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Did you pay for your own education?

Cyc

Cyc

Bluelighter
Joined
Sep 11, 2000
Messages
11,370
Location
Canada
I don't know if it's displaced anger, or just jealousy, but I find it obnoxious when people get a free ride. Perhaps because it's just so insidious, that there exists these quantum gaps of privelage that seem so random. I mean do these students appreciate it, or do they really appreciate it? Because I want them to really, really appreciate it.. y'know? Every single penny.

If it was just money, that would be one thing. It's not. This money is tied to something pricess. Direction. You know, parents who encourage those extra-cirriculars, attend your sporting matches and challenge you to be successful. Yep, there's that too. What a package.

Much respect for those who took care of their own tuition, books, living expenses, travel, and entertainment while in school. I give even more respect to those who did so without any parental guidance or shoes to fill. Forging your own path on your own tab.. there's something to be said for that.
 
I was the first in my family to graduate high school, and even though my parents encouraged me to make good grades, there was never really any pressure about going to college. (Well, that's not entirely true but it's a long fucking story, lol)

In the end, there was no savings for my college education, and all the planning and pressure fell directly on my shoulders. I got a few scholarships after I proved myself, one relatively small student loan, and the rest I paid for with cash. It took me longer to get through than it took my peers, but I guarantee you I appreciate (really, really appreciate) every single bit of help I got.
 
Before I was born a very well off relative invested in the Florida prepaid college plan for me and my cousins, thank god as my family defanitly would not be able to afford college for me if it wasn't for this.
 
I got a free ride due to being poor (never on welfare, single mom, making $10/hour until got her own education at 45 years old). Financial aid grants + some loans. I never understood how a family making $60,000 didn't qualify for financial aid for kids. I had to work through the entire thing. People in Europe are very surprised when I tell them people here have to pay for their college, cuz over there it's all free, just like healthcare. Bunch of BS.
 
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I have resentment toward kids who get a free ride from their parents for everything--school, car, phone, clothes, food etc.

I paid for everything even before I turned 18.

All my school bills are mine...books, student loans, food, etc. Paid for it all. I commuted though, so my parents let me live in their house.
 
I hope you mean you find it obnoxious when people's parents pay for all their college expenses. I agree.

But I got a full ride from the state. Not because my mommy and daddy were on welfare, but because I worked my ass off in high school and graduated at the top of my class. I don't think it's possible for anyone to appreciate it more than me.
 
My grandparents paid for my undergrad degree - but living expenses, books, tuition, and studying abroad for my graduate program were all on my back. It was my choice. Hard one to make - fresh out of undergrad I turned down a job that would have almost guaranteed at least $60k per year (50k base +bonus and signing bonus) to go to grad school because I wanted to live in another country and learn a new culture before getting too comfortable too early with the corporate world. Wasn't the wisest financial decision at the time, but now I'm getting awesome opportunities that I would have never thought possible that will help me pay down my debt pretty quickly.
 
most of my aid is in the form of grants. so, i'm not sure if that constitutes as a free ride or not, but i also have a few loans to make up for the amount of cost of living expenses that the school awards me in stafford loans.

once upon a time when i had a full-time job, i paid for tuition, mostly, out of pocket, but i was only taking around 7 credit hours a semester then.
 
Since leaving home almost 3 years ago, I've paid for everything except medical/car insurance, and tuition for my first two semesters at a state school...

I have friends who got a full-ride, but it was because they qualified for some academic/aristic scholarship or finanacial aid... don't find that obnoxious.
 
I paid for my college education, books/tuition/ living expenses, the whole deal. I worked the whole time and it took me 5 years, but I'm happy I did it on my own. I did get a merit scholarship to help me out though. And my family is pretty anti-"book larnin'", so I was motivated by a healthy sense of rebellion to get myself educated and out of their uneducated close-mindedness. (now I sound like Stephen Fowler.)
 
I paid my own way until I got fired. Well, technically I'm still paying my own way since for me it's all loans that have to be paid back =D

Something I have noticed though is since I've stopped working for a 9-5 job and started freelancing giving myself the time to study when needed that my grades have been much much better. For instance, last year before I took an "I" in biochem II, I was getting like a 70-75 on my tests. This semester, my first test was an 87. I also changed a C in organic chem to an A. It really helps to focus on school instead of work and school.
 
^ Agreed, and nothing against those who took out loans. They have to be paid back. It's not realistic to expect people to save up 4 years of tuition before they go to College, and certainly not realistic to expect people to pay for it while going to school.

I'm more talking about the people who get everything paid for, and leave school owing nothing. This would be somewhat different if you lived in France or Norway, but North America is still hell bent on privatizing instead of subsidizing, so we're all stuck chasing the carrot.
 
Something I've decided if I ever have kids will be a savings account for their college. Part of the reason I'm on the ridiculous 8 year plan for a biology degree is that I have to work full time and shell out money for tuition while maintaining a lifestyle. Although there is jealousy from me towards people who are able to completely focus on studies, I want that for my kids.
 
Lysis said:
Something I've decided if I ever have kids will be a savings account for their college. Part of the reason I'm on the ridiculous 8 year plan for a biology degree is that I have to work full time and shell out money for tuition while maintaining a lifestyle. Although there is jealousy from me towards people who are able to completely focus on studies, I want that for my kids.
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I'm also doing a part-time Biology degree while trying to work out finances. No kids for me though :)
 
Kyk said:
I'm also doing a part-time Biology degree while trying to work out finances. No kids for me though :)
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Hehe, I have no kids either, but for a normal working single person, it's hard to come up with $2k every semester for school and that's a cheap school going part time. I feel ya in your OP. It fucking sucks.
 
I pay for what I can, my parents cover the rest, I am very fortunate to have extremely understanding and supportive parents. Without them cutting me the necessary slack I wouldn't be where I am today.
 
Kyk said:
I'm more talking about the people who get everything paid for, and leave school owing nothing. This would be somewhat different if you lived in France or Norway, but North America is still hell bent on privatizing instead of subsidizing, so we're all stuck chasing the carrot.
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It's not too hard to leave school owing nothing if you have your shit together. I suffered through high school working a shitty job with hours that approached full time, and still managed to get better grades than everyone while being involved in volunteer work, student government, drugs, sports, and all that shit. I could have gotten into any school I wanted, but instead of feeding my ego and going for prestige, I decided to go to a public school that I could actually pay for without borrowing money from my parents or the bank or the government.

Excuse me if I'm a bit indignant when people suggest that this is somehow a less respectful path than someone who decided to get in over their head and graduates owing tens of thousands.
 
Transcendence said:
It's not too hard to leave school owing nothing if you have your shit together. I suffered through high school working a shitty job with hours that approached full time, and still managed to get better grades than everyone while being involved in volunteer work, student government, sports, and all that shit. I could have gotten into any school I wanted, but instead of feeding my ego and going for prestige, I decided to go to a public school that I could actually pay for without borrowing money from my parents or the bank or the government.

Excuse me if I'm a bit indignant when people suggest that this is somehow a less respectful than someone who decided to get in over their head.
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I don't think anyone's suggesting that's less respectful at all. What, if I may ask, is the source of your indignation?
 
Kyk said:
I don't think anyone's suggesting that's less respectful at all. What, if I may ask, is the source of your indignation?
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Perhaps I simply misread some of the sentiments expressed in this thread. It seemed like some were suggesting that those who graduate college lacking debt are also necessarily lacking in character. I just wanted to put it out there that some us went through these same character-building struggles a bit earlier in life in order to (at least partially) avoid them later. That's all.
 
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