Importance of a College Education

Serious Business Backup 158 replies 3,240 views
hasbeen's avatar
hasbeen
Posts: 6,504
Apr 18, 2010 3:13pm
So as to not hijack Apple's thread, here's what I wrote:
I never have understood why parents wouldn't help their kids through college. Do you just not understand the importance of it? Or do you want your kids to do it the "hard way like you did?" Let them start their career's with a huge debt to companies who don't give a flying fuck about them rather than you helping them out and they have a better start. That makes a lot of sense.
So why wouldn't you help your children get through college?
GoChiefs's avatar
GoChiefs
Posts: 16,754
Apr 18, 2010 3:19pm
B/c then, you as parents, might go in debt to help your kids get a degree. Then they don't even use it. So, why would you waste 20 to 40 grand as a parent for that?
UA5straightin2008's avatar
UA5straightin2008
Posts: 3,246
Apr 18, 2010 3:25pm
its called paying it forward
hasbeen's avatar
hasbeen
Posts: 6,504
Apr 18, 2010 3:26pm
I would think most careers require a college degree and it is something employers look for, unless it's a labor job.

A parent doesn't have to pay ALL of the tuition, but I see no reason why they would let their children take the full brunt of it. Also, I believe parents should be saving from the time, if not before, for their child's college education.

I guess this kind of involves financial planning and fiscal responsibility and some people just don't value saving money for the future.
Benny The Jet's avatar
Benny The Jet
Posts: 2,987
Apr 18, 2010 3:28pm
My parent's paid for my college. The deal was they'd pay for 4 years of college, anything over 4 years was on my dime. Took me 5 years to graduate because I dicked around freshman year and ended up transferring. Now I'm obviously extremely grateful for them helping me out for college, but I took class and school a lot more serious when I was the one paying for it. When they were paying, I'd just skip class and didn't think twice about it. When I have kids ready for college, I'd love to help them out with school...but won't pay for the whole thing.
UA5straightin2008's avatar
UA5straightin2008
Posts: 3,246
Apr 18, 2010 3:30pm
pnhasbeen wrote: I would think most careers require a college degree and it is something employers look for, unless it's a labor job.

A parent doesn't have to pay ALL of the tuition, but I see no reason why they would let their children take the full brunt of it. Also, I believe parents should be saving from the time, if not before, for their child's college education.

I guess this kind of involves financial planning and fiscal responsibility and some people just don't value saving money for the future.
i agree i think parents should do the best they can to provide there son or daughter with the money to attend college and get a college degree. i have to pay some money out of my own pocket to go to denison but my parents pay most of it. its gonna be interesting to see how much i have to pay next year, when both me and my bro are in college, me at denison, him at UPenn, not necessarily two cheap schools
GoChiefs's avatar
GoChiefs
Posts: 16,754
Apr 18, 2010 3:39pm
It's not the parents responsibility to worry about how the kid is going to make money. A parents job is to raise their child the best they can to become a responsible adult. You're considered an adult at the age of 18. After that, you should no longer be a financial burden to your parents. I went to college, I paid for every dime of it. I never asked, nor expected my parents to pay a penny of my college education. College is to benefit MY future. Not my parents.
LJ's avatar
LJ
Posts: 16,351
Apr 18, 2010 3:43pm
My parents' paid for my whole college. Much like Benny, my parents told me I had 4 years total to graduate or else I was on my own. I took my first quarter of college classes and decided "fuck this, I won't go into debt for this" so I busted my ass, but still had fun, and graduated on time with a good GPA.

