<p>My D has mostly enjoyed the nearly 3 semesters she has spent as a student at the community college & we have enjoyed the greatly reduced cost (under $1000/semester including books & tuition--free parking). This has allowed us to save & let her attend her dream school (out-of-state private selective U) that has accepted her as a transfer 2nd semester sophomore. It really wasn't the way any of us had intended for things to work out, but it seems to be working quite well.</p>
<p>She has had some very dedicated teachers & very small classes; school is a short 15 minute drive from our house & on the bus route. The ironic thing is that she's the 1st student from the CC who has been accepted at the private U & probably would not have been accepted from her HS. It's nice that nearly all her credits will transfer & she's gotten a lot of the basics out of the way & can take the more interesting courses.</p>
<p>Happy to graduate
Loans should be treated a bit more respectfully. Many of the med students I teach have prohibitively large loans that completely determines what kind of practice they must pursue. </p>
<p>You are correct this is 2008, (not even the old credit world 2007 or 1990's)! Credit, loans and jobs are not what they were 5 years ago! As you will learn when treating patients, loans and failure to have retirement savings even will have effects on the medical care options and quality of life you have as you try to afford to retire!</p>
<p>okay then i guess that's the answer! definitely talk to her and ask her exactly WHY she wants to go there. i know ppl from my school who just want to go to certain colleges b/c of parties and FOOTBALL games (that guy doesn't even PLAY football ???!!!!), which is ridiculous in my opinion. that's just a total waste of money. if the school is worth it, by all means, definitely go. or else, probably not. she should respect u and what u have to say...especially when YOU'RE the one who's gonna be paying for her college education. unless she plans to pay herself...</p>
<p>"Actually Northstarmom, it was for COLLEGE (B.A.) AND MEDICAL SCHOOL (M.D.) together and that tuition was that amount for six years from freshman year to the end of my sixth year. I am a medical resident now, making less than a high school teacher, so please no offense, but you know nothing of what you're talking about."</p>
<p>Actually, I knew exactly what you meant, and most of my friends who date back from college are doctors -- Ivy-educated ones at that. I know what doctors make -- during residency and afterward, and most of my friends had very large loans, which they have had no problem paying back due to their very high post residency salaries. </p>
<p>"This girl is going for only 4 years and most likely will be going for grad school. Very few people I know get good jobs with ONLY a college degree. It's 2008, not 1968."</p>
<p>The type of college that the young woman is considering are places like University of Hartford. There is absolutely no indication that she's planning on going into a high paying field. If she does go to grad school -- as is the case with many college graduates now -- that doesn't mean that she'll end up making big bucks when she comes out. Grad school also would add to her debt as many people do end up taking on debt to go to grad school, and there are many people with graduate degrees who are in fields that don't pay very well.</p>
<p>"Loans are not the bubonic plague. If anything it teaches you a LOT about financial management, being proactive in looking for scholarships, and forces you to do put hard work and determination to do well in school. But keep babying you're children, I'm sure they'll push themselves with that attitude."</p>
<p>Most college students take out loans as did I and as my younger S is doing. The average amount of loans that students take out to pay for their college education is a total of about $17 k. Paying that back is usually very doable and doesn't put too much restrictions on the person's lifestyle. Paying back $40 k and more loans when one is only making $40 k a year -- if lucky -- is something that is difficult and restrictive.</p>
<p>I have nothing against community colleges northstar..I went to one for a year to get my paralegal degree before I went onto law school..I LOVED it..The cost for the education I got was incredible..Let me put it this way..I learned more in my legal research and writing in comm college then was taught in my law school level equivalent...Thank heavens for that college bc it gave me quite an edge in certain areas..I was much more prepared for law school then many of my peers....I have talked to her about the Comm college thing and she is taking a dual credit course through the local CC now through her HS..I am leaving that option up to her but I think she would prefer a 4 year state school from what she has told me...</p>
<p>MomfromPa,
It sounds like you have a good handle on all the options available and are doing a great job of realistically sharing them with your D. She is a very lucky young woman and will make good choices that work for her & all of you.</p>
<p>I think that you and your husband are doing the right thing by urging your daughter to attend the less costly university. </p>
<p>My daughter is a senior at a very costly, highly-ranked university. Without going into all the reasons (which I definitely don't want to do), we (she, my husband, and I), feel that the education that she has obtained there--while wonderful in many respects--has not been "worth it." We were thrilled when she was accepted and money was not an issue, as we have only one child and had been saving since her birth for her education. And we were thirty when she was born and we have good careers, etc.--we are fortunate in that these things worked out for us. </p>
<p>My daughter had other options, but what trumped everything was the rank and name of this school. I had strongly urged her to attend a particular small liberal arts college, as I have taught at the college and university level and felt that this environment would have been great for her. Or another fine option was our flagship state university, where I went to grad school and taught as a TA--many of my students were excellent, bright, hard-working and no doubt very successful today. </p>
