<p>How common is it that parents help pay for their children's college?</p>
<p>4 months ago I found out my parents aren't paying for my college. They said they didn't have any money. This is true, because I know my parents lost money because of the stock and real estate market. My mom lost her job because of the economy. But, I feel really bitter because for about half my childhood, my parents made a lot of money and we went on lots of vacations and went out to dinner every other night. And, they never started a savings account for me. I always assumed I had a savings account because all my friends had them. </p>
<p>I have so much anger towards them because now they just made my life 5 times as hard over night. I just came out of a bad depression and I want to live again, and now all of a sudden I find out I have to come up with thousands of dollars. I have to work and will probably fall into a lot of debt in the next 6 years.</p>
<p>It's one thing if they raised me telling me that I have to find a way to pay for my own college and tell me that I should start working as soon as I can, but they didn't tell me anything. If anything, I remember my mom telling me I had some college money. But I don't know, I have a broken family so the communication is not the best.</p>
<p>Can someone give me some insight or their thoughts?</p>
<p>I am sorry for you and your family that their choices up until now have limited some of your choices going forward. Life is a series of choices and we don’t always make the best ones, especially in hindsight. Since you realize that your family does NOT have assets to help you with your college, you need to have them agree to complete paperwork regarding their finances so you can figure out what aid you may qualify for–there are free FAFSA calculators & worksheets to help estimate this.</p>
<p>One thing that you should consider is looking into what in-state community colleges and universities are available. Generally, they are among the more affordable options for getting a degree. You should also keep your grades and test scores as high as possible and talk with your counselors about schools that offer substantial merit aid for students with your profile, in fields you’re interested in.</p>
<p>If you truly are depressed, ask about getting counseling to help you move forward and come to terms with your situation.</p>
<p>Whatever you do, DO NOT incur huge debt without carefully considering your options and alternatives.</p>
<p>Perhaps your grandparents or godparents have an education fund set up for you.
If not, then you need to get over your anger and disappointment at your parents because they still feed and house you and plan for your future yourself.</p>
<p>I’m sorry to hear about the change. Though, you must’ve realized by now that you’re not alone in this position. Not only that, it’s probably true that the overwhelming amount of other young people who share your fate do NOT have wonderful memories of financial comforts and regular vacations.</p>
<p>Doing some reading recently, I came across a historian’s assessment on the shortened adolescent period of the children of the great depression. Overwhelmingly, those children became independent at much younger age than most other similar cohorts in other historic periods. They were better able to manage their own finances and life courses. That said, they probably had it rougher, honestly, but were better for it. That’s not the path that most people will choose.</p>
<p>My answer to your question is usually muddled. Yeah, it’s a nice idea for parents to pay for college. Though, of the kids I know whose parents do so, the majority of them are on a four year vacation. Seriously. They party every night, skip classes, scrape by in classes. Maybe that’s what you want but, rest assured, landing a job will be tough and you’re going to have to answer for those years. In the end, paying for a kid’s school is usually a nice gift that ends with a half-hearted degree and frustration with the real world. </p>
<p>So, it’s on you now. Grab your bootstraps, pull 'em up. If you’re going to go to college you’re going to do it on your terms and by your means. Personally, I think the perspective you’ll gain will be worth in the end. Good luck.</p>
<p>That is such f’in bs hellojan. I have heard that before. I could see that happening to a few people, but that is not a common occurrence. The kind of people that happens too is people who lack interests or ambitions, and I have lots of interests and ambitions. My great grandparents were from the great depression, and they had a lot of emotional and mental issues. Very oppressed spirits.</p>