<p>I took 5 years to complete a double major, and I don’t remember asking my parents. I think I just informed them it was going to take 5 years. They graciously paid for the extra tuition/room/board. Fast forward 30+ years, and I certainly couldn’t deny S1 an extra semester to finish a double major. Am expecting S2 will do the same so that he can have a semester abroad.</p>
<p>We have told both our kids for many years (one is now a college sophmore and the other is a h.s. junio) that they get 4 years out of us. The rest is on them. Period.</p>
<p>I knew a fellow who tried to explain to his father why he wanted to stay an additional year at the local university by saying “Dad, its like leaving a really good party at 11 o’clock.” Dad did <em>not</em> fund a fifth year.</p>
<p>^ :eek: Epic fail. :D</p>
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<p>On the flip side, I’ve read on CC that students <em>can’t</em> graduate early from URochester. Unless they transfer, the school requires payment for 8 semesters of tuition, even if they graduate in under 8!</p>
<p>CalPolyMom, you are right. That was the message my parents gave me, and we’ve passed it on to our boys. You get four years. That’s it. The oldest starts college this fall, and he will go in with more than 40 credits, thanks to AP classes/exams. This offers him lots of options, including study abroad and perhaps, a BA/MA program in four years.</p>
<p>I suspect that more will take URochester up on their deal of a tuition free 5th year now that the economy is stagnant. But when it is easier to get a job in your field, the cost of that 5th year is not only room and board, but the opportunity cost of that salary you would have made and the experience you would have gained.</p>
<p>We do not qualify for any financial assistance. The Bank of Mom & Dad will slam shut after 4 years.</p>
<p>We are planning to pay for Med. School (maybe not 100%). So, it is additional 4 years, not 1. But, it will depend if we still have jobs.</p>
<p>I think it must be very circumstantial. The kid who dinks around and parties does not earn a 5th year on my dime, the kid who has a valid reason for a 5th year or extra term or summer classes, could merit that.</p>
<p>What about a kid who parties in year 1 or 2 and then matures, if they have fixed their problem, would you pay? I think I would.</p>
<p>Another similar issue is the kids who take a while to determine a major or loose units on transfer, well, I have a kid who transferred from CC and every unit transferred and fulfilled a requirement of GE, but only through diligence and hard work. Another kid did not declare a major until year 3 and was done on time because everything the first two years fulfilled GE requirements.</p>
<p>So, there are many people who have valid reasons not to be done in 4 years and yet who probably could have done it, had they known then what they know now. In each case parents must know whether it is justifiable time or not.</p>
<p>As I mentioned above (#11), my DS was at a CC last year and will be there again this year. He is still living at home and with the cheap CC tuition, I would estimate that it is costing around $2000 a year for him to go to school - part of which he pays for from his part time jobs.</p>
<p>As I thought a little more about this thread, I realized that I basically am thinking of this upcoming year and last year as “free” - that is I haven’t really started the clock on the 4 years I am willing to pay for. So I guess the answer really is - sure I’d pay for a 5th year - especially when the first two are basically free. Heck I might even pay for a 6th if there is a good reason - e.g. working on a masters or a double major.</p>
<p>At $35,000-$50,000 per year for a private or top OOS university, it amazes me that so many here are willing to pay for an extra year! With 3 children to educate, there is no way we would be willing to pay for an extra year. We plan to provide our kids with 4 years of loan-free college education, anything additional will require student loans on their part. Luckily, my oldest graduated in 3 years and my middle is headed off to college with 36 credits in AP and college courses.</p>
<p>My question is where are the parents when this is happening. If a child is “undercredited” – why arent they looking at CC over the summer – at the cost of missing a summer job, this seems much more reasonable.</p>
<p>No. No 5th year. No grad school entrance tests, no grad school application fees. </p>
<p>Now, had my son gone to a college that wasn’t costing ME at least 15K per year, then maybe we could talk…</p>
<p>It took every once of my being to save the money to send him to school. After graduation, the ONLY thing I will pay for is for him to live at home if he has no job. Phone, and EVERYTHING else is on him.</p>
<p>If he can’t find a job ASAP, I will recommend he joins the military.</p>
<p>Not that I have kids, but no, I wouldn’t, unless there was an extenuating circumstance outside the kid’s control, or if he started off poorly but has consistently raised his GPA and needs the boost from another year to be competitive for a particular professional/graduate school. </p>
<p>And even though public schools are cheaper, they also generally have very liberal AP acceptance programs, so if you’ve taken a decent number of APs in high school, with decent planning, you can take lighter courseloads and still graduate in four or less years.</p>
<p>I should have also added to my emphatic NO the fact that my son has a 4 year scholarship that ‘pays’ 2x what I put out of pocket. I seriously doubt they would cough up another 32K for a 5th year, so the fact that I won’t pay my 15K is pretty moot.</p>
<p>Let’s see, S1 entered an engineering program where it was almost impossible to graduate in 4 years, so we paid our half of a 5th year. </p>
<p>S2 had too much fun at the university, did 5 years at two different CCs, earned 2 associate’s degrees plus a paramedic certificate. I commented it was as if he went to graduate school, but the wife said it was cheaper than S1.</p>
<p>S3 did 1-1/2 years at the local university, decided it wasn’t for him, went to a CC to get a welding associates degree and finished in 2 years plus a summer. By far the cheapest for us.</p>
<p>We have stressed with S4, who will be a freshman, the importance of finishing in 4 years, but he wants to do a foreign exchange and go to medical school. The wife an I are now arguing about who’s paying the second 4 years. The only saving grace is the the private college endeavors to get students to finish in 4 years, so hopefully we won’t be looking at a 5th year.</p>
<p>When DS returns from his summer internship we’ll be looking at whether or not a 5th year makes sense. He’s got to sit down and look to see whether or not he can finish up a double major (math & CS) in his senior year & we have to look at finances together. The math major will be done in his senior year, the question will be can he add the right CS courses to add that major in his senior year. He’s been taking 52-54 units a term (5-7 courses) so he’s not been slacking off but I think he’s been torn between econ & CS in addition to math. I’m sure his internship will also play an important role in his decision - if he enjoyed working and is able to find a job, maybe he’ll pass on the 2nd major if he can’t do it the one year he has left. But if working 9-5 wasn’t enjoyable, maybe he’ll want an extra year before entering the workforce(and who knows what the job market will be like). </p>
<p>As for
for my son, his college does not give ap credit, nor any credit for courses taken at UCB as a high school student(he had to retake those courses at his current college) so I doubt they’d give him credit for community college courses.</p>
<p>Like so many of these questions it depends on the kid. S2 is in a program that requires 18 units per semester to graduate in 4 yrs. We knew from the start that was not happening. He had Learning Disabilities and ADD and would not have been able to handle that work load. We have made sure he goes to the CC the first two summers to reduce that 5th yr. Hoping to make it an extra semester not two. He has considered also getting a teaching credential. We would not fund that as extra time at his current school but might be willing to fund a portion if it is done at a less expensive state school.
I know many kids doing a 5th yr. All at parents expense.</p>
<p>In your case mom60, you can plan for 5 years from the get go and make financial choices of which college to attend based on a 5 year budget. No surprises…I hate surprises when it comes to paying for college.</p>