Higher Education, now and 13 years from now...

[kokonutmama]

Anyone else look at the cost of college lately?    I'm sure the landscape will change in the next 13 years before our 4 year olds get there, but it's really kind of scary.  I looked into taking some online courses and the cost for an online course is something like $400-600 per credit.  What's it, 60 credits for a Masters?  That's a whole lot of dough.  My mom's church is paying for her to get a masters in a "brick and mortar" university and that's $800 per credit.  Dang, that's a lot of passes of the basket! 

I honestly doubt that college will be a good fit for Kody, he's way more interested in working with his hands than his brain, a good technical high school and he can live a happy and full life as a mechanic. (He is sooo into the idea of being a mechanic, you have never seen a 3yo with so much decisiveness about his future career)   I could be wrong, though, and then what?  $96k plus room and board, plus 13 years of who knows what?  That's terrifying. 

What do you gals think will happen in the next 13 years?  I'm not in a position to save for college, anyway, and it seems like there are so many variables, it's silly to guess at, but still, I wonder.   

With the stresses that go with the jobs that degrees will get you, I think a lot of people look at that and figure a good union job driving an earth mover is the way to go, even without the expense, and the sense of college as a buffer between high school and "real life" will be diminished.

[jnezmama02]

Yea, there's no way that I can put all 3 of my kids thru college and definitely not both undergrad and grad. Part of the problem is that we still have our student loan payments (undergrad & grad) on forebearance. Whenever I start working again, my money will go straight to those payments. I might be able to save a small portion for my kids college, but mostly likely they'll have to do what DH and I did...take out student loans, try for scholarships, and work part-time to make up the difference (ok, I got some family help for undergrad...a little less than half paid by my parents and grandparents, but none for my masters...Dh had no family help).  Luckily, I live in a university town...plus we also have a large technical/community college.  So, my kids could live at home for free, then we'd just have the cost of tuition.  And, currently and in the past, both schools gives students of employees 1/2 off the cost of tuition.  So, yes, I hope to go back to work at the university while my kids are in college and I'll encourage them to stay at home. Of course, I do think living on campus is an important experience...as is living overseas for a semester (I never got to do the latter)...and my kids who grow up in a college town want to go somewhere else for college, lol.

As far as careers vs. education...I do think going to college is important for becoming a knowledgeable person about the world, but I don't think it has much to do w/ training someone for a career.  As far as careers, I'll encourage my kids to do something they enjoy doing and that will allow them to pay their bills on their own.

[kokonutmama]

Hope, I agree with you about the college experience being very valuable regardless of a person's career.  I meant to say something like that in my original post.  I noticed that someone with whom I spoke at quite some length recently, while extremely intelligent, did not have thinking skills which I can easily attribute to his not having been to college or paying much attention in high school.  I always say I won't be a slave to my credentials, but I am very very grateful for having had the opportunity to attend college.  I don't think our kids will have that luxury, if things continue the way they've been going, except for those who get scholarships or use their college as training for a very high paying career. 

I don't have any student loans because I was on a full ride.  I didn't know that you could put off paying them so long; I thought there was a time limit.  Do you eventually run out of time, or is it just when you get a job you start paying?

[moogie]

I do not envy you guys.  We effectively get an interest free loan. I haven't paid any of mine yet as i don't earn enough.  dh is paying his off.  University is close to a necessity here to get almost any job.   well not tradie jobs but a receptionist is more likely to be hired if they have a degree.