Ivy undergrad education worth debt?

Ms.Ladybug
Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:52:57 +0000

Re: comment from several posts back: “In a sense, the more money you expect your parents to put in, the more you “owe” them back in terms of your college performance.”
Sorry but this thinking is very counter to my own, and I can’t help chiming in here with an alternate viewpoint. I will choose to pay whatever amount for my child’s education that seems right considering all factors at the time. The way college costs generally look these days, I imagine that will mean stretching and paying a lot, and making sacrifices. I will do this out of my desire to love, support, and give as much as I can to my child, in the hopes that this will help her soar in her life. The gift will be freely given to her, just because that is what I am about as a parent. Hopefully she will use it to the best of her ability, and since she is human, she is not expected to use it “perfectly”. The only one she will owe is herself, and hopefully with continued positive support, she will not let herself down. Parenting and the associated financial responsibilities is not a balance sheet, with children owing “big” depending on the size of the parental contribution. I’ve made plenty of financial mistakes in my life so far, I expect I will make a few more before I go, and I expect my D will also make her share. It’s just not worth stressing too much about - make the best decision you can given your circumstances, and go from there. Yes, of course money is important, but I prefer to keep the perspective that it is ONLY MONEY, there are many more important things in life.
So … is debt to go to an Ivy worth it? Dunno, my parents were wealthy and paid full sticker for my Ivy education. I’m not your typical Ivy grad, I am a public-servant social worker, and I am happy with my life and my career. Being an Ivy grad has made me a curiosity, rather than a sought-after commodity in my profession, and it didn’t necessarily open career doors for me - I had to find them and open them myself. I really went to college for my parents, not for me. Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for the opportunity - it helped me grow intellectually, which I still value today, but at the time I didn’t really have any dreams about what I would do with what I was given. OP and other kids, the trick is to figure out what your values are, what your hopes and dreams and goals are, and whether going to a particular college will support your dreams and your values. If so, then maybe the price tag, including loans, is worth it. Totally a personal decision.