Get Schooled

By PH

December 4, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this

I work full time and take only 1 or 2 classes at a time at Georgia State. They charge the same fees no matter how many classes you take. I will be paying $400 in “student activities” fees to take 1 class. I am rethinking taking a class this spring, and might take 2 classes during the summer when fees are less expensive.

By wondering...

December 4, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this

I have a question about financial aid if anyone can help me. I was fortunate enough to have had a wonderful father that paid for my college education. I just applied for grad school and was granted financial (a substantial amount…and so were a few coworkers) I was wondering how is it that we were granted such a large amt but undergrad students are having difficulties? Is it because we are already employed?

By SW

December 4, 2008 12:54 PM | Link to this

To: wondering @ 12:26

“Financial aid” is a very vague term. Most people assume it to be just “free money” but it also consists of loans. As a whole it encompasses:

Grants - non merit based but you must meet some criteria to get it (residency, income, etc.) and you don’t have to pay it back Scholarships - merit based & you don’t have to pay it back (tuition remission/assistance and also graduate assistantships fall into this category) Loans - need based or non-need based and you will have to pay it back Work-Study - paid directly to the recipient to cover whatever costs they have that are school-related (rent, utilities, books, supplies, etc.) or not

It sounds as if you were fortunate enough to have your parents pay your way so in a sense you were “well off”…or he just saved the money. That is good for him and you. When the average person speaks of financial aid they mean “free money”….but “free money” is hard to come by as it is very competitive. In your case, it sounds as if you got some type of graduate funding (assistantship (Research, TA?), stipend?) which is not available to undergrads. You also could have gotten a scholarship which is excellent. Either way, a graduate student’s situation is totally different from an undergrads. Even amongst other graduate students, there could be other circumstances in your application (grades, major, funding available, etc.) that afford you more money at this point in time.

Here are some ways to cut costs for your education:

If you take out a loan, only take what you need to cover the costs.

Become a Resident Adviser. These positions usually grant free room and/or board. Why not take advantage of it?

Get a part time job. You could save for and fund your own expenses (books, supplies, socializing, & even partying).

Take a minimum of 15 hours. One can take a 12-18 hours and still pay the same thing…a minimum of 15 is more than sufficient and if you can swing it, take 18 here and there….

Also, one can take courses during the summer at a community college or state school. This will reduce your tuition and is especially helpful if you attend a private school where tuition can run $500 to $1500 PER CREDIT during the summer. Two summers of taking 9 courses would cover a full semester and thereby decrease the time (and maybe loan indebtedness) one has to spend at their home (private) institution.

By wondering...

December 4, 2008 1:43 PM | Link to this

SW- Thank you so very much for your timely response. You gave me a lot of information to consider.

My father did not finish college (was a young married man with a child on the way) My mother graduated and started her teaching career that lasted until her pregnancy with me (I am child number 4). My father made SURE that each of his children graduated from college…and that we all did with out any student loans and/or financial aid.

Needless to say, I am truly blessed to have parents that valued education that much.

By SNL

December 4, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this

Since grad school cost much more than undergrad, the government allows you to borrow more during grad school than undergrad. I would caution against receiving loans because that is more money you have to pay back.

By RealityKing

December 4, 2008 1:54 PM | Link to this

Work or school loans?? It’s all a matter of timing.

I worked my way through school and graduated in 93, with no debt. Just in time for the coming IT boom. If I had decided to take on debt 7 yrs earlier, I would have graduated in the middle of the 88 recession, with no job and a loan to repay.

However, if I had been 7 yrs older and should have graduated in 95 but had choosen to worked my way through instead of taking on debt, I would have graduated in the middle of the 2000 IT bubble burst. No debt but no job either. But if I had choosen the opposite route and taken on debt to graduate in 95. By 2000 I would have repayed the load and have 5 years experience to boot.

You see.., timing is everything. Too bad we can’t see the future.

By Shay

December 4, 2008 3:11 PM | Link to this

To Wandering

Grad school costs a substantial amount more than undergrad, which is why financial aid provides graduate students with more money to borrow for higher tuition, a higher cost for books, etc. Also, keep in mind, undergraduate students are able to receive money for numerous grants (money that does not have to be paid back) and therefore are offered less money for loans. Your options for paying for grad school are alot more limited. They give you large amounts to borrow because there are is no grant money. Unless you are going to school to teach, it is very hard to get a grant in grad school. And another thing, most times students who are in private schools whether it is undergrad or grad will get a higher amount in financial aid because the tuition is higher.

