FAFSA gripes

[youbet]

Another gripe. My daughter, for all intents and purposes, lived in that state from sophomore year on. She had apartments 12 months a year, she worked to pay for rent and food and used 529 money for tuition. However, she was unable to apply to become a resident because she was there primarily for school. After graduation she got a job in that state. Yet, even today she wouldn't be able to go back to that school as a resident because they require at least 12 months of non-school residence (she graduated this year).

The rules for establishing residency, as you describe them, seem completely fair. They apply to everyone and keep kids who are living there as students from feigning full time residency. I'm familiar with 3 schools that are very serious about enforcing this.

 

[youbet]

I do think there is a way for a student to get out of the parent being considered if they do not help.. I have heard about it but do not know much...

Here Tex, I did your work for ya:

From Google AI.......

What to do if parents are unwilling to pay:
If a student's parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA, they may be able to apply for a "dependency override" depending on their circumstances.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

When I was in High School our counselor gave us many options to pay for college.

Army, Navy, Airforce or Marines!!!.

Asking someone else to pay for higher my higher education never entered my mind. A generation later it didn't for my kids either.

The person benefiting from the education should pay for it.

 

[youbet]

The person benefiting from the education should pay for it.

Of course there is the issue of defining what "benefiting from the education" means. I have an appointment with my cardiologist the first week of January. I'm sure glad that whatever taxpayer generated aid he got with his education was there for him! I benefit from it!

 

[Stormy Kromer]

My cardiologist is a multi millionaire. A farm kid that made his way through college on his own. A good guy, we went to high school together. He paid his own way through medical school and paid off the debt in no time while living well at the same time. He told me "It was a whole lot less money to go to medical school than it would have been to start out farming with my dad!"

He didn't qualify for financial aid because his dad owned a farm. His dad didn't make any money on his farm, but he had too many assets for his son to qualify for financial aid.

Lots of people have benefited from his education. Himself included.

 

[youbet]

My cardiologist is a multi millionaire. A farm kid that made his way through college on his own. A good guy.

Have you benefited at all from the skills and expertise he acquired through his education?

 

[Stormy Kromer]

You Bet he has helped me. He has both personally treated me with my heart condition and by referring me to other Doctors.. He is a Dr. at the Mayo clinic. We helped each other with math homework in high school back in the day.

I also paid the mayo clinic bill in full.

His uncle mortgaged his farm to co-sign my friend's way through medical school. My Dr. friend has paid his uncle back many times over with his medical skills since then. My Dr. friend has given his uncle access to the best medical care available in the world in his gratitude to his generosity by helping him pay his way through medical school. My Dr friend paid him back in $$ too.

 

[ivinsfan]

There are many college loan forgiveness programs for people whose education benefits society. None of this changes the fact that the present college/cost/endowment system is in need of fixing..my DDs went to a Big 10 university, the school tried and failed to install a new accounting program for students accounts and payments one Summer. It was a spectacular failure..in fact it wasn't until the end of Spring semester that any bills were actually produced. I often wondered how the school paid the bills with no student money inflow. It makes you wonder.

 

[youbet]

There are many college loan forgiveness programs for people whose education benefits society. None of this changes the fact that the present college/cost/endowment system is in need of fixing..my DDs went to a Big 10 university, the school tried and failed to install a new accounting program for students accounts and payments one Summer. It was a spectacular failure..in fact it wasn't until the end of Spring semester that any bills were actually produced. I often wondered how the school paid the bills with no student money inflow. It makes you wonder.

My son and now my granddaughter and grandson went/go to a Big Ten school on my dime. Believe me, there is NO delay in getting bills out these days! But they are a long way from solving the housing shortage!

 

[Stormy Kromer]

As we write, I have paid DD undergrad degree to a state university for the past 4 years and am preparing to write some big checks to a big 10 school to help with her pharmacy degree for the next 4 years starting this fall.

I hope many people will benefit from her education.

She is applying for scholarships but we fully plan on paying for it ourselves. Just the same as if she was starting her own business.

 

[FlaGator]

Another gripe. My daughter, for all intents and purposes, lived in that state from sophomore year on. She had apartments 12 months a year, she worked to pay for rent and food and used 529 money for tuition. However, she was unable to apply to become a resident because she was there primarily for school. After graduation she got a job in that state. Yet, even today she wouldn't be able to go back to that school as a resident because they require at least 12 months of non-school residence (she graduated this year).

She's lucky she had parents able and willing to foot the bill.

Understand the frustration. A FL friend's kid faced that when they wanted to go to LSU for Petroleum Engineering and Ma and Pa weren't coughing it up after a few lost years at FSU. Packed her bags, waitressed in Baton Rouge for a year, registered to vote, got a DL, then enrolled as a resident.

 

[thod]

Another gripe. My daughter, for all intents and purposes, lived in that state from sophomore year on. She had apartments 12 months a year, she worked to pay for rent and food and used 529 money for tuition. However, she was unable to apply to become a resident because she was there primarily for school. After graduation she got a job in that state. Yet, even today she wouldn't be able to go back to that school as a resident because they require at least 12 months of non-school residence (she graduated this year).