I feel like parents should help with what they can without going into debt. If a parent can afford $300/month to help their kid get through college, then that is what they should do. If they can afford to pay all of tuition and room and board every year, then that is what they should do. Nothing pisses me off more than a person who has gotten rich by being fiscally responsible refusing to pay for their kids college education causing the kid to start their adult life thousands in debt.
GoChiefs's avatar
GoChiefs
Posts: 16,754
Apr 18, 2010 3:46pm
LJ wrote:Nothing pisses me off more than a person who has gotten rich by being fiscally responsible refusing to pay for their kids college education causing the kid to start their adult life thousands in debt.
If they can do..their child should be able to do it, correct?
LJ's avatar
LJ
Posts: 16,351
Apr 18, 2010 3:49pm
GoChiefs wrote:
LJ wrote:Nothing pisses me off more than a person who has gotten rich by being fiscally responsible refusing to pay for their kids college education causing the kid to start their adult life thousands in debt.
If they can do..their child should be able to do it, correct?
College costs are way different now than for people our parents age. My dad was able to work 3/4 time, pay for a house, and a kid, and paid for OSU. He was on track to graduate in 4 years time, but he quit to be a foreman for grandpa's construction company. Now, someone would have to make college graduate money, just to pay for college. So, no, if they could do it, they child cannot
SQ_Crazies's avatar
SQ_Crazies
Posts: 7,977
Apr 18, 2010 3:49pm
I think parents should help as well and I've been fortunate enough to have a lot of help from mine. But they aren't obligated, once you're 18 you're 18. Although I do agree that the "learn the hard way I had to" thing is bullshit. Life is nothing like it was when the baby boomers were younger--it's much more difficult today than it was then to get yourself ahead in the world.
GoChiefs's avatar
GoChiefs
Posts: 16,754
Apr 18, 2010 3:55pm
LJ wrote: College costs are way different now than for people our parents age. My dad was able to work 3/4 time, pay for a house, and a kid, and paid for OSU. He was on track to graduate in 4 years time, but he quit to be a foreman for grandpa's construction company. Now, someone would have to make college graduate money, just to pay for college. So, no, if they could do it, they child cannot
Eh..I don't buy it. B/c I know they can. I did it. I went to college. Paid for it myself. Now make pretty decent money, have a wife and child, pretty nice home. Just call me ol' fashion I guess...just seems to me like the kids expect everything to be handed to them nowadays. You want a college education, go out and earn it on your own. It's not that hard to do if you really want it.
hasbeen's avatar
hasbeen
Posts: 6,504
Apr 18, 2010 3:55pm
GoChiefs wrote: It's not the parents responsibility to worry about how the kid is going to make money. A parents job is to raise their child the best they can to become a responsible adult. You're considered an adult at the age of 18. After that, you should no longer be a financial burden to your parents. I went to college, I paid for every dime of it. I never asked, nor expected my parents to pay a penny of my college education. College is to benefit MY future. Not my parents.
So you think parenting stops when they turn 18? Or just the financial aspect? See, I don't understand that. A parent's job is make their kids lives better than theirs. I see no benefit to them turning 18 with probably no real saved money and sending them into the world of thousands of dollars of debt. You are setting the kids up for a very, very slow start.

I'm sure the next response is going to include "they need to learn financial responsibility." Yes, they do. They should be learning that early in life with chores. The fact is, parents are going to give money for petty things all through the kids life. Make chores their job and use the money you would give them anyways the "salary." Through this you can teach the financial responsibility. Then you can build that with getting a real job and now they are dealing with bigger loads of cash.

Even if you do do that, throwing them out to deal with THOUSANDS of dollars right out of the gate isn't smart, in my opinion of course.
GoChiefs wrote:
LJ wrote:Nothing pisses me off more than a person who has gotten rich by being fiscally responsible refusing to pay for their kids college education causing the kid to start their adult life thousands in debt.
If they can do..their child should be able to do it, correct?
But a parents job should partly be to make their kids life better than what they had.
LJ's avatar
LJ
Posts: 16,351
Apr 18, 2010 3:57pm
GoChiefs wrote:
LJ wrote: College costs are way different now than for people our parents age. My dad was able to work 3/4 time, pay for a house, and a kid, and paid for OSU. He was on track to graduate in 4 years time, but he quit to be a foreman for grandpa's construction company. Now, someone would have to make college graduate money, just to pay for college. So, no, if they could do it, they child cannot
Eh..I don't buy it. B/c I know they can. I did it. I went to college. Paid for it myself. Now make pretty decent money, have a wife and child, pretty nice home. Just call me ol' fashion I guess...just seems to me like the kids expect everything to be handed to them nowadays. You want a college education, go out and earn it on your own. It's not that hard to do if you really want it.

