Why pay for kids college?

[Pineywoods]

No offense intended but you not having kinds renders your opinion useless, most parents want their kids to be better off then they were at the same age. I agree not all kids need to go to college but long term they will be head and shoulders ahead of those without it later on in life.

I find this to be an inaccurate statement. I believe some degrees are worth less than they ever have been but cost more than they ever have. Someone that is smart, has a good work ethic and drive can succeed and do very well for themselves without college. I make six figures with a high school diploma and have many many friends that also do. Many of them mastered a trade or are business owners doing extremely well financially with only a high school diploma, or in some cases, not even that. I feel college is pushed far too heavily on a lot of kids as a necessity to ever go anywhere in life. My daughter that's a Junior makes straight A's and is in the top three in her class. She will undoubtedly have scholarship opportunities to go to college but has zero desire to do so. She wants to go to cosmetology school and have her own business one day. My son is a sophomore and wants to be in law enforcement. I think that we should be encouraging our kids to find something they're passionate about and work hard to pursue that and be the best at whatever that is. That may or may not involve a piece of paper from a college or a huge salary.

[bullhead44]

For parents with young kids start a plan and start saving now. When it comes time don’t give them a thing. Let them earn it. Pay them to get good grades as has been mentioned already by several folks. Too many kids these days are given everything.

On the career choice side, help your kids decide what is right for them. College is not for everyone do not place unrealistic expectations on your kids. The everyone needs a college degree BS is nothing more then a 1.6 trillion money grab. Help them understand they can make a nice living working in some of the trades and technology. Teach them about the pit falls of getting everything on credit now and the financial rewards of wise investment.

That is all. Take it with a grain of salt as I don’t have kids.

I have been in the education business for a long time now and I agree that not all kids are college material. They do all need some sort of skill to make a living with. If thats college and parents can afford to help them out, they should in my opinion. If thats a trade school, the same should apply.

[Pedernal]

If you don’t know that answer then I can’t explain it to you,, I paid for my nieces RN schooling as well but it’s not the same as your own kid. I’m not trying to offend you but your own kid has a different meaning.

Not offending me at all. I think I hear what your saying, basically your insinuating that I can’t care about their future success as if they were my own. You couldn’t be more wrong.

Stats like 50 % of college graduates aren’t even working in the fields they graduated in. Some graduates that owe .25 of a quarter million dollars are making around $30K a year. These are some of the stats being put out on multiple business talk shows. Again college isn’t for everyone.

[marc.munoz31]

I find this to be an inaccurate statement. I believe some degrees are worth less than they ever have been but cost more than they ever have. Someone that is smart, has a good work ethic and drive can succeed and do very well for themselves without college. I make six figures with a high school diploma and have many many friends that also do. Many of them mastered a trade or are business owners doing extremely well financially with only a high school diploma, or in some cases, not even that. I feel college is pushed far too heavily on a lot of kids as a necessity to ever go anywhere in life. My daughter that's a Junior makes straight A's and is in the top three in her class. She will undoubtedly have scholarship opportunities to go to college but has zero desire to do so. She wants to go to cosmetology school and have her own business one day. My son is a sophomore and wants to be in law enforcement. I think that we should be encouraging our kids to find something they're passionate about and work hard to pursue that and be the best at whatever that is. That may or may not involve a piece of paper from a college or a huge salary.

Well said!

[Kong]

I find this to be an inaccurate statement. I believe degrees are worth less than they ever have been but cost more than they ever have. Someone that is smart, has a good work ethic and drive can succeed and do very well for themselves without college. I make six figures with a high school diploma and have many many friends that also do. Many of them mastered a trade or are business owners doing extremely well financially with only a high school diploma, or in some cases, not even that. I feel college is pushed far too heavily on a lot of kids as a necessity to ever go anywhere in life. My daughter that's a Junior makes straight A's and is in the top three in her class. She will undoubtedly have scholarship opportunities to go to college but has zero desire to do so. She wants to go to cosmetology school and have her own business one day. My son is a sophomore and wants to be in law enforcement. I think that we should be encouraging our kids to find something they're passionate about and work hard to pursue that and be the best at whatever that is. That may or may not involve a piece of paper from a college or a huge salary.

I get what your saying and agree with you for the most part, I didn’t finish my education and make well past the 6 figure number but that piece of paper will allow them with some experience to get a job anywhere in the country where I can’t do that. My mom owned several salons before she retired so it’s definitely doable but if we’re being honest it’s a much harder road to get to the same spot.

