College Parent Probz

[nastyned]

I paid my sons tuition in full two months ago.

I get an email saying all balances must be paid before the semester is over by blah blah date. Me being paranoid I go check the balance and it says $3,071.

They billed next semester already. I'm really tired of this school, tired of new construction, ever increasing tuition and housing and the underhanded billing practices.

If you pay with a debit card they charge an additional 3.2% on your account. Sick of it.

DO any other school operate like this?

It's the University of Southern Mississippi, AND the football team is the worst in the nation.

[wlu_lax6]

the 3.2% charge is common. Basically schools want to give you the option to pay by credit or debit card but don't want to pick up the transaction fee. I have the same thing with some of my utilities.

School construction projects are rarely based on tuition payments (i guess there are connections but a butterfly flaps his wings). Most construction is done via bonds and big donors. The bonds are typically based off of future revenue (so your tuition increases are for things that were built before) and next down the line are paying for this construction (especially true for revenue bonds on dorm construction or similar).

Just be glad you kid is in school now instead of 10 and 13 years down the road like me. I am hoping something breaks soon because the cost of college is growing WAY faster than it should.

College Tuition is a very interesting game.
1.) Case in point....Your kid can go to School A or School B.. School A tuition is 30K a year and School B is 25K a year. Both schools offer aid so out of pocket tuition is $15K. Well School A must love your kid more than School B. So some of the school pricing is a marketing play. They really only need $15K for the budget to work out, but selling your kid to go there is a big deal.
2.) Small Schools (and some bigger schools) love offering sports because they can get a kid to "pay" (often with less aid) to play college sports (this is why lots of schools are adding lacrosse right now). 40 kids on a roster paying above budget bases results in profit for the school (team tuition > cost of the sports program)

[BSF21]

Sorry for your troubles Ned.

For anyone with kids heading that way, take a hard look at things. The student loan debt crisis is real. The costs of college are astronomical. I learned a lot in college, more out of the classroom than in it though. I've watched my sister go to 4 years of a private school and the costs are mind blowing. When I was in high school you were taught that if you don't get into a good school and go to college you will be an abject failure and end up working at MickyDs. It was borderline brainwashing, though I don't think any guidance counselor or teacher meant it that way.

In short, college can be important for some people. Some people want to be doctors and lawyers. Some people get a lot out of the social experience. I had a lot of fun, but looking back, if you're willing to work hard and take on the jobs that everyone else is "too good" to do, college may not be the be-all-end-all destination for successful people. I could have been farther along on the road without it than with it. Look at BSFGF, she basically has a pile of debt that didn't get her anywhere. Opportunity cost is real when it comes to education, and it warrants a hard look before decisions are made.

Back on topic to Ned -- as big of a pain in the ass it is, charge it and immediately pay it off, write a check, or give your son the cash next time you see him and have him take it to the Bursar. Paying and extra 3+% is ridiculous.

[Keg]

Have your kid take out school loans and patiently wait for the bail out.

[The Sybian]

My kids are either getting scholarships or going to school in Germany. Tuition is getting absolutely insane. I think the MOOC movement is going to change the game. At least I hope so. If a college can enroll 10,000 paying online students (much lower tuition) with very little extra cost to the university, that could go a long way to reducing tuition to brick and mortar students. Maybe. More likely, it would just increase profits to private universities.

I just looked at my alma mater's tuition (University at Buffalo aka SUNY Buffalo), and it hasn't gone up all that much. Tuition is only $6,000 for instate. Looking back, this has doubled since I started college 20 years ago. (Holy fuck, 20 years?). Depending on the school, you can get a first rate education. Every SUNY school except Cortland, that is.

[BSF21]

Have your kid take out school loans and patiently wait for the bail out.

That is never coming. Lobby groups, huge federally subsidized lender/collectors, and a very disgruntled public that chose to pay responsibly. I don't see it.

[mister d]

So what you're saying is that once we put a second in daycare, I could instead choose to send 6 kids living at home to SUNY Buffalo each year. Tremendous.

[The Sybian]

So what you're saying is that once we put a second in daycare, I could instead choose to send 6 kids living at home to SUNY Buffalo each year. Tremendous.

That is exactly what I am saying. When we were both working in the city, we looked into New York State commuter towns for the sole purpose of qualifying instate for SUNY schools.

I was excited to have my daughter go to K, but with half day K, the before/aftercare is about the same price. Next year will be a nice reduction in costs.

