re: The wife and I made a difficult decision this weekend

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The list of good jobs you can get without some form of higher ed is getting smaller and smaller every day.

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Some form of higher ed is not the same as a college degree.

Look for things that can't be easily outsourced or automated. Plumbing, electrical, mechanical, HVAC, all the licensed trades. You need some higher ed / training for this... not a four year degree.

I have a cousin, female (no pics) who is an xray tech, works 48-60 hours a week, pulls down 95K a year. Went to Delgado for maybe a year.

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I want more for my children personally

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Then I hope your wife is intelligent and your children got her genetics.

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I generally agree with a lot of your post, except for this. The list of good jobs you can get without some form of higher ed is getting smaller and smaller every day.

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And opportunity gaps exist and it's not just a racial issue. Students who go to a good four year university who can focus entirely on their studies, networking, research projects, extracurricular activities, and studying abroad all while not having to pay a dime of their own money will have a significant leg up over those that are working 30 hours a week and stretching their education out an additional couple of years.

Perhaps the student that pays his own way will have more personal fulfillment but there's very little evidence that the student will have the upper hand in graduate school or the job market.

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My parents did not pay for a dime of my college education. I worked, had scholarships, and loans. They did not pay for my car, my gas, my auto insurance, etc. They told me from day one that if I wanted to live at home and go to college, I was welcome to do so. They told me any time I wanted to come home, for a weekend, holidays, etc, I was welcome to do so. They never charged me any rent or for food or anything whenever I was home.

If there is still a TOPS around when my kids go to college, they can get that, or they can get other scholarships. They can go to UNO and stay at home if they don't want to pay for room and board and expenses at college. Or they can get loans. Or a job. Whatever. If they don't get loans or a scholarship, then they can go to a two year college, and then transfer to a four year college so it is easier for them to pay for.

College is not a right. It is a privilege. There are many, many, MANY jobs out there that pay extremely well without a college degree. If they want a college degree, they will make the investment to do so.

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I had the same personal college experience as you and feel exactly the same way as you.

I guess you must be another selfish guy who wastes money and hates your kids.

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Do you work for Electronic Arts?

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No

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Welp, don't complain when these kids of yours put you in a home.

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He can afford home healthcare due to saving on college and compounding interest on his savings. Win win!

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That's 4-5 shifts a week. Almost working two jobs worth.

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Job and a half, but yes. She generally is scheduled 3 days a week (36 hours) and always picks up an extra shift or two each week. Gets a lot of OT, to be sure.

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It’s so hard to study when you just want to eat, and look in your account and have less than $3. I keep way more in my bank account than I should because I never want to have that happen again.

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I had a meal plan. 3 meals a day, 7 days a week. Added to my fee bill, so covered by said scholarships, grants, and loans. I never went hungry.

I spent my entire college career officiating sports. During the school year, I would work intramural events during the week, softball, flag football, volleyball, basketball. Most weekends, I had the opportunity to work youth events. 4 games of 8 year old football from 8-noon, $15 a game (this was 20 years ago). Usually around $9 a game during the week for intramurals.

That gave me enough money throughout the year to pay for extra food and drink, gas, maintenance, travel, organizations, etc.

During the summer, I would umpire baseball every day back home. Live at home, so little spending. Would make like $5,000 a summer. Enough to pay for the car note and car insurance for my POS car for an entire year.

Graduated with a 3.4 GPA. Never went hungry.

Most of my classes were from 8-12. That gives 5-6 hours a day for lunch, studying/homework, and dinner before games would start in the evenings.

It's ok to have to balance multiple things at once. Meanwhile I have a bunch of young staff with paid off 30K cars that mom/dad bought them, no student loan debt, and no ability to handle anything that goes wrong, or competing priorities.

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I also don't understand the idea related to only paying for a degree that makes sense financially. Its passion that I care about. If my kids are incredibly passionate about something I'll be happy to help them financially. If they want to get their MBA at Colombia just because the pay is great for most out of school, I'll have a serious conversation with them.

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We may disagree on the purpose of college, then.

To me, the expense of a four year degree (much less a grad degree) means you need to come out of it with a marketable degree and the ability to get a job.

I find passion through volunteering, friends and family, etc. I do enjoy my profession. But passion, to me, is not enough to justify 150K in private college education in a art studies degree.

There are plenty of trust fund kids who are dropouts, as well.

Point being, success in college is dependent upon the work ethic of the kid, not who is paying the bill.

If you want to pay for your kids education... it's your money. Spend it how you choose. But this idea that a parent that feels differently is somehow a bad parent or selfish is absolute garbage.

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Then I hope your wife is intelligent and your children got her genetics.

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Intelligence isnt shite


Its about confidence and marketability

How do you think I am where I am at?