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JCC College Admissions Help

Discussion in 'Community' started by Jabbadabbado, May 22, 2013.

?

Where should I send my son to school?

  1. to the best state school in our home state, saving about $100,000

    22.2%
  2. to the University of Vienna, since he's a dual Austrian/U.S. Citizen

    18.5%
  3. to the highest ranked school he can get into, regardless of the cost

    11.1%
  4. to any school that will give him a full scholarship

    25.9%
  5. to a division three school where he can swim or play water polo

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  6. to an HVAC certification program

    3.7%
  7. to truck driving school

    18.5%
  1. Jabbadabbado

    Jabbadabbado Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Mar 19, 1999
    My son's applying to colleges next year. Obviously, I'm not going to let him decide. But I will let you decide, if you can make a good case.
     
  2. TahiriVeilaSolo69

    TahiriVeilaSolo69 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 27, 2002
    Europe. Always Europe.
     
  3. Jabbadabbado

    Jabbadabbado Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Mar 19, 1999
    Drop him right into the economy-free zone, eh?
     
  4. Emperor_Billy_Bob

    Emperor_Billy_Bob Jedi Grand Master star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 9, 2000
    Are you loaded? I would have killed to study in Vienna. I would have killed just to have visited Vienna.
     
  5. Only-One Cannoli

    Only-One Cannoli Ex-Mod star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 20, 2003
    It depends on what he's going into and if he's certain that that's what he wants to do. I like many others went into undergrad for a BA in something that I was just eh on at the time, and now wish I never did...also leaving me with 25k debt. In which I also had to go back to school afterwards to do what I originally wanted, now leaving me with 100k debt as a result :/ I disagree with the current system of pushing kids into college immediately after high school....granted some know for sure what they want, but just putting them out there and spending thousands is a bit silly. Some need to grow up a bit more and realize what they want in life first.


    Butttttt if you can get a full ride somewhere or an almost full ride, I'd say take it.
     
  6. Lowbacca_1977

    Lowbacca_1977 Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2006
    I'm a huge fan of the best school one can afford, because I refused to go into debt to get a degree. Going to the state schools does that well. Or scholarships. Or both.
     
  7. Boba_Fett_2001

    Boba_Fett_2001 Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Dec 11, 2000
    Bovine University.
     
  8. anakinfansince1983

    anakinfansince1983 Skywalker Saga/LFL/YJCC Manager star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Mar 4, 2011
    When I was looking at colleges and had narrowed my choices down to two, my father told me this: "I have enough money to send you to your Choice A, the state-supported school. You are welcome to decide on Choice B, the expensive private school, but you will need to work and pay half the tuition."

    My lazy ass picked Choice A, and I haven't regretted it. (Graduated 20 years ago last week.)
     
  9. Rogue_Ten

    Rogue_Ten Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 18, 2002
    kill him and then yourself. im not being mean, this is the most economically sensible course of action and you, of all people, understand that

    you asked for advice, this is the only advice worth giving, if anything you've ever posted in your entire JC career is anything but bluster. dehumanize yourself and face to bloodshed
     
  10. Skywalker8921

    Skywalker8921 Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 9, 2011
    The key issue is cost. Exhaust every option you possibly can, but be careful. You don't want to end up with a crazy student loan debt that would take years to pay off. Is there a community college close by that he can go to for a few years and still get a start on his chosen program? If so, then do that first and wait until later to make the jump to a four year school. That's what I did - attended community college for 3 years before going to an out-of-state Christian college to finish my Bachelor's Degree. Took classes through the DLP program, though, so I only had tution and books to worry about without room and board, ect.
     
  11. Jabbadabbado

    Jabbadabbado Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Mar 19, 1999
    No, just bluster.

    My version of this is. "I can get you through undergrad debt free. The question is whether you want a little bit left over to help with grad school."
     
  12. NYCitygurl

    NYCitygurl Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 20, 2002
    My parents told me they would pay for whatever in-state public school I wanted for eight semesters as long as I kept a good enough GPA to qualify for scholarships. Private, out-of-state, or a victory lap would be on my tab.

