<p>I’d appreciate it if you didn’t characterize my family and I without having any idea of what our situation is. Just because I’m going to a great school which I like a lot it doesn’t mean it will be easy for my family. It took a lot of thought and time to decide whether or not it is worth it to pay nearly half of our family income every year for college instead of going to the state school. I never said I was entitled to go wherever I wanted and you have no idea how much I appreciate the sacrifices my parents have made to enable me to go to college at a place I love. Frankly, the ‘system’ EXPECTS parents who can pay to do so–like it or not. Oftentimes the people who are treated worst by the ‘system’ are those with extremely wealthy parents that either refuse to pay or pay very little–they are forced to go to a school where those around them largely don’t care and simply aren’t at their level. So as much as I appreciate you “filling me in” on the fact that college isn’t a “summer camp”, why don’t you go ahead and deal with your own situation instead of acting like you know me and everything about me.</p>
<p>a work study job is part of the finaid package.
So while it will count toward taxable income- when you fill out the forms for next year- the amount earned doing work study will be deducted from available income.</p>
<p>A work study job can be a great way to help budget your time, contribute to the costs of your education, meet others on campus & make connections and learn skills that will help you with subsequent jobs.
As a freshman my daughter was a " math" tutor at a local high school. She was paid for the time it took her to commute ( by bus) & I actually think she tutored in more areas than math.
sophomore year she worked in the bio lab stockroom, which was fun, but not a job you can do your homework during.
The next two years and after college, she worked in the computer center, & was able to study during slow periods. She also came in during orientations even when she wasn’t attending & was paid quite well.</p>
<p>Some parents may fear that a job will interfere with studying, but we actually found the opposite. </p>
<p>I would also agree that students who push themselves to acheive in high school and desire to pursue higher education, should go to college.
Being able to choose your courses, your schedule, your profs and your school gives a sense of independence and responsibility that students don’t often have in high school.
While many freshman whether they are at university of new hampshire or Haverford, test their new found freedom at a time when seniors in high school are visiting those same schools. :eek:</p>
<p>But the true test of your independence & maturity may come in your ability to get the best out of yourself and your environment, when you aren’t just following the pack to get the highest grades as some do in high school, but when you take courses that are on something you know little about, but is the only thing that will work for your schedule, in starting a club in your interest because it doesn’t exist,or in taking advantage of a professors knowledge, even if the rest of the class seems to be sleepwalking.</p>
<p>In one of your earlier posts, you stated that you had not been offered any financial aid by Middlebury. Therefore, your EFC must be at least 50K. Therefore, either your family probably has a six figure income (an assumption confirmed by your latest post). Therefore, however you might characterize your financial situation, you are affluent by any reasonable standard.</p>
<p>You do not “deserve” to go to an expensive private school just because you were a high achiever in high school and you think that you “like” that school and that those who you consider you peers will be there. I assure you, you can find plenty of equally accomplished students at your local flagship state university.</p>
<p>Bottom line: Private schools are a luxury item, plain and simple. You and your parents may or may not choose to allocate whatever discretionary income that is available toward purchasing that item. But NO ONE “deserves” to be able to attend such a school, or has a right to feel aggrieved because the price is high.</p>
<p>EMM1,
Where did I say that I automatically “deserve” to go to an expensive private? Last I checked, my statement earlier was as follows:</p>
<p>“a kid working extremely hard all through high school deserves to go to a great school–not necessarily the very top of the heap, but at least one that he/she likes a lot, will challenge him/her, and put him/her in a peer group with similar abilities and skill levels.”</p>
<p>Who says that a great school that a person likes, will challenge them, and give them a talented peer group automatically has to be an expensive private school? That’s certainly not what I said. Please stop putting words in my mouth.</p>
<p>all i want to say is that hard work never goes to waste…
it was the same thing that happened to me, I worked so so hard all throughout high school only to find out in the end that I will probably never go to the college which I want and my parents dont even know I exist!!! its like you’re that close to something you wanted so much and you just can’t reach it I know the feeling only too well.RIght now I’m working instead of joining a college and trying to gather enough funds. I feel like my life has come to a stand still …Life’s tough but you know what?you didn’t get to the college that you wanted dosen’t mean you give up…</p>
<p>private schools are a luxury item for some, but not for all. Of all state schools only one even offers the major each my kids wanted to pursue, and the environment of the school would have been impossible for my daughter to thrive at. </p>
<p>My S would have adapted and been fine.</p>
<p>So I can say, yes, a luxury for one, but a necessity for the other.</p>
<p>With due respect, the questions themselves are luxury questions. For many people in our society, the question is whether they can afford to attend ANY college in order to qualify for some kind of good job.</p>
<p>No, they’re not luxury questions. Financial issues are not the only pressing issues people have. Mental health and physical health issues can be very pressing as well.</p>
<p>As emerged from my first year of college with such bad asthma I could hardly breath – oxygen tents, adrenaline shots weekly. Had never been sick in HS. I know the environment I was living in had a lot to do with this.</p>
<p>My parents, financially comfortably, felt my acceptances to Barnard and Yale were luxuries and I went to state u and got sick.</p>
<p>Would I have another place? Maybe.</p>
<p>But one person’s luxury is another person’s necessity. Some people, because issues we not readily see, might really not be able to walk in inexpensive shoes. Shoe expensive shoes might be needed just to be able to walk. I wouldn’t call this a luxury.</p>