Sucks to be middle class...

Paying for College
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<p>I hate to be a whiner, but I think the whole financial aid thing needs to be adjusted.</p>

<p>The majority of us are middle class citizens, and a lot of colleges expect us to pay for the whole sha-bang with ease. </p>

<p>I live in California, where the income and property taxes are crazily high. How are my parents supposed to pay 30k a year? They can't. So that means loans for me, lots and lots of loans.</p>

<p>I find it quite unfair how a middle-class student gets nothing, while a low-income student can get nearly a full ride. After these two hypothetical students graduate, they're on the same playing field, and have the same opportunities for jobs. Why is it that only one of these students is stuck with paying back ridiculous amounts of loans? </p>

<p>I say there needs to be more fairness in this process.</p>

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<p>Maybe in California, although that only covers tuition and fees so NOT a free ride. However, the vast majority of us low income kids get nothing close to a free ride. That is a myth, a complete myth.</p>

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<p>Perhaps you should stop whining and realize many middle income families pay a significant amount of the costs to attened college…nobody is guaranteed a costly education, find a school you can AFFORD, there are many of them…</p>

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<p>Your family can become low income very easily. Not so easy to become middle income when you are low income. I don’t see people rushing to become low income to get those great deals on college.</p>

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<p>Also, for the most part, if you do the math and analyze who is getting what, there are not that many kids getting “full rides” and close to it, including room and board. People often point to the very rare kid (if he exists) with the zero EFC who is getting that full ride to Harvard and saying how lucky he is that his parents don’t have to pay a thing. Well, um, yes. But I wouldn’t bank on that kind of lottery odds for college for my kids. Most low income kids don;t even end up in college. Many don’t even apply, and don’t have the momentum that middle income and above kids in high school do, to get through the process. The number of Pell eligible kids going to college is not impressive, especially at the schools generous with fianancial aid.</p>

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<p>It’s so unfair that other kids get to live in poverty while your stuck with decent clothes, food, shelter, and transportation. </p>

<p>Do yourself a favor and take some ethics and justice classes in college.</p>

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<p>Oh I agree completely. Lets start with making sure the poor kids have access to the same quality k-12 schools that the middle and upper class do.</p>

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<p>A college education is not a high school diploma! Everybody isn’t entitled to a free one. What you are suggesting is called socialism. Ask the Greeks how thats working for them.</p>

<p>Sent from my DROIDX using CC</p>

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<p>Actually, no. I know plenty of students who own small houses, iPhones, designer clothes, and used cars of their own, and still claim to get great amounts of aid for college. I and many other middle-class students do not have a personal car or have held a $200 dollar phone for more than five minutes in our lives. </p>

<p>While I still might have more advantages now, I am on my own for school and thereafter, as are many other students in my situation.</p>

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<p>I had to delete what I wanted to say about 6 times, because I’d most likely be banned.</p>

<p>If colleges expect your parents to pay 30k, you obvious come from a six-figure-salary kind of family. In your last post you detailed a wealthy person getting financial aid. What does that have to do with lower class citizens going to college?</p>

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<p>The Calif schools do have an odd aid system. I don’t begrudge that there is aid for low income kids as that is needed. </p>

<p>However, the aid drop off at a certain income is silly even when there are multiple kids in college.</p>

<p>A Calif mom recently PM’d me because she thought that her family would certainly get aid when their second child started at a UC. Unfortunately, they listened to everyone in the social circle who told them that "for sure, now you’ll get aid. </p>

<p>Their EFC for the one child was under $30k, but of course that is way too high for aid with one child at a UC. So, they paid the $30k.</p>

<p>So, when they applied for aid with a second child starting at a UC, they expected that they would still pay about $30k total and get aid for the difference.</p>

<p>They only got loans. Student loans and huge Parent Plus loans. Their EFC is about $14k for each child, but they’re expected to essentially pay the full $60k+ plus per year. Their income isn’t $30k above that magical $80 benchmark, yet, nothing. </p>

<p>They don’t know what to do. They’re in a pickle because they really don’t think it’s right to tell Child #1 that he has to leave his UC, and they don’t think it’s right to tell Child #2 that she must either take a gap year or go to a CC so that they can afford to pay for Child #2. </p>

<p>The family is just sick. No one is sleeping. </p>

<p>Why the CA UC system has that $80 benchmark for the B&G promise - regardless of the number of kids in college - is nutty. Certainly, if an $79k family needs about $14k in grants for tuition, why wouldn’t a family that earns $109k need help with two attending a UC???</p>

<p>Yes, the family’s EFC split, but since their income is above $80k (the magical line in CA), they don’t qualify for the Blue and Gold complex.</p>

<p>If colleges expect your parents to pay 30k, you obvious come from a six-figure-salary kind of family. In your last post you detailed a wealthy person getting financial aid. What does that have to do with lower class citizens going to college?</p>

