2 Yrs out ... cruise or college tuition ... hhmmm

[LLSullie]

So ... my daugther has decided on her two top picks for college (2009)... now that my heart has restarted ... LOL ... Boston or Emerson = 45k a year

 

So now I have to decide ... does she go to college or do I keep cruising ... LOL

 

Just kidding ... think if I went to work on an RCCL ship ... they would pay for her college?

[Sue L]

I have two in college one 45K and one 38K, so I feel your pain. Thank goodness for very bright kids who got wonderful scholarships and grants.

[J-bear]

Tell your daughter to get some education loans (low interest :) ) and keep cruising!

[cruiseorbust]

We all keep cruising together as a family, and the boys pay for their own college as well as get scholarship money. My two oldest have graduated at the top of their class, both with great paying jobs already. They told us afterwards, the best thing we could have done for them was make them pay for their own college, although they hated it along the way. They said when you are writing the check, you will get good grades. We did help them with their other expenses along the way, and they were always included in all vacations if they wanted it..at no expense.

 

Just a thought

[jules815]

Our daughter graduates next year, and she's looking at Loyola or Northwestern. We were planning on booking our 2008 cruise while we're on board next month, but I keep thinking...college tuition, braces on the youngest this September... Hopefully, we'll enjoy the interiors we'll be trying next month, because that will probably be the only way we'll be able to cruise for a while.

[jules815]

We all keep cruising together as a family, and the boys pay for their own college as well as get scholarship money. My two oldest have graduated at the top of their class, both with great paying jobs already. They told us afterwards, the best thing we could have done for them was make them pay for their own college, although they hated it along the way. They said when you are writing the check, you will get good grades. We did help them with their other expenses along the way, and they were always included in all vacations if they wanted it..at no expense.

 

Just a thought

 

I like the way you think! :D

[LLSullie]

We all keep cruising together as a family, and the boys pay for their own college as well as get scholarship money.

 

Just a thought

 

I've told her, her new mantra is

 

Scholarship, Grant,

Scholarship, Grant,

Scholarship, Grant,

Scholarship, Grant,

Scholarship, Grant

[LLSullie]

Hopefully, we'll enjoy the interiors we'll be trying next month, because that will probably be the only way we'll be able to cruise for a while.

 

 

ooo ... let me know how that goes, I'm a balcony junkie :p

[DrivesLikeMario]

I feel your pain. My son graduates next year and was thinking he'd go to USC at $52K a year. Thank God we found the same basic program at a UC school for about $26K a year. Still, we're facing the same as Jules with braces on the younger son and a new car too. It's going to be an expensive year. :(

 

It feels really weird only having the Liberty booked for next month. Usually, I've got a nice stack of 3 or 4 booked. I feel lost...:( I hate being in this Limbo and not knowing whether we'll be able to cruise or not.

 

I'm a planner...I can't help it...and now we'll have to be last-minute cruisers. Boy, it feels weird!! :( :(

[lurkernomore]

Next year my oldest will be a junior at URI, and my youngest will be a senior in high school. This year we will do the Adventure at Christmas as our family Christmas present. Since I am a teacher, my husband and I are thinking of a spring break cruise for just the two of us in two years...a heck of a lot cheaper, and both kids will be off at college. Time for some mom and dad alone fun!

[DrivesLikeMario]

I can't wait for the day when we can cruise during the school year again!

Cruising during spring break, Christmas break and summer vacation is the pits. :(

[tkportersat]

I have often been torn on this issue, but I appreciate what you wrote. I feel the vacations with my kids are priceless as they won't live with me forever. I have saved some money for them, but with the exception of scholarships/grants they will be on their own. I had friends that funded their own way and it seemed they went further and were more focused since it was their buck that counted. Glad to hear of your positive outcome!

 

We all keep cruising together as a family, and the boys pay for their own college as well as get scholarship money. My two oldest have graduated at the top of their class, both with great paying jobs already. They told us afterwards, the best thing we could have done for them was make them pay for their own college, although they hated it along the way. They said when you are writing the check, you will get good grades. We did help them with their other expenses along the way, and they were always included in all vacations if they wanted it..at no expense.

 

Just a thought

[tkportersat]

Dang computers :(

 

We all keep cruising together as a family, and the boys pay for their own college as well as get scholarship money. My two oldest have graduated at the top of their class, both with great paying jobs already. They told us afterwards, the best thing we could have done for them was make them pay for their own college, although they hated it along the way. They said when you are writing the check, you will get good grades. We did help them with their other expenses along the way, and they were always included in all vacations if they wanted it..at no expense.

 

Just a thought

[JeepLadyLtd]

That's what college loans are for so the parents can still keep cruising. We have a almost sophmore at Kent State and she has loans. We still need to LIVE!!!!!:D

Marsha:) :cool:

[CubbieFan21]

Our daughter graduates next year, and she's looking at Loyola or Northwestern. We were planning on booking our 2008 cruise while we're on board next month, but I keep thinking...college tuition, braces on the youngest this September... Hopefully, we'll enjoy the interiors we'll be trying next month, because that will probably be the only way we'll be able to cruise for a while.

 

 

I'm a student at Loyola in Chicago... they are pretty generous with scholarships if you have a decent ACT... most of my friends have a lot of grants and loans as well. Tell your daughter to try and get her ACT as high as possible because they increase your scholarship money even after you are accepted even if you take the test again and get a higher score.

 

Sorry to be a little off topic...

