated with a degree in neuroscience and make just about as much money as a retail worker and owe 65 thousand is EXACTLY why parents should NOT pay for all of their children’s college expenses. I personally know many other people who, just like you, took out huge loans to send their kids to the most prestigious schools they could afford, and their kids (most of whom graduated, and a few of whom dropped out) did NOTHING with their education after graduation!

There is a saying: “If you want to [party] you go to school. If you want an education, you go to the library” Do a google search for “College Lectures online” and you will find thousands and thousands of online lectures from the best professors at the best universities in the country. Education is free, but responsibility is priceless.

By: Alice

Alice — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:31:43 +0000

I disagree with your point of view, probably because I was raised differently.

I was born in China to two highly-educated parents. When we came to America when I was 9, my parents told me that all they wanted me to do was to do well in school and life. I was expected to get good grades and participate and excel in extra-curricular activities as well.

I didn’t think much of it until I was a junior in high school (last year), but I finally realized how much investment they put into me. 12 years of piano lessons, private tennis and golf lessons, swim team, art classes…

They also made it clear to me that they do not want me to take out loans for college. They encourage me to get part-time jobs for the sake of gaining experience, but they don’t want me to be stressed about finance. Not only do they want to pay for college, they also want to pay for law school. I am so grateful for them.

In the Chinese culture, parents are dedicated to their children for their entire lifetime. Duty doesn’t end when a child becomes an adult. It’s incomprehensible why parents would “kick out” a child after high school and throw them into a world without support.

It’s reasonable for parents to pay for their children’s education if they are capable, because that enables children to stay focused in school and not worried about making money. Socialization is also important because a lot of times, that’s where opportunity pops up. If students can devote all their time to studying, then they are more likely to finish school sooner with better grades. It’s an investment, really, because good grades and schools can get you a better job, which will make you more money.

In return, the children will pay for THEIR children. The cycle works out for everyone, and no one is left uncared for.

By: Kaye

Kaye — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:10:56 +0000

We told our kids we would pay for their college IF we could afford it, (which Praise God, we were able to)and IF they went to local state colleges and lived at home. If they had chosen to go away to college, they knew they had to pay at least 1/2 and possibly more, depending on what college they went to. With the exception of one semester, they all chose to take that route. They got excellent educations at reasonable prices which we all appreciated!

Kayes last blog post..Frugal Travel Tip for Caregivers: Fly and Rent

By: Daniel Berman

Daniel Berman — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 04:47:05 +0000

A very thought-provoking essay on a very important topic. To be sure, there are no easy answers here. The author bravely makes some statements that few dare to make but need to be said, such as the fact that a college education may not be for everyone. We need more honest discussions along these lines.

Daniel K. Berman, Ph.D., Director
http://www.CollegeSolutionsUSA.com