<p>merman…</p>
<p>I just had some thoughts…</p>
<p>Maybe I’m wrong, but I get the feeling that your parents are telling you that they can’t pay much or anything towards your college education. Maybe they are naive about how much college costs these days and are thinking like the “ole days” when a lot of kids “worked their way” through college all by themselves. Unfortunately, college costs have FAR EXCEEDED inflation, so part-time jobs don’t cover the costs of college like they used to. Many parents are engaging in “magical thinking” that college is affordable if the student just “economizes” and gets a job…many parents need to be shown “the numbers”.</p>
<p>I can understand why many parents today think “I paid for my college, so my kid can do it, too.” I went to a California university in the 70s and the cost was soooo low that it was easy to pay for college with a summer job and part-time job. Your parents may have had a similar experience or have peers that “paid their own way thru college.” If so, your parents may be thinking students can still pay their own way. Therefore, they (your parents) may think that they shouldn’t have to figure out a way to help with your college costs.</p>
<p>Are your parents realistic about the costs of a college education? Have you printed out some TCA (total cost of attendance) pages from the websites of various universities? Have you realistically estimated how much you can earn from a job? </p>
<p>BTW…look carefully at each school’s TCA…some leave out the cost of books, fees &/or misc costs…so if those costs are left out, add them in. Also, some TCA pages only list the cheapest dorm and meal plans, so be aware of that, too. If you’ll need to live on campus, make sure each TCA includes tuition, mandatory university fees, mandatory class fees (yes, many classes now have separate fees charged!), housing, meal plan/food, books, plus any personal expenses that you’ll be responsible for (travel, car, insurance, etc).</p>
<p>Please keep in mind (and explain to your parents) that even with a part-time job, 100% of income can’t go to your education…there will be misc expenses, gasoline, car expense, clothing, etc that your income will likely also have to pay for.</p>
<p>Once you have this all printed out and written down in “black and white,” sit down with your parents and show them the facts. If they see that you’re willing to do what you can, but even with the best of efforts you will still come up short, they may become more motivated to figure out how they can help you.</p>
<p>My “gut feel” may be totally wrong about your parents’ intention to help you pay for college. If so, please ignore my comments. :)</p>