[Cruise_Couple]

Ok, I think I have the best solution... Go to work for the college... FREE tuition! At least in my case I get 3 daughters through for nothing (38K/yr normally). The pay is not always the best but when you count in the free tuition benefit it is worth it in many cases. The sad thing is that I still struggle to get 1 cruise in per year!:mad: I need a lottery win!

[akcruz]

My daughter is a hs junior this year and we've been doing the college thing as well. We are trying to decide just how much we put in. She's actually looking at Med school so its not just the normal 4 years :eek: , but 8. Have another, son, coming along 5 years after so was hoping for a year off in between, we'll have to see about that one. We keep telling her get the grades so you can get the scholarships/grants, etc. Otherwise we may need to slow down our vacations and I just can't deal with that one.

 

btw jules, did you get your docs today? Mine were here when I got home!

[joetrizeo]

if you can afford to send your child to a 45k/yr school chances are you can afford both!:D:D:D

better yet make them pay for school 100% themselves like i did at my 30k/yr school (no i'm not a minority :p)

[TMarie]

Sorry- I find it absolutely ridiculous to pay that kind of money for tuition...I am a college student myself and I complain NOW about $9,500 a year...I have student loans now, and i definitely study alot harder and bring home better grades than when my parents were paying my way. But I am also lucky enough to have a good relationship with my parents and they allow me to live at home rent free...by the time I graduate in a year and a half I will have a nice downpayment for my first house!

 

Thats not a jab by the way, Im sure you all have good relationships with your kids-- otherwise you wouldnt give them the big bucks! :D

[lurkernomore]

I "borrowed"this idea from a good friend. We offer to give our kids 12,000 a year, after that they have to get scholarships, grants, and\or loans. This has worked out well with our oldest. He received a scholarship, so the 12 grand covers his room and board. My youngest (HS junior) wants to be a lawyer, and 12 grand will cover most of an in-state school (NH) for his undergrad, so we are "encouraging" him to do that. I don't think you should go into serious debt for college. I think the harder they work for it, whether it be grades or money or maintaining a GPA for a scholarship, the more they will appreciate their degree.

We will only have one year where they overlap, not looking forward to that year...

[TRadle]

We told our kids that we’d pay the amount equal to the most expensive state school and they would have to make up the difference. Plus the scholarship of Mom & Dad requires a 3.0 GPA. It has worked out well. One has graduated, the middle child graduates in December, and the youngest is at a small private school. Her scholarship makes it as much as the most expensive state school! They will all graduate from college without debt and we still get to cruise. This year we are treating all of them and their Signification Others. :D

[pinkroses]

I "borrowed"this idea from a good friend. We offer to give our kids 12,000 a year, after that they have to get scholarships, grants, and\or loans. This has worked out well with our oldest. He received a scholarship, so the 12 grand covers his room and board. My youngest (HS junior) wants to be a lawyer, and 12 grand will cover most of an in-state school (NH) for his undergrad, so we are "encouraging" him to do that. I don't think you should go into serious debt for college. I think the harder they work for it, whether it be grades or money or maintaining a GPA for a scholarship, the more they will appreciate their degree.

We will only have one year where they overlap, not looking forward to that year...

 

Sort of off topic--we lived in New London, NH--one of the prettiest places. I liked Colby Sawyer.

[Sally Forth]

So ... my daugther has decided on her two top picks for college (2009)... now that my heart has restarted ... LOL ... Boston or Emerson = 45k a year

 

So now I have to decide ... does she go to college or do I keep cruising ... LOL

 

Just kidding ... think if I went to work on an RCCL ship ... they would pay for her college?

I have two kids in university but in Canada, the most expensive tuition is still well under 10K, so not that bad. They went to private school for high school and the tuition was worse.

 

The boys don't qualify for student loans, so we make a budget each August and pay for most of their expenses but they are expected to kick in wages/scholarships/gift money to a certain percentage each year. YS works part-time and OS got a job as a res fellow that will pay everything except tuition next year.

 

We have enough set aside to get them through four years. Anything above that is a loan. So, if OS heads to a top US law school as planned, we will lend him the money at no interest to do it. However, that money must be repaid to us. We figure that the monthly payments will keep us in high style in our retirement!

 

Viv

[derrick22]

I've made some deals with my DS who is a Junior. If he goes to the local community college for 2 years then continues to a four year school I will get him a car and for every dollar he gets in scholarship money I will give him 50 cents. I'm still coming out ahead.

 

I've looked into loans but the rates are 7%. What kind of deal is that!

I have been savings for years so hopefully will have enough.

 

Graduation present is a land trip to Germany. We are cruising during spring break. Since I teach we are still stuck to winter/spring breaks and summers.

Someday I will retire and take a world cruise.

[jules815]

I'm a student at Loyola in Chicago... they are pretty generous with scholarships if you have a decent ACT... most of my friends have a lot of grants and loans as well. Tell your daughter to try and get her ACT as high as possible because they increase your scholarship money even after you are accepted even if you take the test again and get a higher score.

 

Sorry to be a little off topic...

 

Hi Cubbiefan, I'll continue to be off topic (sorry everyone!). We did the jr. Rambler Day tour back in November, and she absolutely loves it there. She loves the city, and we were very impressed with the school. Very good feeling, and it seems like a very good fit for her (if you know what I mean). We've heard that they do pretty well with grants and scholarships. Her first ACT was a 29, and just took it again a few weeks ago (studied some for this one) and is hoping for low 30's. We're hoping for some type of scholarship/grants. I guess we need to work on that mantra too.

 

Thanks for posting!