[Wiederhold]

We will be helping our three girls the best that we can. I have been adding all that I can for 529 accounts for each of them. With as expensive as tuition has gotten over recent years, we will not be able to fully fund it. I am also working toward a comfortable retirement savings and have to maintain balance.

[JoelBRice]

My kids have to secure loans in their name. If they progress and complete school, I'll pay off their loans. I struggled through college, working and paying my own way. I'd like for my kids to focus on their study, and not on a job, but they are aware if they squander the opportunity, they'll start their career in debt, without a skill or education.

This is the way in my opinion.

[M16]

College is so overrated. Granted it’s necessary for certain occupations. But if you have anything on the ball with a good work ethic you can do well. I didn’t spend one day in college and have done way better than people I know that have degrees.

[salth2o]

My parents paid for me and my siblings college. They are both school teachers and they raised cattle to help pay tuition. It was a great thing to be able to earn a college degree with no debt.

My wife and I are doing the same for our children. When they were born, we opened UTMA accounts for each of them and have contributed money each month ever since. There's not a ton of money in there, but enough to pay for their education. If they follow my plan of first two years of community college and two years at university they will be able to graduate debt free as well.

My "scholarship" program only pays for passing grades and other academic related expenses. Anything that is fun like sorority/fraternity is not covered. My oldest daughter wanted to join a sorority at university so she got a job to pay for her new friends.

If any of my kids decide college is not for them, then the money is there to help them jumpstart their business or what ever road in life they chose.

[jmac24]

We planned for it from the time they were born, TX Tomorrow fund. Locked in a 5yr plan and I think I paid about $24K each. Room and Board still had to be paid. About half way though paying for it my parents passed away and left all of the kids a little $$. I used what came my way to full pay off the remaining balances of the fund commitment.

If they were in for 5 semesters, anything after that was bonus money! Oldest graduated last May and is doing great in his job, youngest is on a 4 yr track as well at A&M. As far as my oldest, he had multiple job offers all over the country doing what he went to school for so I am happy with what we did.

[andre3k]

That same 10K nowadays wouldn't sniff a full semesters tuition plus living costs.



I don't understand your line of thinking, but I do respect it, as my parents didn't pay for college for me either. It didn't teach me hard work or planning, my parents had already taught me that before I got to school.



I don't regret my time spent in college, or the degree I have, but dang it would have been nice to not start off in life without anything except $40K in student loan debt. If I ever have children, I imagine I would do what I could to help pay for their tuition, if they chose to pursue a higher education.

Depends on where you want to go and how much you're willing to spend. Any kid can stay home an additional two years go to community college and pay 5k or less per semester for English, Algebra, Speech, History, Biology and transfer that over to a University. That's an easy two years debt free. But if you want the "college experience" you can fork out 20k per semester for the same classes.

Most high schools offer dual credit and you can knock out many of those classes for free in high school.

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[GarGuy]

Heck I think I'm gonna go to college now. Take out 50g in student loans. Maybe study arts... pottery making sounds good. Probably won't go to class much. Oh well.... Biden will pay it off and I will have a new truck.

[soldierarcher]

I feel as parents it is helping our kid's build a foundation for the future. I will be my kids parent till the day I die. I will always provide Love, Caring, and advice. Whether they accept it or not is their choice.

I do believe everyone needs a college education. Now don't go bandwagon on me here, I believe businesses get a tax credit for having degree'd employee's. I've been in the corporate world now for over 33 years. I see it all the time, someone will know a job inside and out, but not have a degree. They will bring a new kid in with a degree and make them their manager.

That said, I don't believe you have to go to Harvard or get a philosophy degree either. It could be basket weaving, corporations don't care. I've been an IT guy my entire career, but we have people in our department with all kinds of degree's.

[panhandlehunter]

I had a single mom with 4 kids, college was not in the cards for us. I didn’t make the grades to go anyway. Lol. There were some struggles early on, but things have turned out better for my wife and I then we could have ever imagined. I will gladly pay for school for my daughter if she chooses to go.

[bullhead44]

From the responses on this post, it looks like those people who had parents help pay their college are doing the same and those who did not have help are doing that. It also seems that people who have careers that require a degree are more likely to pay for their kids education.