<p>NO… If you earn $81k then you don’t qualify for B&G promise. </p>

<p>UCs only try to meet need for low income families (which is fine).</p>

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<p>No, my parents make 82K, but after taxes, they get to keep just under 52K. We don’t qualify for anything in CA. And the description was not of wealthy people, it was of “low-income” people who still have materialistic advantages that many middle class students don’t get.</p>

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<p>Well it seems like California has a really messed up financial aid process, but that doesn’t necessarily surprise me.</p>

<p>The bright side to that is there are 49 other states with thousands of colleges in them for you to apply to. I think the situation of the low-income students with expensive tastes isn’t as common as people receiving aid who actually need it. If the school does the CSS Profile, I am sure they will see the Ferrari sitting in their driveway.</p>

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What you need is what’s called an attitude adjustment. If your family makes enough money and has enough assets that your EFC is $30K, you have a lot more than most people. So now you envy those who have considerably less than you do? Easy. Sell everything you/your family has. Move to a place where the housing is cheap. Buy a teeny tiny house in a crappy neighborhood. Eat beans and rice every day. Go to bed hungry now and then. Wear hand-me-downs and finds from the salvation army. Walk or take public transportation. *Live like someone who has nothing, instead of like someone in the “middle class”. * If you envy the poor, there is nothing stopping you from joining them.</p>

<p>Now you have enough $$ to pay for school.</p>

<p>Carry on.</p>

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<p>The problem is even with financial aid given, private schools are still expensive, especially when they are out-of-state. That’s mainly why public universities were created, so people can have a good education without busting their pockets. But now that tuition has insanely risen, that plan isn’t working out so well…</p>

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<p>Consider going to CC & transferring or perhaps a CSU for all 4 years. There is a significantly lower tuition & expense bill if you do so. Know many folks who do this. Our D went to local CC & then transferred to 4-year U. It allowed her to get a lot of her GEs at practically no cost. Was not perfect but we all made it work. At least CA still has good public options–some states do not.</p>

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<p>sylvan, I’m going to refrain from calling you an idiot because you’re probably ignorant of how the public school system and its financial aid system in California work. Please read the post by “mom2collegekids.” </p>

<p>My EFC is 12k, but I’m expected to pay 30k. Please remember that parents aren’t always able to pay the EFC. My parents make 82k, after taxes get to keep 52k. Please also remember that they have to save up for retirement, pay bills, pay for food, clothe themselves and their children, pay for school materials, just to name a few. </p>

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<p>Ironic… my sister and I both do that.</p>

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<p>Also ironic… my parents do have a rather small house in a neighborhood that everyone calls ugly.</p>

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<p>Even more ironic! My sister and I have been taking the school bus to and from school since we were in grade school.</p>

<p>I may not live a horrible life, but I don’t exactly live the most luxurious one either, if that’s what you’re implying.</p>

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<p>Middle-income students have just as much opportunity to earn free MERIT aid for themselves as low-income kids do. Most middle-income students have even better opportunities to earn it, especially if they don’t have to spend hours working every week to help support their family like too many low-income kids have had to do. </p>

<p>Working hard in high school and applying to colleges that actually reward that hard work with lots of free merit money can earn any student a college education with less than $30k in loans.</p>

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<p>What you need is what’s called an attitude adjustment. If your family makes enough money and has enough assets that your EFC is $30K, you have a lot more than most people. So now you envy those who have considerably less than you do? Easy. Sell everything you/your family has. Move to a place where the housing is cheap. Buy a teeny tiny house in a crappy neighborhood. Eat beans and rice every day. Go to bed hungry now and then. Wear hand-me-downs and finds from the salvation army. Walk or take public transportation. Live like someone who has nothing, instead of like someone in the “middle class”. If you envy the poor, there is nothing stopping you from joining them.</p>

<p>SYLVAN!!!</p>

<p>Where does the OP say that her EFC is $30k??? I doubt her EFC is that high. </p>

<p>She says that she’s expected to PAY $30k…which is true for those who earn beyond that magic $80k number…even though their EFCs are lower than that.</p>

<p>You may not know much about the UC aid system. It’s totally screwed up for those who earn $81k+ . Obviously, with an income of $82k, the EFC isn’t $30k. </p>

<p>YES…people who earn beyond the magic $80k are expected to pay for it all (with loans and family funds). Even if they have 2 in college. UCs don’t really use EFC much once you’re beyond that $80k number. You pay full freight after that.</p>

<p>Edited to add.</p>

<p>Sylvan…her EFC is $12k!!! omg</p>

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<p>HImom, I probably will transfer. The thing people don’t like about transferring is they don’t get to have the experience of undergraduate years, but I think that’s worth passing up on.</p>