<p>What to do. A transfer. Can we have any influence, should we? Caring parents</p>
<p>USC film school gives you a girlfriend? Where do I sign up?</p>
<p>I’m having trouble understanding your question. are you saying that your child wants to give up financial aid at USC, loans, $5000 in additional merit aid, and a girlfriend in order to go to NYU Film School?</p>
<p>???</p>
<p>Please clarify.</p>
<p>Is the girlfriend in the debit or credit column?</p>
<p>He has 85% w/ USC which he’s willing to give up for NYU w/5000 merit plus loans totally 80,000! He also like the film atmosphere of NYU as compared to USC but leaving her on the east coast that’s hard!</p>
<p>In our area USC is considered the better film school. (west coast- so that might be the reason). I know people with kids at both. All very happy with their education.</p>
<p>$80,000 loans is not advisable. Have you shown him a repayment schedule?</p>
<p>agree . $80,000 in debt with a film degree is not a good move. those may be the two best Film schools in the US so quality is not a problem either way. Head has to rule over Heart here.</p>
<p>good grief! In this day and age, it is unthinkable that this kind of debt would even be considered! He is a young fool to give up USC. Educate him of the realities of trying to pay off that obligation if he has no job after college!! Would you let him sign up for a mortgage of $$80,000 right now? at his age??? Student loan debt CAN’T be eliminated through bankruptcy proceedings- he can’t walk away from it if things “don’t turn out” .
If he wants Film school then tell him its fine to go to USC, otherwise find another top 25 U that will give him that kind of aid.</p>
<p>No. No. No. Put your foot down. Your the adults.</p>
<p>When my son, a film student, was going through first semester traumas at USC and wanted to leave we told him it would be ok but we would only allow him to transfer after two full semesters and only to UVA where he had been previously accepted and was in-state. We had the Virginia pre-paid tuition plan so we would have saved lots of money. He got over it it and stayed at USC.</p>
<p>So my advice is to tell him that he can leave but only to transfer to your state school. If they don’t have a film program, tell him to start considering graduate school for film. </p>
<p>And I can tell you that $80,000 in debt with a film degree is ludicrous. Most film students start out at VERY low paying jobs while they learn their craft and make contacts.</p>
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<p>That’s worth repeating. In fact, I would go further than tsdad, and say that a lot (perhaps even most) start out getting paid nothing, and working other full time jobs (sometimes film related, but often not) to support themselves. My D is not in film, but many of her friends are. They work on film sets for nothing except the experience and resume enhancement, and the film industry takes incredible advantage. Why pay some recent grad to do what a 3rd year film student will do for free?</p>
<p>Your son will have to be realistic, and understand that the film industry is in the same boat right now that other industries are. There are fewer films being financed, and fewer job openings. Taking on a big debt burden right now is really, really risky.</p>
<p>I would agree, if the girl friend is willing to pay for his education…:)…Not going to happen?</p>
<p>Seriously, are we in charge or kids are in charge here?</p>
<p>Do not co-sign for 80K worth of loans. Your child lacks the ability to understand what that really means. It’s your job to protect them and to give them a chance to take a job in the industry instead of out of the industry so they can pay the loans off.</p>
<p>“understand that the film industry is in the same boat right now that other industries are”</p>
<p>Things are worse, much, much worse in the film industry right now.</p>
<p>Recent film school grads for the most part will be lucky to get a job as an office associate in a film related business. After a while they will go crazy from all the yelling, scheduling, expense accounts, and ringing phones. My son is now happily ensconced writing copy for jetsetstudios.com. He began as a free lancer, moved to a contract employee, and then became full time staff. Medical benefits come in July.</p>
<p>Yes, should have mentioned that we would pick up the tab and we are 60. We don’t want him to have the debt so…that’s the quandary! Thanks for all your advice. We’re down to the wire here. caring but concerned parents.</p>
<p>I don’t see the quandary. I would not even consider paying significantly more in tuition so that my kid could stay near his girlfriend (which is most likely the real reason he wants to stay.)</p>
<p>If you can easily pay for this without postponing your retirement, then it’s up to you but, personally, even if could easily pay for it I would not. To turn down such a generous offer is, in my opinion, spoiled behavior.</p>
<p>$80,000 at 8.5% (if you can get it) is $992 a month for the next 10 years. That’s an absurdity for someone starting out. </p>
<p>If you want to take out the loans and pay them off, do it, but don’t let HIM take them out. (and all this for a school which is not likely as good as the one he’s at?)</p>
<p>*Yes, should have mentioned that we would pick up the tab and we are 60. We don’t want him to have the debt so…that’s the quandary! *</p>
<p>???</p>
<p>Who’s the boss? Your son?</p>
<p>Grow some ■■■■■■■ and just say “no”. </p>
<p>(and then enjoy your retirement years. 
)</p>