re: Holy Moly College is expensive

quote:

---

in TN they pay for 2 years of college to get an associates degree for every graduating senior regardless of grades.

---

LOL - "well, they have to have a place to eat and sleep unless you want them living out of their car & eating at mcdonalds." .. Who is paying this extra 15-20k per year ?

TN Promise just covers the actual tuition very similar to TOPS.. if you are getting 7-8k at LSU, that may cover full tuition at another in state LA school about .. but NOT room and meal plan...which TN does not pay either

The system is designed to screw the parents. It has to be the design, because it's so good at it.

I have 4 sons. #1 was happy to go to an in-state school and #3 went to the Naval Academy. They were pretty easy.

The other two wanted to test the waters of top private schools, so we did many trips to top engineering and computer science schools.

When we talked to the financial aide office, we always got the same story. "Mr. Thorny, from your FAFSA, we have determined that your son is eligible for loans and grants that cut our $55,000 cost to $20,000 that will come out of your pocket."

"Okay, I have the Post 9-11 GI Bill, which I can apply to my kid. I can pay the $20,000 from that."

"Oh, no. If you applied that benefit, it would change the grants and scholarships, but you would still need to pay $20,000 out of pocket."

EVERY TIME. They wanted to take my benefit and make it theirs.

They both ended up at Auburn and graduated with no debt due to a mix of scholarships and that GI Bill.

As for the others, I have no sympathy for the schools. I'm willing to forgive some of the student loan debt, but the schools have to have some skin in the game. Right now, they don't.

GEAUX TIGERS
WAR EAGLE

quote:

---

She paying for it or you are? If I was paying shouldn’t have much of a say in the matter

---

Exactly. If you're paying for it I would say she has some input into the decision. Or she can make up the difference vs. what a state school would be.

Unless you're going to a "name school" that will get you a good job by just being on your resume, the ROI is not there. You paid taxes to support the state schools for decades....take the discount you've earned.

quote:

---

Its not in-state tuition, but I know that Alabama and Ole Miss both have very generous automatic merit based scholarships if you meet certain GPA and ACT score criteria. If your kid has a 32 ACT, you're looking at automatic scholarship amount that would cover 80-90% of out-of-state tuition cost at either of those schools. Plus potentially other grants or competitive scholarship possibilities on top of the automatic merit based award.

---

If I had kids in the 8th grade again I'd start early with standardized test prep. Many people discount the PSAT but that was the key for us. I'd hire tutors to teach for that. That is the key to National Merit scholarships. Our younger son got National Merit Finalist and along with a 35 ACT is on a 5 year full ride at Alabama. He is in the STEM-MBA program and the only thing we will be responsible for is the 5th year room costs. He gets 5 years tuition OOS and 4 years room along with a stipend that we use other cover a meal plan. Teach to those tests! He could have gotten into some "better" schools with those scores but he is extremely frugal (didn't get the from me lol) and wanted to save his 529 $ for whatever is next. He is finishing year 2 and our costs have been basically nothing. Our biggest expense with him is car insurance for sure.

quote:

---

Who gets to litigate what is and is not useless?

---

Litigate? The government should be out of the student loan business and private institutions should be able to have full discretion on what majors they will finance.

This will be based on ability to earn enough to pay back loans. I'm sure they have data on this. If a family is wealthy and co-signs for a child as a backstop to pay the loans back, then I imagine banks won't care and they can do whatever they want.

LSUA ,nursing school ‘73-‘75 total cost was $850.00.
Tuition was $90/ semester,$45/ summer session.$850 included books,lab fees,uniform and stethoscope.

Tuition was actually free 2nd year since I joined National Guard.I had $200/ month from G,I.bill,little over $100/month from Navy Reserve drill weekends.I had a few thiousand saved from my Navy hitch.Sold plasma to pay for a little boat.

I lived at home and took care of yard since my Dad started paying for mowing after I joined the Navy,saved them some money

I had it made,went fishing about 3 afternoons a week,most Saturdays.
Had dates most weekends.

To be fair,$850 in today’s dollars is $5513.
Some of my classmate’s parents struggled to send them plus paying for a car to ge to school.

quote:

---

The lower educated whites do indeed vote Republican. There's no denying that.

---

Do you really want to go there?

It's so dumb.

quote:

---

Niece just got accepted to Iowa and it will end up being $192k for out of state for a Public school.

---

Easy Solution - stay in state