<p>I was recently accepted into Rice University (yay!) and they have offered to pay EVERYTHING for me to go. My financial aid includes tuition, room & board, books, fees, personal expenses and two trips home per year. IMO, this is extremely exciting news but my father (and his evil wife) dont seem to be that excited and it kinda hurts my feelings. I dont really get along with either of them but hey, just a few more months. ANYWAY, in light of my recent accomplishments, I was thinking about asking for a new macbook for Christmas using money saved from my college fund (hopefully they were saving something) since we wont be needing it and it was kinda for me. What would be the best way of asking for this given the situation with my father and his tendency to say no to EVERYTHING I ask for, even new glasses.</p>
<p>If he doesn’t go for it, maybe you can work this summer to earn money for a computer? Or get a job once you are on campus (either work-study, or just a Rice job). There are plenty of computer all over campus if you don’t have one at the beginning of the year.</p>
<p>I will work but I plan to use that money for spending money throughout the year. Doesnt all my Work Study money go to Rice (I have $900/semester, unless I get an outside scholarship)? Also, my original question is how should I ask him? Like, what’s the best approach.</p>
<p>At most pvt schools, work-study salary is NOT applied to the tuition bill unless the student make a special arrangement to do so. Remember, you are offered a w/s job, but gauranteed a job or a set number of hours/week. The w/s salary is usually for the student’s personal expenses.</p>
<p>I think the basic MacBook was just reduced ($$900?) so now would be a good time to buy. If your parents are unwilling to give you the money, would they ts be willing to advance you the money and let you pay for Xmas/bday moeny and a portion of your summer earnings?</p>
<p>Your W/S is just a guaranteed job (if you get one around campus, you still have to apply!) and $900/semester is actually the absolute MAXIMUM you can earn. So it’s up to you to make sure you are working enough hous if you want all $900.</p>
<p>Firstly, any savings to pay for your college belong to them, not you, unless specifically designated to you in your name so you shouldn’t think of that as ‘your money’. Go ahead and drop a hint about the MacBook but don’t count on getting it and more importantly, don’t ‘expect’ to get it or be disappointed if you don’t. See how you can manage to buy one yourself with your savings but don’t buy it until after Christmas in case you get lucky. If you ‘do’ end up getting one as a present, be grateful. I’m of the mindset that no one should be ‘expecting’ a present or be disappointed if they didn’t get a particular one.</p>
<p>For how to ask him, maybe try just dropping hints rather than outright asking for a gift. </p>
<ul>
<li><p>Before raising the subject, do your research and determine exactly how much it’d cost. Check to see what discounts Rice might have available. Maybe print out the page that describes the unit and costs so he has something tangible to deal with.</p></li>
<li><p>While casually discussing college you can mention you’ll need to figure out how you’ll be able to purchase a MacBook since PCs are essential tools for college these days. They’re important for use in writing papers, accessing class notes/assignments online, communicating with family and friends, writing programs if you’ll do CS or engineering majors, etc. Of course it can also be an entertainment central for you but that shouldn’t be the focus.</p></li>
<li><p>If you end up without one as a Christmas present, don’t get mad or argue with him about it (see above about not ‘expecting’ a particular gift) but instead, have a discussion with him asking if he has any ideas about how you might be able to acquire one. Maybe he’ll be willing to front the money and you can pay him back, maybe he’ll be willing to pay for part of it, or maybe he’ll surprise you and pay for the whole thing. If not, you know you’re on your own with it so put it past you and move on with your own plan to get one.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>But - Congrats!! It sounds like you’ve done very well and and have a lot to look forward to at Rice.</p>
<p>Great ideas here - Be pro-active - ask for their ideas about what computer you might need and how do they like your ideas of how to save up for one? What are your summer job plans, for example… can they think of other places you might find funds for the computer? Do not ask them for the money - that hasn’t worked in the past. I’m sorry and wish it were different, but if they can’t pay for your glasses and you got a full ride at Rice, they probably had nothing in savings for you or for themselves.
