Do you consider a college education a RIGHT?

[JoeH]

But do those scholarships cover the full cost? Or just a portion that leaves enough other expenses to keep persons from taking the scholarships because they can not afford the rest? My son attended the local community college and is transferring to the university this Fall. Even after grants and some other aid, we still had to come up with an average of over a couple thousand dollars a semester for him to attend. At the university it looks like at least $4-5,000 a semester, and that is without room and board since he is living with me.

[mattkime]

>>ven after grants and some other aid, we still had to come up with an average of over a couple thousand dollars a semester for him to attend. At the university it looks like at least $4-5,000 a semester, and that is without room and board since he is living with me.

Are you taking out loans? You're not supposed to get through college without debt!

[JoeH]

That's right, loans. The total was made up from what cash I could spend and borrowed the rest. Gets more fun next year. His younger brother is attending the New England Institute of Art, a private school. His mother took on the loans for the first two years, then it will be my turn. Somehow I am also supposed to be putting by some extra for retirement. Ha! So far only been able to keep a few thousand for emergencies, and have my state pension to look forward to in another dozen years. Might have the loans for college paid off by then. Both sons will have their own loans to pay off as well.

[vision63]

Aw JoeH, I'm feeling for you. I guess you couldn't steer them into State Universities.

[JoeH]

Worked for one son, not the other. Tried it on the second boy, but he was intent on getting the Art Institute training and degree. But the first took three years to get through the community college program before transferring to the state university I work at. I can get a tuition waiver for him, but that only covers the $2,000 that is listed as tuition. There is another $8,000 a year in various "fees". Would have had more set aside for education expenses, but had just barely paid off most of the expenses related to getting divorced when the oldest graduated from high school.

[Effin Haole]

In CA, community colleges were free until Prop 13.

Even now they are still a bargain for an AA degree.

No reason a kid can't pay his own way through college and not burden the parents for it - especially when parents need to be putting money away for retirement.

But for some reason a lot of parents think otherwise. Their choice.

Those students who do it for themselves appreciate that degree and what it brings a lot more than those who have mommy and daddy take care of it.

[Numo]

I find it interesting that there is so little discussion of the fact that for various reasons, not everyone should go to college. How about Do you consider post-secondary education a right?

[DaviDC.]

Absolutely not! At what point did parents start thinking they were obliged to pay for their kid to go to college?

BTW, Uncle Sam paid my way through college via the GI Bill.

[JoeH]

Well, the GI bill does not exist in anything like the condition that you probably were able to use. As for helping pay for college, my grandfather assisted in part for my father to go to college. My father assisted me in part as well. I am paying for part of my sons' cost of going to school now. Most persons I know who went to college got more or less support from their parents. The person who paid their entire way is rare. Now some parents do go too far in debt paying, but that is an entirely different issue.

[guitarist]

Being guaranteed a college education as a right of citizenship is different than being guaranteed Equal Opportunity. The right to not to be PREVENTED from getting a college education.