Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

yes.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

My responsibility? No. But it is certainly a tremendous gift that I hope to give to my children one day, as my parents did for me.

And I'll add - my parents paid for four years of private college education and helped me pay my ordinary expenses. You could say they spoiled me, but I appreciated every single penny of it, worked my arse off, and graduated magna cum laude.

You can raise a child with principles, so that, even if you give them the world, they will appreciate everything you give them and still work hard.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

It's not my responsibility, but I do want to help them. I didn't have that luxury, my parents had 7 kids and there was just no way they could do it.

paying $1K a month in student loans really sucks, and I really don't want my child to have to go through that.

We already have college funds in place, so that we can help, if s/he is not working to potential or is taking things for granted then the $ may be taken away. I certainly don't believe in funding irresponsible behavior. I do expect my child to work also, I think learning the value of hard work and saving is hugely important.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

My responsibility - No. We will do what we can to pay for the boys college education. If we are able, I would love for them not to have student loans.

DH's parents paid for his undergrad so he had no loans. If he went to law school right after undergrad they would have paid for it also, but he decided he wanted to work so he has loans for it.

My parents weren't able to pay for it all so I had to take out loans, but they did what they could. I was lucky that I didn't have to work during college bc they sent me money every week.

Message edited 10/23/2008 12:36:40 PM.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

I would not say that it is my responsibility, but I plan to do everything within my means to finance my child's college education. I am very grateful that my parents and grandparents were able to help me.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

I don't think it is my responsibility, but I plan on paying for my future child(ren)'s entire college education. Beyond college, I am not sure what we will do. I would love to help out with any graduate education they are pursuing, but that will all depend on our financial situation at that time.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

my parents were poor, so there was no paying for college for me or my sister. when I have a child, if I can afford to save for their college tuition I would love to, I think if he or she could avoid going into debt b/c of student loans they'd start off their adult life on better ground, and then they can pay for their own wedding or mortgage and get the h*ll out of my house!

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

I think it is my responsibility to the extent that I expect them to attend. Which I do. I want to give my child the best opportunities I can provide them with and to me, this is one of them.

My parents paid for me to attend a private university and I do not think I worked any less because of it - I was always on the dean's list and graduated cum laude. Plus, the university I attended only offered need-based scholarships (other than loans available to everyone) so if your parents made over a certain amount you did not qualify regardless of your academics.

I will encourage my child to attend the best school they can get into - whatever that may be.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

Since DH and I aren't planning on kids yet, we haven't fully discussed, but what I'd like to do would be to set something up to put money into (but not a college fund) so that way our kid(s) can decide for themselves how to use it. If they'd like to use it for college, then yes, we would be contributing to their education. If they choose to use it for something else, such as maybe save it for a down payment on a house or whatever, then college will be their responsibility and we'll have contributed to their house. I want to help our kids as much as possible with everything, but I don't want to give a free ride. I want our kids to also pay for things (but not at the expense of them having to work 3 jobs just to pay for college). Just enough for them to have some kind of value and responsibility invested.

Message edited 10/23/2008 1:39:49 PM.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

I do think it's a parent's responsibility especially for those who feel there is no option, that their child (children) are going to college regardless.

Heck at the very least, provide them with a good education and then shack up with them in retirement when they're makin' the BIG BUCKS!!!

Message edited 10/23/2008 1:41:49 PM.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

Nope

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

A gift of education YES, entitlement no way.

We pay over 1K in student loans a month, our parents did what they could.
I will do the same for my girls.

If i could have them graduate without student loan debt i will cause i don't want them to go through what we are gong through, but i will not sacrafice my retirement to do it.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

Message edited 10/23/2008 2:00:56 PM.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

I don't know if it's a responsibility, but I plan to do whatever I can to pay for our child(ren)'s college education. My parents paid for my college education and I'd like to be able to do the same.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

I feel that as a parent it is my responsibility to make it possible for my child to go to college and beyond. I will try my hardest to contribute, help him take out school loans, if not be able to completely pay for it. Thats the LAST thing I want him to worry about. I want him to be able to go to the school of his choice and I will help him as much as I can with EVERYTHING in life...bc I am his mommy and DH is is dad. We brought him into this world and we will try our hardest to give him the life that we never had as children and expose him to the best.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

My general feeling is that it IS my responsibilty...but I'd also like to fund it in order to encourage them to actually go. Obviously, I'd only do it if I could afford it.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

Not sure about responsibility, but if we can do it, we want to. Grad school would be on them, though.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

where there is a will there's a way.

I was told military or scholarship...I enlisted at 17, at the end of the school year though I was awarded a state scholarship...that was the end of my miltary career.

out of 6 of us who have graduated, 4 of us were awarded scholarships out of HS and one of us is on scholarship since her sophomore year.

ITs wasn't always to choice schools, my sister wanted UCLA badly, but she went on a full ride to Boston U.

My other one wanted Chicago, but her ride was to Temple.

Youngest sister wanted Wisconsin, her ride was in Asheville.

If we stay in NC, I would love if Josh went state, if we have it, I will fund it...as long as his grades are outstanding.

He has an OOS choice through my sister, 1/2 his schooling will be paid through her organization.

Leo would work at a private school for Josh's tuition ride before we ever paid for private schooling. That's popular in both our families.

so responsibility...no
18 is an adult, if there is something we can do, we will give it our best shot.

I love the idea of trade school. Do that for a year, then work the summers and breaks doing that trade to help pay your way. Always something to fall back on.

Re: do you think it is your responsibilty to fund your child's college tuition?

YES!!!