This is going back to the early 90's, but as a student I worked in the President's office at my university as an office aide. I eventually learned/saw that the committee for in-state status applications always rejected everybody. The next step was to appeal to the president's office. Of those that did, about half would be given in-state.

My fiancé at the time was out-of-state and had already been rejected by the committee. I told her to appeal to the president's office. She did and was granted in-state. What was funny in this case was that only half her 'interview' with one of the vice-presidents was actually about in-state or not. The other half was the 2 of them just chatting, since the vice-president and her already knew each other some since she came into the office frequently to see/talk to me.

 

[Koolau]

There was no FAFSA when I went to school. W*rking at $1.25/hr to as much as $2/hr, I could make in a summer all the tuition/books/housing needed for state university (plus spending money.) University (at a top 100 school) was a cinch back then - though it had to be a state school and not private or Ivy League or equivalent.

It's my opinion that all the efforts to make college money available to (almost) all is the reason that costs have gotten out of control. My old state school is hardly any bigger than it was when I attended in 1965 but it costs 60 times as much as it did when I went. I don't have the figures but it's clear that the number of non-teaching staff has likely quadrupled or more. IOW what we've been paying for is infrastructure (with bells and whistles) but not any significant improvement in teaching kids with minds full of mush.

 

[surprising]

It's my opinion that all the efforts to make college money available to (almost) all is the reason that costs have gotten out of control. My old state school is hardly any bigger than it was when I attended in 1965 but it costs 60 times as much as it did when I went. I don't have the figures but it's clear that the number of non-teaching staff has likely quadrupled or more. IOW what we've been paying for is infrastructure (with bells and whistles) but not any significant improvement in teaching kids with minds full of mush.

I think the bells and whistles to attract students is a big part of the increase in costs. My oldest's freshman dorm was like a resort, with a ton of amenities, game room, 3d printer room, audio/visual room, fancy work spaces everywhere.

My dorm 30+ years ago was 3 floors of dorm rooms and a tiny kitchen and living room. They now have the fancy freshman dorm where my dorm's parking lot used to be.

 

[Flieger]

I think the bells and whistles to attract students is a big part of the increase in costs. My oldest's freshman dorm was like a resort, with a ton of amenities, game room, 3d printer room, audio/visual room, fancy work spaces everywhere.

My dorm 30+ years ago was 3 floors of dorm rooms and a tiny kitchen and living room. They now have the fancy freshman dorm where my dorm's parking lot used to be.

I agree. My oldest DD started in 2008 and when we went for tours and visited the "cafeteria", they had a guy in a chef's hat taking omelet orders. I think I got powdered eggs in the morning, and mashed potatoes every night at dinner!

I can't imagine what it's like now 15 years later.

Flieger

 

[youbet]

Like most things in a capitalistic economy, the price of education is strongly impacted by supply and demand. Post-secondary schools are able to charge more because customers are willing to pay more.

When other products are impacted by inflation, we all seek substitutes. We need to do this more with educational expenses. Unfortunately, the ready availability of student loans has enabled/encouraged students to pay the asking price without serious shopping.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

Like most things in a capitalistic economy, the price of education is strongly impacted by supply and demand. Post-secondary schools are able to charge more because customers are willing to pay more.

When other products are impacted by inflation, we all seek substitutes. We need to do this more with educational expenses. Unfortunately, the ready availability of student loans has enabled/encouraged students to pay the asking price without serious shopping.

That is a great analogy, I couldn't agree more.

There are a ton of young students who are seeking higher education but can't afford today's college tuition prices. I wish there was a better way.

I never went to college so take this for what it worth. My question is "Why in the world does it take 4 full years to get a college degree ?" I know kids in high school that take college level classes in high school and get a college degree in 2 years. They hit the ground running with a degree while others are finishing their sophomore year at the university.

A college education is great, and necessary for some careers. That said, I would highly encourage many students to consider the trades. There is no shame in being a plumber, electrician, mechanic, cosmetologist, or any other respectable person who provides a valuable service. When I was in High School in the 1980's we were considered a second class student if we didn't try to get in the most expensive college available. Colleges knew this and have became extremely expensive.

 

[Koolau]

I think the bells and whistles to attract students is a big part of the increase in costs. My oldest's freshman dorm was like a resort, with a ton of amenities, game room, 3d printer room, audio/visual room, fancy work spaces everywhere.

My dorm 30+ years ago was 3 floors of dorm rooms and a tiny kitchen and living room. They now have the fancy freshman dorm where my dorm's parking lot used to be.

I never stayed in a dorm, but DW did (before we were married.) Her dorm room was just a room with two beds and two tiny desks and two chests of drawers and a rack for hanging clothes. She chose the option that didn't include dorm-supplied food and the cost was (wait for it) $30/month! This was ca 1967. Realistically, that was all she needed. She slept there and showered in the barracks style bathing area. Other than that, she was in class, the library, the Union building or she was with me.

I suppose having a really "nice" housing option is okay, but lower cost university experience (with, hopefully no subsequent student debt) would be much more appropriate in my opinion. YMMV