How being full pay affects thinking about college

[frogger]

When I stop to think about it, it is a little crazy to expect 16 and 17 year olds to choose from the millions of jobs out there and make a plan when they have no idea about the vast majority of options.

 

At one time, people just did what their parents did or their parents often chose for them or apprenticed them out. Of course, if you go back far enough everyone had the same job, obtain food and shelter.

 

In some countries, children are tracked into groups and given general ideas.

We used to have enough money to just try things and fail or switch. Health Insurance and retirement weren't on my radar at 18-20 years of age. Before my mid 20's we had started saving though for retirement. You could survive switching or failing though.

Even those who went to college didn't need to prove they had a career plan beforehand. Typically, only the upper classes went. You weren't going to destroy your life with 6 figure debt by going and just learning for learnings sake.

I'm not sure this method of getting kid's started in life is rational or even sane.

 

This isn't targeted at you OP. You are stuck in this society with these options. I'm not sure what to tell my clueless (but smart and hardworking) almost 17 year old daughter either. More pondering at the madness of the current reality and thinking if perhaps there are ways to opt out for my family. 😁

 

 

 

[shawthorne44]

My dad was one that did college as the next thing.   It was his parents that even filled out his application form.  He didn't finish the first semester.  He contends that it is because his parents paid for it.  I contend that it was because he wasn't motivated and he didn't have a reason to be there.  

In Dad's case he got lucky and it worked out fine.  He went to a tech school and flunked (being color-blind) from computer hardware into programming.  This was the late 60's.   Back then computer programming was NOT respected.   That is why women were allowed to do it.  

One idea, instead of assuming college is the next step, put the decision on her.   If she doesn't make a decision, the default is for her to get an apartment after high school, and that will be tough on Chik-Fil-A pay.   Otherwise, she might think that the default was living in your basement and having no worries.   

 

[DawnM]

I can only tell you what has helped us.

Oldest attended community college first and did well at community college.  That helped him get merit based scholarships.  High School wouldn't have allotted him the scholarships he got!  He was homeschooled and didn't test well.

Middle decided to go public and went to a relatively cheap public college.  We are paying for it.  It is the cheapest public college in the state!  

We told our boys they could go anywhere, but we would only pay for public college amounts.  Anything more than that, they cover the difference.  My oldest will end up with about $30K in loans.  He is aware.  

We want it to be equitable for all of our kids.