By Heather

December 4, 2008 3:41 PM | Link to this

I’m an adult student- and have yet to pay a penny out of pocket for college.

I take 1-2 classes a semester at Dalton State, and my Pell grant and Hope Scholarship have covered every bit of it for the last 4 years.

The going is slow- but I work, and am raising a child on my own. So slow is good for me, and free is even better.

By Shannon

December 4, 2008 4:06 PM | Link to this

I want to remind parents that Georgia families have a wonderful program that allows them to save for a loved one’s college education in a tax-advantaged way. It’s the Path2College 529 Plan, and your savings can be used at schools all over the country and not just Georgia schools (but it is a great way to pay for those expenses HOPE doesn’t cover).

Of course, the earlier parents begin to save for college the better. In addition to tax-deferred growth and tax-free spending for qualified expenses like tuition, fees, room and board, and supplies and equipment, all Georgia taxpayers are eligible for the $2,000 per year, per beneficiary state income tax deduction (this includes parents, grandparents and non-family members—-anyone).

Check it out at www.path2college529.com

By RealityKing

December 4, 2008 4:12 PM | Link to this

If I had to do it over, I would work through the first two years and then take a smaller loan only if it would almost certainly guarantee me three quick years of good experience. In the Math or Science field of course..

By Catherine

December 4, 2008 4:40 PM | Link to this

Having worked at three different colleges and universities in Georgia, I know that the cost of education is a concern for everyone. In fact, I am being laid off at the end of the month because of the most recent budget cuts in higher education. The fee money is necessary because universities have made as many cuts as they can. Professors are unable to print syllabi for classes; they email the document for students to print at their pleasure. Students cannot make free photocopies, but must pay 10-cents per copy. Professors and administrators are restricted on travel; most professors pay their own expenses to travel for conference presentations. Georgia Tech is not offering pre-Calculus for the next two semesters (possibly longer) because the mathematics department does not have enough money for faculty to teach those courses. All universities within the USG are on a hiring freeze, and most are laying off personnel at the end of the year. The week after I found out about my job, four others in my building were let go.

Georgia State is turning to football to provide income basketball has never generated. Football is the true money-maker of higher education. Just ask UGA, U of F, Auburn, Alabama, Notre Dame, USC, … Student fees are raised to cover the upfront cost of a team, like uniforms and a head coach.

As for part-time students, Georgia State asks for the same fees as full-time students because part-time students have access to all of the same services full-time students do. Would you rather be limited to 3,000 minutes a semester of Internet usage as a part-time student? Would you rather be allowed in the library M-W-F only? Georgia State’s costs are not reduced if students are part-time or full-time, because the administration still has to heat the buildings and pay for faculty to teach courses. I paid for my undergraduate degree fully out-of-pocket, and I know it sucks to have to pay tons of fees. But having worked on the other side, I have a better perspective about why.

Check the financial aid offer. It may consist of loans. The average college graduate spends 30 years paying back student loans. I would suggest trying to borrow as little as possible, and work whatever you can to earn money to pay for stuff. Depending on your major, some textbooks can be found in the library or borrowed from other students. That will help you cut costs.

By Old School

December 4, 2008 5:21 PM | Link to this

I encourage those students with no clear idea of what their career preference would be to seriously consider a certificate program at a technical college. The HOPE grant should cover most of the cost; they will learn a skill and probably have a job when they finish the course (in under 2 years most of the time). Best of all, when they finally figure out what career they want that requires a 4 or 5 year degree, they just might have the HOPE scholarship waiting to pick up much of the cost AND they’ll be older (possibly wiser and more settled) and will be more likely to focus on getting the most out of their education. Ultimately, they’ll have more education and better job skills which will make them more attractive to employers.