So you went to a 4 year state university and finished in 4 years with no debt paying for it yourself? Didn't think so.
hasbeen's avatar
hasbeen
Posts: 6,504
Apr 18, 2010 3:58pm
GoChiefs wrote:

.just seems to me like the kids expect everything to be handed to them nowadays. You want a college education, go out and earn it on your own. It's not that hard to do if you really want it.
And it's a parents job to teach them it's not just given to them. A parent can still help and pay for college while showing the kids that it is not FREE. The parents still expect things of the child. Maybe a payment plan for part of the tuition. Something.

And bullshit it's not that hard to do. It IS hard to do. It's real fucking hard. Especially when your parents should have been planning for years and are financially capable of helping you.
sleeper's avatar
sleeper
Posts: 27,879
Apr 18, 2010 4:00pm
College is very important and I've already started saving money for my children's future college expenses. They will be going to college, and you can take that to the bank.
GoChiefs's avatar
GoChiefs
Posts: 16,754
Apr 18, 2010 4:00pm
pnhasbeen wrote:
GoChiefs wrote: It's not the parents responsibility to worry about how the kid is going to make money. A parents job is to raise their child the best they can to become a responsible adult. You're considered an adult at the age of 18. After that, you should no longer be a financial burden to your parents. I went to college, I paid for every dime of it. I never asked, nor expected my parents to pay a penny of my college education. College is to benefit MY future. Not my parents.
So you think parenting stops when they turn 18? Or just the financial aspect? See, I don't understand that. A parent's job is make their kids lives better than theirs. I see no benefit to them turning 18 with probably no real saved money and sending them into the world of thousands of dollars of debt. You are setting the kids up for a very, very slow start.

I'm sure the next response is going to include "they need to learn financial responsibility." Yes, they do. They should be learning that early in life with chores. The fact is, parents are going to give money for petty things all through the kids life. Make chores their job and use the money you would give them anyways the "salary." Through this you can teach the financial responsibility. Then you can build that with getting a real job and now they are dealing with bigger loads of cash.

Even if you do do that, throwing them out to deal with THOUSANDS of dollars right out of the gate isn't smart, in my opinion of course.
GoChiefs wrote:
LJ wrote:Nothing pisses me off more than a person who has gotten rich by being fiscally responsible refusing to pay for their kids college education causing the kid to start their adult life thousands in debt.
If they can do..their child should be able to do it, correct?
But a parents job should partly be to make their kids life better than what they had.
I guess this is where we differ. IMO, a parents job is to raise their child to be able to make the right choices to be able to better their own life. It's not my job as a parent to go out and make his life better than mine. I believe that is something they should strive for. It's not my responsibility. Again, that's solely my opinion. And it's gonna differ for everyone.
LJ's avatar
LJ
Posts: 16,351
Apr 18, 2010 4:01pm
GoChiefs wrote:
pnhasbeen wrote:
GoChiefs wrote: It's not the parents responsibility to worry about how the kid is going to make money. A parents job is to raise their child the best they can to become a responsible adult. You're considered an adult at the age of 18. After that, you should no longer be a financial burden to your parents. I went to college, I paid for every dime of it. I never asked, nor expected my parents to pay a penny of my college education. College is to benefit MY future. Not my parents.
So you think parenting stops when they turn 18? Or just the financial aspect? See, I don't understand that. A parent's job is make their kids lives better than theirs. I see no benefit to them turning 18 with probably no real saved money and sending them into the world of thousands of dollars of debt. You are setting the kids up for a very, very slow start.

I'm sure the next response is going to include "they need to learn financial responsibility." Yes, they do. They should be learning that early in life with chores. The fact is, parents are going to give money for petty things all through the kids life. Make chores their job and use the money you would give them anyways the "salary." Through this you can teach the financial responsibility. Then you can build that with getting a real job and now they are dealing with bigger loads of cash.

