<p>It’s wonderful to see the variety of what people do regarding college expenses. Many can clearly afford full-fare while others are paying bargain rates and there’s everything in the middle.</p>
<p>DougBetsy,
I believe that you misunderstood my question. I did not state that cost of college is not justifiable. I stated that I do not understand why to spend $$ that could not be afforded when we all have affordable choices. $50k / year for some families is very affordable, for others is not. If it is affordable than there is not issue / complaint. The issue exists when decision is made to get something (college education is included) that clearly cannot be afforded. I personally have no objection to Starbucks, manicures, BMWs ( I love my Audi too ), paying for most expensive college, whatever. I just do not understand if one decided to pay, what is complain, apparently they decided that they could afford it.</p>
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<p>Isn’t that applicable to all kinds of choices that most of us make in life? Deciding what you’ll pay for your kids college/or not isn’t unique–people buy expensive homes and cars that stretch them to the max; they go on luxury vacations that put them in debt; they decide to support/loan money to family when they can ill afford to do so–people do all sorts of things that probably aren’t what conventional wisdom says is financially prudent to do. So what else is new? I guess these threads always surprise me because some people are convinced that the “right” answer is don’t spend lots of money on X (in this case college tuition) and if you do, you’re an idiot. Personally, I think most parents here are folks who love/care about their kids’ futures and are trying to help them make the best possible college decisions so that those kids will lead happy and productive lives.</p>
<p>We pay a ton of $$ (per our income) to send DD to one of the best school. Based on the caliber of research advisers, the interaction from her peers, and all the programs are available, we don’t regret at all. </p>
<p>Different family has their own value. We would rather spend the limited $$ for our children’s education than on an automobile which will definitely lose its value over time.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I am 100% convinced that it is up to the students to lead happy and productive lives. Looking at DD and see what/how she is doing, I know for sure she will do wonderful no matter what school she attends. An expensive school is nice but not necessary.</p>
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<p>What I like is seeing what other people do. I know what we do and what my associates do but the variety here is greater.</p>
<p>MiamiDAP, maybe I did misunderstand you. Sorry. I didn’t realize people were complaining about their choices.</p>
<p>I’m one of the people that value higher education but don’t believe spending a ton of money on education results in better opportunities that not spending a ton of money. I think the state university that my wife and I went to provided both of us with “great peer interaction” and good opportunities for education.</p>
<p>Bigtrees,
Completely agree. It is more up to student than college what kind of education and other experiences he/she gets during college years.</p>
<p>My daughter’s college costs about $54,000 per year. Fortunately, we are paying a little over $12K plus her unsubsiized Stafford which my wife and I will pay off. About the same as we would be paying at one of the state universities.</p>
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<p>I complain about a lot of things I can afford - yesterday, strawberries were $3.99 for about 10 in a basket, but I bought them anyway because I just had to have them!</p>
<p>We pay $50K/year x 2 - an outrageous sum! (end of complaint) - but we can afford it and feel that our kids’ college educations are the one thing we won’t scrimp on. We want them to have the best education we can afford, even if it means I buy fewer strawberries when we are retired.</p>
<p>^"About the same as we would be paying at one of the state universities. "</p>
<p>Nope, she would have it free at state U (just like my D.). If your D. got accepted to elite college, than she would have been showered by Merit scholarships at state U.</p>
<p>Bay,
That is too stressful to complain about everything! Take it easy.</p>
<p>lol, I’ll try, but complaining actually makes me feel better. Stress-release.</p>
<p>Agree with Bay: A lot of $$$ for us. Savings, loans and working more hours, whatever it takes to make our S/D happy. At the end of the day we live for no more than 100 years in this life and we will not taking anything with us…so it will be well spent.</p>
<p>Edith Hamilton: It has always seemed strange to me that in our endless discussions about education so little stress is laid on the pleasure of becoming an educated person, the enormous interest it adds to life. To be able to be caught up into the world of thought – that is to be educated.</p>
<p>We have been paying for our kids’ education since K. Their K-12 tuitions have been comparable to most of college tuition. Through relocation with my firm this year, my firm will be paying for D2’s remainder high school tuition. So there will be one year (2011), when D1 graduates from college and D2 is a senior in high school, when we won’t have any tuition to pay.</p>
<p>I don’t know if I should get a plastic surgery done or buy a car. Of course, there is the retirement fund calling too.</p>
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<p>Excellent point–very few mention the intangibles that accompany higher education–mostly these “is-it-worth-it-discussions” focus on outcomes that are measurable, i.e., jobs, professional accomplishment, salary, etc.</p>
<p>oldfort,
The same, D’s HS was more expensive than her total for out-of-town college also, but it paid off at the end, as a result not paying tuition at college. Again, getting ready to pay for Grad. school. At least, we saved when we could, she could have gone to expensive UG, seemed not to be worth it in her case, she did not care one way or another. Worked wonderfully for her at her state U.</p>
<p>I take great pleasure in being educated. However, I didn’t need to go to an expensive private university to be educated. </p>
<p>Also, without some practical purpose (like applying my knowledge at work), education by itself doesn’t have much value. Spending the time skiing, fishing, and traveling the world would have been a much more enjoyable and stress free way of spending 4 years.</p>
<p>MiamiDAP:
The thread is not about complaining, the intent was just to see how much different people are paying for different or in many case same colleges.</p>
<p>I don’t think you can equate a college education with anything else. Most of the things are materialistic and may wear and tear along the way. Education stay with the person forever and growing up is one experience that a human cherish for the whole life.</p>
<p>Now whether a state U gives the same experience as that of HMSPY is a different issue and is out of the scope of this thread. </p>
<p>For us the experience of sending DD to private school since pre-school and private prep high school itself @$35000/year was very satisfactory and so is $55000/year at her college.</p>
<p>We make decisions everyday in our life which might be different from other because we value different things. For us education is one thing you just can’t find a replacement.</p>
<p>Anybody can get educated in a sense of just having education, do not need to go to college of any sort. Nobody can get MD license or any other certification or diploma without going (or taking on-line if it is possible) to college. Anybody can get information in any shape or form, read it, do analysis, remember if capable and have much more time with it than at college campus…and you do need to feel a push to agree with prof. to get a good grade. But if resources are unlimited and one desires to go to college to get educated and do not need to be financially independant, why not, we are in free country full of free choices (at least at the moment).</p>