By Lee

December 4, 2008 6:43 PM | Link to this

My $.02 cents:

• The HOPE has made college affordable for Georgians. My oldest used HOPE and I only had to pay about $6-7k per year out of pocket for dorm/apartment/living expenses. Very manageable for most households. HOPEfully, the politicians will keep their greedy hands out of the cookie jar…

• If you live near a Junior College, take advantage of the cost savings by attending the first two years locally. Two extra years of maturity might be what some teens need before they go away to a University.

• If you live near one of the other Ga colleges (Kennesaw, West Ga, North Ga, Ga College, Highlands College, etc), most offer a very good degree program and you get to save on the room and board expenses. Newsflash, most employers really don’t give a rip where you went to school…

• Consider an Internship or Co-opt program. You get to earn money and gain valuable business contacts. My company hires over 90% of the former Interns/Co-opts who later apply for a full time position.

• Many companies offer some type of educational reimbursement programs for their full time employees. I went to Grad school on such a program. The company reimbursed tuition and fees based on a sliding scale (100% for an A, 90% for a B, 80% for a C). BTW, this is the type of program that I wish HOPE would adopt instead of the current pay up front method.

• Some friends of ours are Univ of Alabama alumns and have “prepaid” for their toddler son. Not sure of the specifics but it might be worth looking into.

By Old School

December 4, 2008 9:23 PM | Link to this

If your student wants to go out of state, it can still be affordable. Check out the majors that fall under the Academic Common Market. Our youngest was able to go to Middle Tennessee and major in Recording Industry Marketing & Promotions. We paid the in-state rate saving over $10,000 each year. Not every major qualifies but it’s worth a look. sreb.org and look for the Academic Common Market link.

By deidre_NC

December 4, 2008 10:17 PM | Link to this

i went to college as an adult..while i was raising my kids—all expenses were paid thru a program here in NC for low income people. i qualified for that at the time. due to losing a great job and having a huge reduction in my salary my 16 who graduates in the spring will qualify for all her expenses to be paid thru financial aid at an instate college. she really wants to go to the nursing program at emory—i am talking her into at least doing the first nursin year here instate then trying for scholarships to emory…she actually has 1 1/2 years of college already done thru a program at her high school where she has taken college classes for the last 3 years. so she will start with that much done. being the top of her class will qualify her for a scholarship to receive a laptop free..so diligence for good grades pays off. im thinking if she does very well in her first nursing year at wcu in nc she will have a better chance of getting a scholarship at emory. i agree with earlier poster-there are lots of 2 year degrees, especially in the medical field, that pay very well and when you get a job a lot of employers in that field will tuition reimburse for higher degrees. i have read lately that lots of companies are stopping tuition reimbursment, but i think the medical field may be more stable in that. my daughter is my first to go to college so we are trying everything we can to make sure it happens.

By student deferred

December 5, 2008 8:08 AM | Link to this

I have had to change my plans to attend GSU this semester because the fees are so high. I was planning to take one class but the fees are almost as much as the cost of that one class. This increase devestates those who do not qualify for financial aid or HOPE.

By GaLiberal

December 5, 2008 8:23 AM | Link to this

First problem is that not everyone is college material. We have lowered the standards for college admission and added “soft” degree programs just so people can get a college degree. The schools are flooded with students increasing their operational costs and making college more expensive for everyone.

Second problem is the Rethuglicons completely destroyed the student financial aide programs that were once available. When I went to college, I qualified for grants and low and no interest loans. Now I have to take out a loan at almost 7% to pay for my son’s college. Because of MY income, he does not qualify for any loans or grants. Yet, he’s the one going to college not me. Even if he was independent, they would still use MY income for loan qualification. I paid for my education, so why am I forced to pay for his? This is on top of having to fund my retirement, housing, healthcare, and food and energy costs.

Third problem is the anti-tax whiners. They want their taxes cut so the state has less money to assist colleges with costs. This is just simply passed along to the students and, due to the above second problem, to their parents. So while you MAY get a few dollars tax reduction, you pay thousands more in college fees. It doesn’t take long for the college costs to offset any tax reaductions. People need to take the longer view of paying more a little more in taxes to save themselves several thousands later.

When you vote Rethuglicon, you vote against your own best interests. And increasing college costs are living proof.

By mystery poster

December 5, 2008 10:32 AM | Link to this

I know you don’t want to hear it, but even with the increase, college in still a bargain in GA. The costs for state schools are much less than they are elsewhere in the country.