    If you're willing to give him a certain amount, let him decide if he wants to go out of state or abroad and shoulder the rest of the cost. He might think it's worth it. I spent quite a lot of money I earned and took out loans to study abroad for a semester because it went beyond what my parents would pay (which is totally fair, considering that they didn't have to pay for my education at all). I think the experience was worth it. Maybe your son will think the same about Vienna, and maybe not.
     
  13. anakinfansince1983

    anakinfansince1983 Skywalker Saga/LFL/YJCC Manager star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Mar 4, 2011

    My father also told me that he had enough money to pay for four years of school for me; if I had to take longer than that to graduate, I was on my own. (I'm the oldest of three children and my mother was working on her bachelor's degree at the same time I was.)

    I took a full course load but I definitely finished within that four years.
     
  14. Jabbadabbado

    Jabbadabbado Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Mar 19, 1999
    definitely I'm going to tell him he needs to finish a degree in four years.
     
  15. thesevegetables

    thesevegetables Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 11, 2012
    Saving some money now may* mean less money in the future because a prestigious school can open doors that a lower-tier school just can't.
    Education pays for itself. Unless you're in danger of foreclosing or starving or something, know that money spent on education is supposed to be a good investment.

    *If your kid is majoring in a hard science, like engineering or computer science, it doesn't matter that much where he goes. STEM is really hot right now. However, a liberal arts degree often doesn't impress people very much unless it's from a good college.

    EDIT: If your kid joins the ROTC, you don't have anything to worry about cost-wise (unless you think he'll be paying with his soul). With ROTC, you can study anything you want, and the government pays for your education and gives you a commission as an officer.
     
  16. Kyle Katarn

    Kyle Katarn Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 10, 1998
    If he isn't old enough to make this decision for himself then he probably isn't ready for college.
     
  17. Jabbadabbado

    Jabbadabbado Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Mar 19, 1999
    I'm not old enough to make these decisions for him either. I definitely feel his pain. He's busted his ass for 3 years taking honors and AP classes and doing two sports and volunteering and work. I do wish he were interested in a STEM degree but unfortunately he wasn't going to be inheriting the science/math genes from his parents. We're language geeks. He aced the English/Reading part of the ACT 35 and 36 (no questions wrong on reading), but got a 34 composite because his math/science scores were quite a bit lower.
     
  18. PRENNTACULAR

    PRENNTACULAR VIP star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 21, 2005
    well clearly he has some problems.
     
  19. Emperor_Billy_Bob

    Emperor_Billy_Bob Jedi Grand Master star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 9, 2000
    FTR, I don't regret going to a relatively prestigious private college, even with the serious debt.
     
  20. Jabbadabbado

    Jabbadabbado Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Mar 19, 1999
    bat**** crazy parents, true.
     
  21. darth_gersh

    darth_gersh Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Feb 18, 2005
    Truck'n, I got my chips cashed in.
     
  22. TahiriVeilaSolo69

    TahiriVeilaSolo69 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 27, 2002
    I got a full ride to Florida State. It isn't where I wanted to go (Northwestern) but I am so glad I went there because of the friends I made and I had no debt when I graduated. Now I have a scholarship to go back to school for my Masters but I am probably going to have to take out student loans. Such is life I guess.
     
  23. Son of a Bith

    Son of a Bith Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 28, 2013
    Beat me to it!
     
  24. Kyle Katarn

    Kyle Katarn Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 10, 1998

    You don't need to be making those decisions for him - he needs to make those decisions for himself. Your job is to be the loving and supportive parent who will stand back and let him win/lose on his own and offer advice or assistance if asked.
     
    MrZAP and Dark Lady Mara like this.
  25. Harpua

    Harpua Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Mar 12, 2005
    Well, college is kind of a big deal, I mean a pretty major decision, so extensive parental involvement is pretty much expected (or should be). What you're describing are more casual decisions... who to date, whether to take a job or not, etc.