<p>It is actually no fun at all to hear her say to me "You were right after all." I can only imagine how sick we all would have been about this if large loans had been involved in financing her education. </p>
<p>I wouldn't let the immature comments from that moviemania(?) kid get to you. Your daughter can see that you and your husband are exploring every option and striving to do your best for her. She knows that you must also provide for her siblings. As long as she can see that you have her best interests at heart--and trying to avoid an unnecessary, crushing debt burden is evidence of that--then she will eventually understand that you helped her make a wise choice. Good luck!</p>
<p>Community college may be more appealing to her if she realizes that the money you'd save by her going there for 2 years would allow her to spend her last 2 years in the kind of private school atmosphere that she dreams of.</p>
<p>There's Chief Dull Knife college in Lame Deer Montana... (joke) and you don't have to be a member of the Cheyenne Indian reservation to attend either</p>
<p>Northstar & MomfromPa,
Actually, D attending CC is what is making it possible for us to send D to the private U she wanted to, since she is not getting any merit aid. 2.5 years of tuition & expensese there is much less than 4 years & is something we can manage much more readily.</p>
<p>I think it's interesting when the OP is asking other parents such as Northstarmom, and others who mouth off about lawyer salaries - when they really know nothing about it as they are not actually in the field themselves.</p>
<p>Esp. when these other parents have a vested interest to get their kids into top notch schools, don't you think they may have an ulterior motive with fespect to the advice their giving you? What if your daughter is thinking about going for law school (you mentioned political science) such as yourself?</p>
<p>I mean seriously, you're really considering sending your daughter to community college for a while? Do you really think those courses are on par with university courses and you're daughter will gain the knowledge she is supposed to if she is even able to get a transfer to a 4 year college and starts taking upper-level courses. There's a reason why 4 year institutions only give those classes credit but NO GPA points. Think about it.</p>
<p>Please do remember what you're being taught in your med school portion of your curriculum: professionalism! Please remember you should be practicing mature and compassionate communication. This is becoming a serious education issue for your generation of med students with large implications for field of medicine in the future.</p>
<p>Actually, some of us are in the legal field & have been in decades and know dozens of others who are in the legal profession. We are grounded and have kids & families who are making choices like OP and her family.</p>
<p>I have seen attorneys who practice law during the day & end up waiting tables or other things at night to help pay off their crushing student loan debt because practicing law doesn't bring in the huge bucks for many of them. I also personally know many who are burnt out & have switched professions, some making more & some making less. </p>
<p>I also know doctors and dentists who have switched from those fields after all their education & being duly qualified to practice in their chosen field. Crushing debt is indeed crushing--and limits options, especially when it is incurred for an undergrad education.</p>
<p>Many Us only count GPAs in their own school & will not accept the grades awarded at any other U, no matter how prestigous (or not). It doesn't matter whether it's a CC, flagship U or any other place. They have the right to set the criteria for their Us & exercise that right. I can't imagine any of us have ulterior motives in helping a fellow parent be guided through this challenging business of helping our kids go to schools where they can get a good education & not end up with crushing debt.</p>
<p>In the specific case of the OP, it's not like she's choosing between a top tier private and a bad state. The schools are much more close together, so it would make more sense to go to the less expensive option. Also, there are 2 other siblings who have to go to school too. </p>
<p>Lastly, it will eventually be up to the daughter, but mom is right to give her advice here.</p>
<p>ParAlum, not liking what I say does not equate to a lack of professionalism. I will not tolerate people like NorthStarMom, saying I'm being facetious, when I'm not. Being a professional, does not give someone else the right to malign someone.</p>
<p>Yournamehere, got it exactly.</p>
<p>And ParAlum, it's pretty obvious you haven't read my prior post as I am no longer in medical school.</p>
<p>Even if someone had a spare $120,000 in cash sitting in their bank account I still wouldn't recommend they spend $30k per year to attend a 'dream' school. They'll simply never see a return on investment for all that additional money over what one gets for spending far far less.</p>
<p>If, after financial aid, one still needs to shell out that much per year for a school then look elsewhere... period.</p>
<p>If you don't have the cash on hand then the amount of debt one would have to go into to pay the tuition fees amounts to financial suicide. If you do have the cash on hand, there are far better things to use if for than paying far more than you need to for a college degree.</p>
<p>======================================</p>
<p>We don't even KNOW what the OP's daughter is going to be, how do you know "They'll simply never see a return on investment for all that additional money"</p>
<p>"If you do have the cash on hand, there are far better things to use if for than paying far more than you need to for a college degree." ----> Ok, so now it has nothing even to do with finances, you still think paying it for education is not a good idea. What do you think then it would better be spent on?</p>
<p>Actually, at our med school, most of the profs are among the best physicians in our state. Many of the best docs I have seen throughout the US have also been won prizes for being among the best instructors as well. I applaud ParAlum for helping teach our next generation of healers and helping them learn about compassion and professionalism. It is a concern throughout the fields--hubby sees it at his workplace as well with computer science & technology--scary!</p>