Cost of education...worth it or not? (Kind of a rant) - Page 2 - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Bizzymammabee · 10-12-2011, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roseylovestosho

I'm sorry but most scholarships students receive is academic based. If my GPA dropped below a certain point while I was pursuing my undergraduate degree I would no longer qualify for Florida Bright Future Scholarship and I would have to pay for school out of pocket. Furthermore, the reason every state subsidizes education and provide academic-based scholarships is because they want the best and the brightest to stay within the state and not go elsewhere. The state benefits from a better educated workforce, and the state is willing to subsidize schooling for students that show promise in order to have a brighter future-- at least in theory.

Furthermore, there is a big difference between scholarships and financial aid. I received a full-paid scholarship and I qualified for financial aid. I'm not sure what your nephew is talking about but Financial aid are subsidized loans that you take out and you don't have to pay until you graduate- but it's not free. The only thing that is free is a scholarship--which I worked hard for to receive. I graduated from high school with a 6.0 GPA. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree with a 3.9 GPA and now I'm in a PhD program that I also have a fully-paid for due to my achievement.

No Financial Aid are govt grants to pay for school. The amount you can qualify for is dependent on your income. You don't have to repay that. You are thinking about Subsidized and Unsubsidized Student Loans. Those are guaranteed by the govt and with subsidized you don't accrue interest until you graduate. There is a cap to that amount. Once you hit the cap you venture into the unsubsidized loans, which the minute you take the loan the interest starts accruing.

roseylovestosho · 10-12-2011, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bizzymammabee

No Financial Aid are govt grants to pay for school. The amount you can qualify for is dependent on your income. You don't have to repay that. You are thinking about Subsidized and Unsubsidized Student Loans. Those are guaranteed by the govt and with subsidized you don't accrue interest until you graduate. There is a cap to that amount. Once you hit the cap you venture into the unsubsidized loans, which the minute you take the loan the interest starts accruing.

You are right about that. I confused financial aid with loans because here we use them interchangeably. So you disagree with students who financially need assistance to get through college?

Anyways, regardless my point still stands. The state helps pay for students to enroll in college so that the future of tomorrow has a more educated workforce. I don't see anything wrong with that.

DvlshAngel985 · 10-12-2011, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gidget529

I never knew that many ppl who got student aid, let alone an amount that actually put a dent in their college bills. Who are these ppl? They need to write a book or have a website telling others how to get their college bills completely paid for. I feel terrible for the amount of debt young ppl (or anyone for that matter) get into going to school these days.

My 2 brothers and I all went to college and didn't really pay for much. We paid for books, rent, gas and food. We had scholarships, grants, and work study to help pay for everything. My you get brother has a small loan, because he made a mistake with his money planning. He also transferred to a different, less expensive school, and with the economy the way it is, he and my dad are paying for his last 2 years themselves. The experience was amazing, I leanred a lot about my self and school stuff too.

Even with all that help, I'm debating if all my efforts were worth it. There was lots of late nights, little sleep, bad food, (nutrition wise) a few months of being depressed, and homesickness but I got my BA. Now, I can't find a stable job to save my behind. What were all my personal struggles for then?

Cha Cha · 10-12-2011, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bizzymammabee

No Financial Aid are govt grants to pay for school. The amount you can qualify for is dependent on your income. You don't have to repay that. You are thinking about Subsidized and Unsubsidized Student Loans. Those are guaranteed by the govt and with subsidized you don't accrue interest until you graduate. There is a cap to that amount. Once you hit the cap you venture into the unsubsidized loans, which the minute you take the loan the interest starts accruing.

This is why I say every scenario is different. My kids qualify for NO grants due to our income. Financial Aid is not always a gov't grant. Financial Aid is a big picture term of the whole financial process of going to school. Loans are repaid, grants are not, scholarships are not. The only way my kids could get an education is if we (parents) pay for it or if they (student) pays for it. Due to our income, they figure their "need base" partially as their responsibility to repay, but mostly by our income. Therefore, each one of them qualified for both subsidized and unsubsidized loans right from the start. The unsubsidized loan portions do accrue interest right from the beginning. I am paying it quarterly for my daughters on their loan portions so when they get out of college they are not also repaying their interest accrued.

gidget529 · 10-12-2011, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DvlshAngel985

My 2 brothers and I all went to college and didn't really pay for much. We paid for books, rent, gas and food. We had scholarships, grants, and work study to help pay for everything. My you get brother has a small loan, because he made a mistake with his money planning. He also transferred to a different, less expensive school, and with the economy the way it is, he and my dad are paying for his last 2 years themselves. The experience was amazing, I leanred a lot about my self and school stuff too.

Even with all that help, I'm debating if all my efforts were worth it. There was lots of late nights, little sleep, bad food, (nutrition wise) a few months of being depressed, and homesickness but I got my BA. Now, I can't find a stable job to save my behind. What were all my personal struggles for then?

I am so sorry. I really do feel badly for young ppl and what they are up against these days. The economy is not good.

CouversMom · 10-12-2011, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bizzymammabee

I told my kids they are paying, and if they put their all in and graduate in a timely fashion, as their graduation gift we will pay the whole thing.

Those are some lucky kids!

