<p>I’ve had a hunch in general terms that this might, to some degree, be the case. Thought I would post it for those looking for an argument to have their kids have “some skin in the game” </p>
<p>I have to disagree with the study to some extent. We paid full tuition for our student to attend a private university for 4 years. He graduated with an engineering degree in 4 years–even tho he told us that many of his peers were on the 5 year plan. He is gainfully employed and enjoying his job. In addition, the company/employer is paying the tuition for graduate school. There is incentive for grad school in that if he does not maintain grades, he must reimburse the company for that semester’s grade.</p>
<p>I, on the other hand, am a product of divorce, over 30 years ago. I was a sophomore in college when my parents divorced and I was essentially left to figure out how I was going to finish paying for college. I worked part-time and took out loans. I hated every minute of doing this as my grades did suffer. I vowed that my child/children would never have to do what I did to finally graduate. I do not think it made me a better person, better student, or appreciate the fact that I literally had to do it all on my own. I still have regrets about the last years of my college life spent exhausted and barely getting by.</p>
<p>Our own child has never abused the fact that we paid full fare. I think he realizes how lucky he has been to have graduated debt-free and further have employment that he truly enjoys. We are probably the minority to this study, but I do believe that there are some students out there that appreciate and take advantage of what their parents can provide for them.</p>
<p>Fwiw, I have very few regrets about working full time during college. I had to do it and that was that. Being bitter accomplishes nothing. </p>
<p>Do I wish I could have done more fun things and do I wish I got more than 6 hours of sleep each night? Yeah, but that’s life. I have had some awesome jobs, one of which has launched me in to what I want to do with my career.</p>
<p>I knew a girl who was working 40 hours a week in college and was exhausted. I had the feeling she was burning out, but to be honest, I don’t know what her grades were. I did know at the time that I didn’t have the stamina to do that, and am very appreciative that I didn’t have to try to do that. For those who can get by on 6 hours or less of sleep – I’ve always been impressed by that. Never been able to do it long term myself.</p>
<p>As I had to fund my own for the most part, I’d never want to subject my offspring to the stress, worry, and extreme poverty that was part of my college life. Yes, it may have made me more motivated and independent. But did I want that for my own? No. I’d rather provide a more loving example of how families operate.</p>
<p>I have been following the other threads, and I am in agreement with notre dame Al and great lakes mom - had to pay my own way through school, taking 5 years, and would not subject my kids to the same. One is through college and working, one in college and doing very well, and a senior in high school who is very motivated to do well. I am not worried about them not having ‘skin in the game’ I always hated that expression! There is a lot more to success than where the money is coming from.</p>
<p>We weren’t poor - my parents could have afforded to help. They let me live at home one year when my money ran out and I couldn’t qualify for a subsidized loan, that was the extent of their contribution.</p>
<p>I’m an advocate for students working but certainly not full time. I wouldn’t wish juggling full time school and work on anyone but I just don’t get being bitter about it. You do what you have to do.</p>
<p>Sorry if you take my comments to be bitter…I am not a writer! My point was really that I knew I did not want my child/children to have the same college experience that I had to endure. The constant worry of finances as one is trying to earn an education. I am not bitter- and I certainly don’t think my child fits into the study. However, I will add that he knew students that very much fit the study…</p>
<p>The study linking greater parental contributions to lower student grades has received much attention. I doubt the relationship is monotonic. Some level of parental contribution can increase grades by letting the student focus on her academic work. My children would not qualify for need-based financial aid today. If they attend a college charging $60K a year, I doubt that making them try to come up with $60K per year through working and loans would maximize their grades, but maybe requiring them to come up with $10K per year would cause them to take their studies more seriously than our paying the full cost (which we will probably do anyway).</p>
<p>If anyone has access to the full paper, I’d like to know if a non-monotonic relationship between parental support and grades was found, or even looked for.</p>
<p>Colleges may (for financial aid purposes) have an expected student contribution of Stafford loan amount plus a few thousand dollars of summer work earnings and/or work-study earnings. Obviously, this is nowhere close to the list price of even in-state public universities, but it gives an idea of what they think is a “doable” level of student contribution without being so burdensome that it presents too high a risk of failure.</p>
<p>On the other hand, the possibility of “working one’s way through college” with no parental support (at least for a student who is “dependent” for financial aid purposes) is much less of a possibility now than a generation ago.</p>
<p>Seriously, beliavsky? After all your anti-college threads and posts, you would pay $50,000 - $60,000 a year to send your kids to college? I find that really hard to believe.</p>
<p>If you read the entire NYT article, you will see that the professor who ran the study plans to pay for her own children’s college education. She thinks that the (small) effect she found is mostly a matter of parents footing the bill without setting expectations for what the students have to do in return.</p>
<p>Title: First-Year Students’ Employment, Engagement, and Academic Achievement: Untangling the Relationship between Work and Grades
Authors: Pike, Gary R.; Kuh, George D.; Massa-McKinley, Ryan C.</p>
<p>If they got high enough SAT scores and high school grades (in AP or honors classes), yes. I have written that too many people are going to four year colleges, not that no one should go.</p>
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