Even if you do do that, throwing them out to deal with THOUSANDS of dollars right out of the gate isn't smart, in my opinion of course.
GoChiefs wrote:
LJ wrote:Nothing pisses me off more than a person who has gotten rich by being fiscally responsible refusing to pay for their kids college education causing the kid to start their adult life thousands in debt.
If they can do..their child should be able to do it, correct?
But a parents job should partly be to make their kids life better than what they had.
I guess this is where we differ. IMO, a parents job is to raise their child to be able to make the right choices to be able to better their own life. It's not my job as a parent to go out and make his life better than mine. I believe that is something they should strive for. It's not my responsibility. Again, that's solely my opinion. And it's gonna differ for everyone.
Everyone should want their kid to have it better than they did.... That is what people have been striving for since the beginning of time.
GoChiefs's avatar
GoChiefs
Posts: 16,754
Apr 18, 2010 4:03pm
LJ wrote: So you went to a 4 year state university and finished in 4 years with no debt paying for it yourself? Didn't think so.
Did I say I didn't have any debt? No, I most certainly didn't. I pay my student loans every month. It's not a 'burden' to me. It's just another bill to pay. If your responsible, you won't have any problem with it.

pnhasbeen wrote: And bullshit it's not that hard to do. It IS hard to do. It's real fucking hard. Especially when your parents should have been planning for years and are financially capable of helping you.
We will just agree to disagree.
GoChiefs's avatar
GoChiefs
Posts: 16,754
Apr 18, 2010 4:04pm
LJ wrote: Everyone should want their kid to have it better than they did.... That is what people have been striving for since the beginning of time.
Of course they should. I want my son to have a better life than me. You're not a real parent if you don't. But it's not my job to set it up for him to make sure that happens. He has to have something to work for.
LJ's avatar
LJ
Posts: 16,351
Apr 18, 2010 4:04pm
GoChiefs wrote:
LJ wrote: So you went to a 4 year state university and finished in 4 years with no debt paying for it yourself? Didn't think so.
Did I say I didn't have any debt? No, I most certainly didn't. I pay my student loans every month. It's not a 'burden' to me. It's just another bill to pay. If your responsible, you won't have any problem with it.

pnhasbeen wrote: And bullshit it's not that hard to do. It IS hard to do. It's real fucking hard. Especially when your parents should have been planning for years and are financially capable of helping you.
We will just agree to disagree.
Ahhh see, that's not what I am talking about. Sure, parents can just go "fuck it, start your life thousands in debt" but if they can afford to allow that to not happen, WHY LET IT?! And you're right, it is ANOTHER BILL TO PAY every month.
sleeper's avatar
sleeper
Posts: 27,879
Apr 18, 2010 4:05pm
When someone says "let's just agree to disagree" I instantly translate it too "I've run out of cliched unoriginal thoughts on the matter so I'm going to use another one to get myself out of it" LOL
LJ's avatar
LJ
Posts: 16,351
Apr 18, 2010 4:05pm
GoChiefs wrote:
LJ wrote: Everyone should want their kid to have it better than they did.... That is what people have been striving for since the beginning of time.
Of course they should. I want my son to have a better life than me. You're not a real parent if you don't. But it's not my job to set it up for him to make sure that happens. He has to have something to work for.
mmmhmmm and graduating college with a good gpa and good internships and not having to worry about how he is going to eat every week is what he has to work for.
GoChiefs's avatar
GoChiefs
Posts: 16,754
Apr 18, 2010 4:08pm
sleeper wrote: When someone says "let's just agree to disagree" I instantly translate it too "I've run out of cliched unoriginal thoughts on the matter so I'm going to use another one to get myself out of it" LOL
Guess that's what that college education is getting you huh? Don't really care what you translate it as. It means, I'm not going to go back and forth repeating myself with the same answer. We disagree, and there isn't anything wrong with that. So yeah, I don't believe I care how you take it.
SQ_Crazies's avatar
SQ_Crazies
Posts: 7,977
Apr 18, 2010 4:10pm
LOL sleeper isn't the smartest guy around. Don't let his ULTRA MEGA PRESTIGIOUS education from THE OSU fool you.