- My daughter said that many of her friends who have parents that are paying their way through school don’t take their college classes very seriously. They aren’t as focused and don’t work quite as hard as those students who are taking out loans, working jobs, etc to pay for school.
- My older son said that if we paid his way through school, he wouldn’t take the time to find scholarships.
- Also, my kids are not punished for finding/earning money. We give them our payment each month and if they have extra, it’s their money to put toward a car one day.
One of the tricks here is to make sure your child has applied to the university in time. For example, a lot of schools will have an application deadline of say January 1 but to be considered for scholarships, you have to apply by November 1 or December 1. So, you need to check out the financial aid department’s page in the school’s website for all the details. Then, help your child choose the school that will give him the best education along with the most financial success.
For example, my older son is pursuing a double major in mechanical engineering & mathematics. His dream school was Purdue but he didn’t start applying until November 15 and Purdue’s deadline for applying and being eligible for scholarships was November 1 so that dream was killed. He applied to the University of Cincinnati (which offered him no scholarship money), Ohio State University (which offered him $2900/year for 4 years) and Ohio University (which offered him full in state tuition for 4 years). Well, since engineering programs are ABET accredited, he followed the money. This has turned out to be such a good choice for him….both academically and financially. He loves OU and his education has been amazing.
Earning Money For School
There are always the high school after-school/weekend jobs along with the summer jobs, internships, and co-ops. However, the best jobs, while in college, are those that are working for the university in some manner. My older son has had a job, working for a professor, and it has worked out beautifully. He has a limit as to how many hours he can work each week and the pay is just a bit above minimum wage. However, these types of jobs work around your college schedule…they understand that you are a student first and student worker second.
Another great job to have, while a college student, is a Resident Assistant (RA). My daughter held this position for 2.5 yeas and it was great. What is an RA? It’s a college student who lives in a dorm and is assigned a group of students (dorm rooms). It is the RA’s responsibility to ensure that their students have a good dormitory experience and assist with problems like “what to do when a student loses their ID”. They also put on programs for their residents for socialization and academic success. The pay? Well, at OU, my daughter received a stipend that was enough to cover her meal plan along with a single room for only $100/semester (the rest of the room cost was waived). So, being an RA basically covered her room & board costs!
If your child wants to attend college, there is a way to get him/her there. Don’t sweat it….just ask lots of questions and look for money because it is there!
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