helping our DD19 pay her college expenses, but it is killing us ... I know she should have gone to CC ...
I totally understand the idea of wanting to give your child the college experience he or she wants, but when the cost is "killing you" and a less-expensive option exists, it's crazy not to take it.
I always thought scholarships were locked into place before you started at a College, not after.
Completely false! Every scholarship is different /rules are set by the benefactors. Some scholarships are good for 4 years -- as long as you keep up your grades. Some are only for freshman year, while others are good for two years. Some aren't available until the student reaches junior year. You have to read the fine print for each and every one.
They also made it clear that you likely will be expected to contribute about 25% of your gross income towards your child's college costs ...
Not to be argumentative, but the people who administer college costs know you've had this kid for 18 years, and they assume you've been saving for 18 years. If you're cash-flowing it from your current income, yeah, it's going to be difficult.
This just seems like poor planning. When attending CC with the anticipation to switch to a traditional 4 year university then they should have carefully reviewed what and how the credits transfer. This isn't rocket science. I have also seen some students take a core class at a community college over the summer, especially if it is an area they aren't strong at, like a math class that may prove more challenging at the traditional 4 year.
My youngest opted to start at community college (more because she wasn't ready to leave home), and while she had a great experience, she didn't get a bit of guidance from the community college about what classes to take or how they'd transfer to a 4-year school.
I helped her plan, so she chose classes efficiently, but most of her friends just kinda signed up for classes and hoped it'd all work out -- few finished in two years, and most ended up with some classes that counted only as electives at the university level.
Her poor roommate came from a different community college, and she clearly had no guidance. She was at the community college for four years, and she will be at the university for three years -- but she's very much NOT a planner. She signs up for classes that sound interesting /teachers she likes -- and she doesn't reference the course of study that leads to graduation on a regular basis. She doesn't have much parental support, so I try to help her, but she's satisfied with what she's doing. Not my biz.
I'm absolutely a fan of the community college, but they really need to step up their guidance game.
Yes to one thing you said: I sometimes advise my high school seniors to take their most-dreaded class at the community college; they never "get" why it's a good idea. The credit transfers to the university, but your grade does not. So say you're a good student, but Chemistry is your nemesis. Take Chemistry at the community college -- your 3-4 credit hours transfer, but it doesn't affect your GPA. A C is as good as an A+. Especially good advice if you're trying to maintain a certain GPA to keep a scholarship.
Next year she will be in an apartment to herself which is significantly cheaper.
I know people say that, but for both of my children an apartment turned out to be WAY more expensive: paying rent year-round, renting a truck to haul cast-off family furniture up to the school. I calculated that her apartment (not a fancy place at all) is costing us more than 40% more than the dorm.
Of course, she has more space.
And her food expenses are lower.
Know what though? She misses the dorm. She misses living in the middle of the action /misses all the on-campus events, and misses being able to walk everyone on campus in minutes. Doesn't matter though: she didn't make lottery, so it was not a choice.
Her roommate is really screwed: She has to stay an extra semester, so she's going to have to sign a one-year lease ... but she'll graduate in December. When my older daughter graduated and wanted to sub-let her apartment /avoid continuing to pay the lease, we ended up negotiating to pay only 50% of the rent -- it's a tough thing to sub-let in a college town.
So, there's about $48-$50K left to get her through the last 3 years ...
I understand not wanting to take out loans, although I do second the poster who mentioned considering having your daughter take out the kid specific ones that don't require a co-sign from you ...
Be SURE she's going to finish in three more years. So many students don't -- good planning makes all the difference in the world.
Does she live on campus? If so, she can be an RA at a dorm.
I did this, and it was a lifesaver for this poor kid.
"Back in the day", being an RA gave me a free (private) dorm room, 50% of my in-state tuition paid, 50% of my meal plan paid, and a paid phone in my room (pre-cell phones).
Last year I saw a sign about RA jobs in my daughter's dorm lobby, and it seems to me that (although her university pays cash, not free stuff like my RA job), it is about the same total amount today.