Cha Cha · 10-12-2011, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bizzymammabee

No Financial Aid are govt grants to pay for school. The amount you can qualify for is dependent on your income. You don't have to repay that. You are thinking about Subsidized and Unsubsidized Student Loans. Those are guaranteed by the govt and with subsidized you don't accrue interest until you graduate. There is a cap to that amount. Once you hit the cap you venture into the unsubsidized loans, which the minute you take the loan the interest starts accruing.

After I reread what you were saying, we are saying basically the same thing. But, I just wanted to emphasize, that it's all considered financial aid. Income, Loans, scholarships, and grants. It's all part of the financial aid process. Low interest loans (although I question the Low interest statement when it cost more to go to school than it does to get a loan on a house) is still considered financial aid.

CouversMom · 10-12-2011, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bizzymammabee

No Financial Aid are govt grants to pay for school. The amount you can qualify for is dependent on your income. You don't have to repay that. You are thinking about Subsidized and Unsubsidized Student Loans. Those are guaranteed by the govt and with subsidized you don't accrue interest until you graduate. There is a cap to that amount. Once you hit the cap you venture into the unsubsidized loans, which the minute you take the loan the interest starts accruing.

This is incorrect. Financial aid includes subsidized/unsubsidized loans and grants. I got 'financial aid' that I have to pay back. Financial aid is not always free money.

CouversMom · 10-12-2011, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roseylovestosho

Anyways, regardless my point still stands. The state helps pay for students to enroll in college so that the future of tomorrow has a more educated workforce. I don't see anything wrong with that.

Exactly! I would pay more taxes to help more kids be able to get the education they need to succeed.

Bizzymammabee · 10-12-2011, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roseylovestosho

You are right about that. I confused financial aid with loans because here we use them interchangeably. So you disagree with students who financially need assistance to get through college?

Anyways, regardless my point still stands. The state helps pay for students to enroll in college so that the future of tomorrow has a more educated workforce. I don't see anything wrong with that.

I have no problem with a student using financial assistance. I think a person should use any and all advantages they can get. What I disagree is with students refusing to better themselves because they actually have to pay for an education or pay for a portion. They are only hurting themselves. My nephew sees having to pay and not getting a full free ride as some sort of conspiracy on the part of the "White Man" to keep minorities down.

CouversMom · 10-12-2011, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DvlshAngel985

Even with all that help, I'm debating if all my efforts were worth it. There was lots of late nights, little sleep, bad food, (nutrition wise) a few months of being depressed, and homesickness but I got my BA. Now, I can't find a stable job to save my behind. What were all my personal struggles for then?

I am starting to think about this as well... I graduated in December with a degree in Elementary Education and I have not been able to find a job. I could have gone to a 6 month program like some of my friends and had a job 4 years ago. I have 4 years of debt from a state college, no job and am having to pay back all of my loans already. Was it really worth the work and money to be unemployed?

Bizzymammabee · 10-12-2011, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CouversMom

Those are some lucky kids!

I know times are hard and if we can help them get started on the right foot that is what we want to do. I also want them to take it serious. I talk to so many kids that their parents are paying for school and they just don't take mom and dad's money that serious.

Bizzymammabee · 10-12-2011, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CouversMom

I am starting to think about this as well... I graduated in December with a degree in Elementary Education and I have not been able to find a job. I could have gone to a 6 month program like some of my friends and had a job 4 years ago. I have 4 years of debt from a state college, no job and am having to pay back all of my loans already. Was it really worth the work and money to be unemployed?

This economy is a killer. I am sorry to hear you are struggling to find work right now, especially with all of your student loans. Have you contacted them to get the hardship deferment. As long as you are unemployed they will give you a deferment. It's is definitely hard out there.

I recently decided to go back and work on my nursing degree. I am employed full time. I put the brakes on the nursing clinical end. I can't justify spending the $70k for that part of the degree only to not be able to find work and still have to work at my current job. My current job is a good one and it's not a hardship. I was just trying to change careers to do something more meaningful. At this point I am contemplating getting a psych degree to round myself off and give myself more options in case I need it.

roseylovestosho · 10-12-2011, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bizzymammabee

I have no problem with a student using financial assistance. I think a person should use any and all advantages they can get. What I disagree is with students refusing to better themselves because they actually have to pay for an education or pay for a portion. They are only hurting themselves. My nephew sees having to pay and not getting a full free ride as some sort of conspiracy on the part of the "White Man" to keep minorities down.

I really really hate it when minorities say stuff like that. I'm a minority and what your nephew said is a bunch of bull crap...there are SO MANY SCHOLARSHIPS out there that are meant to help minorities! It just takes a little bit of research on his part and he needs to actually apply for those scholarships! I personally didn't apply for any because I got a full ride academic scholarship and I didn't need the money. That is so frustrating!

roseylovestosho · 10-12-2011, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bizzymammabee

This economy is a killer. I am sorry to hear you are struggling to find work right now, especially with all of your student loans. Have you contacted them to get the hardship deferment. As long as you are unemployed they will give you a deferment. It's is definitely hard out there.

I recently decided to go back and work on my nursing degree. I am employed full time. I put the brakes on the nursing clinical end. I can't justify spending the $70k for that part of the degree only to not be able to find work and still have to work at my current job. My current job is a good one and it's not a hardship. I was just trying to change careers to do something more meaningful. At this point I am contemplating getting a psych degree to round myself off and give myself more options in case I need it.

Oh wow. I wish you the best of luck with your journey. I always found psychology fascinating.