[A_B]

So what you're saying is that once we put a second in daycare, I could instead choose to send 6 kids living at home to SUNY Buffalo each year. Tremendous.

That is exactly what I am saying. When we were both working in the city, we looked into New York State commuter towns for the sole purpose of qualifying instate for SUNY schools.

I was excited to have my daughter go to K, but with half day K, the before/aftercare is about the same price. Next year will be a nice reduction in costs.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA.


Let me know how that works out for you.

[Rush2112]

I just looked at my alma mater's tuition (University at Buffalo aka SUNY Buffalo), and it hasn't gone up all that much. Tuition is only $6,000 for instate. Looking back, this has doubled since I started college 20 years ago. (Holy fuck, 20 years?). Depending on the school, you can get a first rate education. Every SUNY school except Cortland, that is.

UNM was 987$ the year I graduated (in-state) up to 2500 now. Also if you graduate from a NM HS with a B average (or above) you receive free tuition as long as you keep that B average at an in state public college. Not sure that can be done in other states due to low population/percentage of students going on to higher ed, but something needs to be done, at least at the public school level.

[A_B]

Kentucky has similar programs for getting kids money to use for in state schools.

[The Sybian]

Kentucky has similar programs for getting kids money to use for in state schools.

Georgia has a similar program, too. As for the child care, it goes down from $1,200/month to $400/month for my daughter next year. I can't imagine other child related expenses increasing $800/month next year. I know kids become more expensive in a lot of ways, bu not that much more.

[mister d]

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA.

Let me know how that works out for you.

Either daycare here costs an amount you can't fathom or my finances beginning in 2020 will remain fucked to a level I can't fathom. Please elaborate.

[A_B]

I suppose I understimated childcare costs based on Syb's post. I know it didn't have the effect we were hoping for when ours went to school, but we were not paying 1600 per month, either. Closer to half that if I recall correctly.

But yeah, you need to get a grip on your spending as well. maybe eat somewhere closer to home a few times a week.

[mister d]

I suppose I understimated childcare costs based on Syb's post. I know it didn't have the effect we were hoping for when ours went to school, but we were not paying 1600 per month, either. Closer to half that if I recall correctly.

But yeah, you need to get a grip on your spending as well. maybe eat somewhere closer to home a few times a week.

I eat at home every night, AB : (

[A_B]

I suppose I understimated childcare costs based on Syb's post. I know it didn't have the effect we were hoping for when ours went to school, but we were not paying 1600 per month, either. Closer to half that if I recall correctly.

But yeah, you need to get a grip on your spending as well. maybe eat somewhere closer to home a few times a week.

I eat at home every night, AB : (

You probably spend on spices what I spent on childcare.

[mister d]

Childcare: $1,490
Cell Phones: $150
Saffron: $475

[The Sybian]

I suppose I understimated childcare costs based on Syb's post. I know it didn't have the effect we were hoping for when ours went to school, but we were not paying 1600 per month, either. Closer to half that if I recall correctly.

But yeah, you need to get a grip on your spending as well. maybe eat somewhere closer to home a few times a week.

I eat at home every night, AB : (

Quoting mayor Ford?

[DSafetyGuy]

Childcare: $1,490
Cell Phones: $150
Saffron: $475

You might look into a cheaper escort service for once-a-month usage.

[Ryan]

Ha. At least it wasn't cumin

[rass]

Ha. At least it wasn't cumin

$1,490

[mister d]

Go. To. Hell.

[testuser2]

There is so much waste in higher ed. I'm not even sure of where to start. In IT alone we spend millions because individual departments don't want to use the central mail servers, same goes for VOIP phones, bulk purchasing laptops, software licensing, etc...

I think much of it is a result of the collaborative environment. Decisions are always made as a group. This also means no one is ever penalized when they are wrong. No one person is responsible. To make a decision you need a bunch of people in meetings to gather consensus before you move forward. Combine that with the lack of time tracking and accountability and you get a huge group of staff that just feed the machine.

Physical plant is terrible as well. The cost to erect a new building usually isn't paid for out of tuition. However, the cost to run it is.

edit: I do get a 75% tuition discount for immediate family members.

[mister d]

Oh man ...

[devilfluff]

Have your kid take out school loans and patiently wait for the bail out.

That is never coming. Lobby groups, huge federally subsidized lender/collectors, and a very disgruntled public that chose to pay responsibly. I don't see it.

That bailout might push me over the edge.