<p>On this website, I've noticed a lot of people suggest that it makes sense to go to a cheaper undergrad to save money for grad school. I don't know about you, but there's no way my parents would allow me to leech off of them in my mid-twenties (nor would I want to). They're chipping in for college, but if I decided to go to any type of grad school, obviously it's expected I would pay for it. So a cheaper undergrad wouldn't mean more money for grad school; it would just mean my parents spend less on college; anything after that I'm expected to pay for and I'm guessing it's this way for most people. </p>
<p>For those who are planning to attend grad, med, law, vet, pharm, dental, or any type of post-college education, are you going to ask your parents to chip in?</p>
<p>No, mostly because I make a lot of money now.</p>
<p>Which reminds me. I need to hire some part-time employees. If there are any people living in Westchester, NY, who aren’t complete dumbasses on this website, send me a PM. Flexible hours (mornings, evenings, weekends, etc).</p>
<p>Best thing about being a hard science major is: you get paid to go to grad school (on top of the tuition waiver).</p>
<p>Highest I’ve heard of is Penn and Columbia paying around 30k a year, but I’m not expecting to get much more than 20k…which I’m perfectly happy with :)</p>
<p>Well I’m a biochemistry major and I know most PhD programs in the sciences (and often social sciences) are free and you get a stipend for research, but what about Master’s programs?</p>
<p>I’m hoping they’ll have the money to pay for some of it, since I’ll probably be getting less aid. But they also haven’t paid anything for my college and I’ll be around 25k in debt, so it makes me a little more nervous to add on maybe another 20k - 30k in grad school though it wouldn’t be the end of the world.</p>
<p>Some people make arrangements with their parents when making their undergrad choice. </p>
<p>For example: Parents have said they are willing to contribute 30K/year for school. You get into a school that costs 32K, and one that costs 15K/year. If you go to the one that costs less and do well, would they be willing to help out with grad/professional school if you choose to attend one?</p>
<p>Another story: my friend had a big college fund that her grandparents set up for her. She got into some expensive privates and some cheaper options. The privates would have exhausted the money, while the cheaper options would not. With the money left over, she could use some to live in a nicer off-campus place, not have to work as much, etc. Same kind of choice.</p>
<p>Some people’s parents are willing to spend a little more on non-educational expenses if the school costs less.</p>
<p>Nope. As much as they’ve shoveled out already plus my apartment, there’s no way I could allow or expect them to pay for graduate school.
I have every intention of footing that one myself.</p>
<p>In the future, if I’m in the financial situation to be able to, I would actually like to pay them back.</p>
<p>Actually, it might be easier than you think.</p>
<p>At some schools you could be considered an “Independent Student.” This will separate you from your parents, and you could be more eligible for financial aid. I suggest picking schools that have high grant policies and packages.</p>
<p>Everyone in grad school is considered an independent student. By definition. Federal financial aid for grad school doesn’t exist and Institutional financial aid is VERY hard to come by in grad school. Usually, it’s merit aid or nothing. </p>
<p>Anyway, my parents aren’t paying for undergrad and I don’t see them helping me with grad school anytime soon.</p>
<p>I know it’s a professional school and not a grad school, but I believe my brother’s law school requires my parents to fill out some financial info for him pertaining to what kinds of loans and whatnot he’s eligible for.</p>
<p>For PhD you should either be getting funded by the school or don’t bother.</p>
<p>For MS, hopefully you’ll get really lucky and be funded by the school. Otherwise, try to find an employer who will let you do it part time. Also, find out on their policy of which school they’ll pay for you to attend. I know with my girlfriend’s employer they wanted her to go to a Cal State since it was cheaper, but she was able to argue for them to pay for USC since it offered a program more in line with what her job functions were. Don’t forget some schools will let you do an integrated BS/MS program. You can get out in 5 years while keeping your full undergrad aid the whole time. And, heck, if you’re extra studious you can even get out in 4 years sometimes. I had a friend that did it, and I would have too if I hadn’t decided on finishing a semester early since I was going for a PhD anyway.</p>
<p>Personally, my parents wouldn’t - if I had chosen to go to a cheaper school, they would’ve simply spent the extra money on something else; they’re willing to pay X amount for college and anything after that is up to me. I’m guessing most people’s parents generally don’t chip in for grad school either. I feel lucky that my parents were able to pay most of my college tuition. </p>
<p>Also, graduate and medical school programs are very costly to apply to, and students send out a lot of applications because it’s extremely selective. Let’s say you apply to 16-20 PhD or MD programs, and the applications fees are around $80-$100 each. Then you get called back for like 5-6 interviews and have to travel around the country - all of that is expensive. Are you planning to ask your parents to chip in for things like that?</p>
<p>As for the question about whether a cheaper undergrad saves money for grad school, for those students who are paying for undergrad themselves, it does. In my case, I’m going to a cheaper undergrad school so that I graduate with fewer student loans. I’ll already be taking out student loans for graduate school, because my parents don’t have the means to pay for my education, so any reduction in how much debt I’ll graduate with is helpful.</p>
<p>My parents paid for both my undergrad and grad. (I went to professional school, so a scholarship or financial aid wasn’t an option.)</p>
<p>However, I went to state schools (prestigious, but still state schools) for both undergrad and grad, and I also worked 15 hours a week during the school year.</p>
<p>Professional schools give scholarships and financial aid too. I know people who have attended medical school on scholarships, and medical and law schools have financial aid applications. I’m sure law, dental, vet and pharmacy schools give financial aid/scholarships too, although I’m sure they’re very hard to get. </p>
<p>For those whose parents paid for everything: were there any strings attached? For example, were you expected to maintain certain grades and get a job to cover other expenses, or are you expected to pay them back eventually? I’m guessing most people’s parents don’t expect to be paid back. </p>
<p>I personally would try to avoid asking parents for money after a certain age, unless it’s absolutely necessary. I guess because I’m the oldest and they still have to pay for my sibling’s education.</p>
<p>lol NO my dad cant even afford to pay for me to go to school, SO i am going to do very well in college so that i can get a good amount of money when i go to Law school if i can get any at all</p>
<p>Twenty is an INSANE number of schools to apply to for grad, and I highly doubt you’d be able to find that many places with multiple professors you want to work for.</p>
<p>Also, good PhD programs will pay for your visit (and often give you pretty great meals). The way I figure it, I got multiple trips across the country for a few hundred bucks in applications.</p>