If nothing else, after graduation gather all your money and see what you can afford.<br>
Congratulations on the Rice admit. That is huge and says much about your future - Pat yourself on the back and look forward. Many kids would rather be you with no computer than them with one…</p>
<p>thanks ucsd<em>ucla</em>dad for the advice. I guess you are right. The money really isnt mine but I kinda feel like I deserve it, I mean c’mon now. My feelings are kinda hurt because I’m like, could you at least ACT happy, gosh. I want to be so happy right now but it’s like wow, my own family isnt supportive, ***. </p>
<p>Anyway, about this workstudy thing, the MOST i can make is $900 but that money will be going towards my personal expenses and not my tuition? Why cant I get more than that? I mean, what if I work extra?</p>
<p>I would agree that the typical parent should be thrilled but your parents may have their own problems to deal with right now and they might be preoccupied over there. There are a lot of families in very stressful financial situations right now. Perhaps you could ask your dad as to how things are going financially in the household without asking for anything. How are their jobs going? Are vehicles and housing in good shape? Do you have any siblings or relatives with issues that your parents have to deal with?</p>
<p>The old MacBook Pro runs about $900. The newer ones are more and they’re a lot nicer but they may have some lingering issues that newer computers often have. I would generally wait until February before buying a new-generation MacBook as Apple has said that they will be fixing some video issues with nVidia chips. The old MacBooks are fine as they’ve been out for quite a while.</p>
<p>thank you to everyone. It doesnt appear as though we are having financial problems right now though I could be wrong. I find it rather annoying that they’ll splurge on themselves and could care less for my needs but like I said, I’m going to be gone, wont miss them at all. On my breaks, hopefully, I can take a nice vacation . I think I will wait until Feb because I’ve heard that before. I’m desperately seeking after a job but its hard when I dont have a car and there are no buses. It’s me, my father, his wife (stepmom) and her son (step brother). As far as I can see everyone is doing well financially. My brother claims to be feuding with his mom but I cant see it. No one really talks to me so I really dont know. Stepmom didnt seem happy at all, almost spiteful when I was telling her how I graduate as the 100th Commencement class for Rice. She was all like “no you wont. that’s IF you can graduate in four years. Most people dont. You’ll have to take extra classes to get ahead, blah blah blah” hater</p>
<p>hopefully, I’ll get a job and be able to save my money which I am pretty good at doing. Of course though, things would be easier if they got me one. I’m almost afraid to ask because I dont want to be upset if he says no. And it’s not like I know that he cant, it’s more that he doesnt want to. When it’s something he wants, he’s all for it but when it comes to me it’s just, oh w/e.</p>
<p>It seems like there are negative relationship issues in your current family and that this is causing friction between parties. It sounds like some amount of family counseling would be helpful but people usually only go to it if they feel that there is a problem and the rest of your family might not feel that there is a problem.</p>
<p>pyles_m, congratulations on getting into Rice, and getting such a lovely FA package, too!! That’s fabulous!!! If you were here, I’d bake you a cake to celebrate!!</p>
<p>Congrats - that’s HUGE! You have a lot to be proud of.<br>
You may want to wait to see if there are any computer deals through Rice for incoming students. I did this with my daughter so that any service issues are covered through the school’s computer store. It was also nice that her computer was all set up to work with the school’s system and she could just turn it on and connect. Her roommates with their own computers had to bring them in to get scanned and set up before they could connect.<br>
A computer is a necessary item for college so I doubt your parents will have a problem getting you one - they make great graduation gifts!</p>
. I think I will wait until Feb because I’ve heard that before. I’m desperately seeking after a job but its hard when I dont have a car and there are no buses. It’s me, my father, his wife (stepmom) and her son (step brother). As far as I can see everyone is doing well financially. My brother claims to be feuding with his mom but I cant see it. No one really talks to me so I really dont know. Stepmom didnt seem happy at all, almost spiteful when I was telling her how I graduate as the 100th Commencement class for Rice. She was all like “no you wont. that’s IF you can graduate in four years. Most people dont. You’ll have to take extra classes to get ahead, blah blah blah” hater</p>