But OP wont be coming home necessarily on some random date in May. Try Thanksgiving week and it is more than 650 if you buy today-she will purchase closer to the holiday, prices often rise.
More importantly, you seem to think you can get by with no safety fund-things come up,I promise. It is way more expensive to live than you think now, and the fact that you do not appear to even understand full time work much less overtime? It will not end well, I am sorry to say.
It is however an excellent argument why we should not forgive student loans as taxpayers. We cant always protect people from their own poor decisions.
That is true, but students rarely come home on random dates - they are coming and going from campus at the beginning and end of the year (may or may not be expensive) and at holiday time (the most expensive).
Try to get that price during holidays and peak times along with Uber at peak hours. S20 is at GT with Co-op for an airline. Flights have gotten expensive and are unpredictable. Especially multi-leg flights.
You can cut some costs in certain areas but not all. Then there’s entertainment and fun. How would UCLA be without being able to enjoy LA? A concert will set you back a couple hundred. Spring break with friends? Having any type of fun is expensive.
Not sure it makes sense to try to browbeat the OP into agreeing with the advice offered, or to mislead the OP with exaggerated claims regarding airline tickets or other unspecified “huge” costs. It is ultimately their decision.
As for airline tickets, lots of kids don’t fly home for Thanksgiving. RT tickets for Winter break are currently in the mid-300s, a far cry from $1000.
She isnt buying the ticket today; she likely would buy in Sept or Oct when she knows her class schedule. You are most welcome to check the prices for holiday travel at that time and report back to us. Do not forget to include the ever present surge pricing for an uber then.
I do agree it is her decision. Just make sure she is accountable for it in the future.
You have a lot of ‘ifs’ in your post. IF you get a $10k scholarship, but where is that going to come from? Most of those types of scholarships (private from big names like Coke or Elks) have already been awarded, and the California publics give only a few regent scholarships.
Books can be cheaper, but the one thing my kids couldn’t get around was buying the codes for online tests or quizzes, especially in foreign language classes. Those could be $150 for one class
You asked if it was worth it to go $25-30k in debt every year and the answer is no, especially if you have other really good options. I would take that extra money your parents have pledged (if they have) and travel, volunteer, study abroad, spend the summer in So. California working with those diverse groups.
It is likely that if your parents have $45k/yr saved for you, or if they can pay that out of their earnings, you won’t qualify for a subsidized loan. That mean the interest will start accruing immediately. You won’t have to pay it until you graduate or leave school, but it will be growing. If your parents take a Plus loan, that will also have interest accruing, and at a higher rate.
Really think about how much it is worth to go to UCLA.
I understand what full time is. It’s not that big of a deal. I misspoke. And I was referring to full time in the context of MY employer. My manager does NOT allow people under 20 to work more than 24 hours (most there work around 16 hours). 24 hours is full time in the context of my specific employer. Also, keep in mind, I’m a teenager, obviously there will be things I don’t understand? Or things that you and I view differently because of age differences? So I don’t see why you’re seeming to write these comments in a somewhat negative tone–it just makes everything even more stressful. Yes, i obviously don’t have the full experience of decision-making, but i would appreciate if you could give insight in a more open/understanding way, though i know you probably didn’t mean to come off like that, i just feel more stressed about this whole process.
I have tried. I expect that you do not understand finances, which is why so many parents on here, who do understand, are trying to talk you out of making a bad decision. Many of the assumptions you are making are simply wrong, and it appears you do not have a good understanding of what your life will look like if you take on that much debt
It is not your fault that you have not worked full time, but since you have not, you do not appear to have really understood what that is like or how different it is from working very part-time, or, for example, how much overtime will exhaust you, or how long it will take to work to pay off debt . If you have not lived in a large expensive city, you will not expect the higher prices on everything-LA is a hard place to be poor.
This is likely your first important adult decision. Think about why so many people are warning you about it.
I worked my way through college. I missed out on a lot fun experiences because I was too broke to go anywhere or do anything. It’s exciting at first to grind your way through, but it gets old fast. It was a long 4 years. Take it from someone who has been a broke college student - don’t do it.
You can check every date between tomorrow and a year from tomorrow and you won’t find a day where it would cost your hyperbolic $1000 claim.
As for airport transportation, I believe LAX Flyaway still arrives/departs at/from UCLA every half hour, and costs about 10 bucks. Other shuttles are offered by UCLA housing during breaks for even less.
I don’t understand what this means? Are we here to make sure prospective students are held accountable? Doesn’t really seem like any of our business to me. That seems like it shock be between the student and her family, creditors, schools, herself. Plus there are other bus options that are inexpensive and aren’t extremely complicated.
I think the adults here are trying to be realistic. It will cost at least $20k per year in loans for you to afford UCLA (and that is with a very optimistic $65k per year COA). Your parents will need to co-sign for any loans in excess of the federal maximum (around $5500) and will legally be on the hook for re-paying those (even if you plan to). $80k in loans is a significant amount and can be life limiting in terms of where you can afford to live, what kind of job you can afford to take etc. If you are going to take on this type of financial burden it is important to be clear eyed about it.
Yes, i understand that. I know many of you just want to help and can provide a more rational perspective into this situation, since y’all have more experiences with finances. I appreciate the insight and help that y’all are taking the time into, however, these comments at this point have just made me feel even more and more stressed about this whole process. Further, there’s a balance between giving insight, while also being kind and understanding about doing so. Yes, i recognize that many adults are attempting to be realistic; however, coming off in an extremely negative tone just makes me just feel worse about this entire situation. There’s a balance between giving insight/advice and doing so in a kind and understanding manner, rather than a condescending way. and at the end of the day, I know my financial situation and myself the best. this is just an online forum.
I’m just stressed about the fact that I asked for kind help in this process, yet you kept arguing about what “full time” was? I’m more stressed about continually attempting to argue about a mistype than the actual financials of this situation . rather than explaining nicely and clearly, it seems like your intention now is just to attack and intimidate people to get your point across…
like literally i’m glad for people wanting to give me advice, but at this point, stuff like your comments are unnecessary. i’m not denying your advice. i’m simply saying you can go about this in a more positive manner. just try to understand it from a teenager’s perspective; everything about this college app process is stressful, and from me and every other teenager, we just want adults and our PARENTS to just be kind when explaining these things to us. not attack us for trivial things. you’re getting so defensive over an online forum. about my decision. it’s not that deep. at the end of the day, it’s my decision, and i know myself and my family’s financial situation the best. this is just an online forum. i came into this looking for insight and more logical perspectives, and i got that. but some of these comments have just gotten overly out of hand, beyond what was intended. this was supposed to be a safe space for discussing decision-making and advice, and i gladly accept the advice here. however, i have an issue when things have gone overly out of hand. when it’s gotten to the point of just attacking someone, that’s where it’s gotten unnecessary. i’m appreciate for the adults here who were able to treat this topic with openmindedness and were patient explaining things, without explaining it in a condescending/attacking way. i will take all of your advice into account, and i feel more grounded now with the perspectives. ultimately, just treat teens and your children throughout this process with kindness. we may not understand everything, but that doesn’t give you an excuse to attack/intimidate someone or spew false information. that’s where it’s gotten out of hand.
rather than explaining nicely and clearly, it seems like your intention now is just to attack and intimidate people to get your point across…