College tuition question

[angelmav]

I'll have to address some of these wonderful comments tomorrow.

Can you please link the news story for your fake raffle?

 

[Marionnette]

I'll have to address some of these wonderful comments tomorrow.

However,

Fact: I am incredibly blessed with 5 great, happy, healthy kids...who have good character, are kind and bright. I do mention my blessings often, but try not to be too braggy about how great they are.
DS 18: was made Drum Major as sophmore, was in local band that opened at some cool venues for groups like Blues Travelers, etc.; Straight A student, won first place in central Carolina Math Fair as 3rd grader competing with 5th graders, earned end of year grade level "Citizenship Award" every year except one; took SAT in 7th grade with scores high enough to get into good college then. This past year officer in National Honor Society, Valendictorian because YES our county still carries on this tradition at all high schools, holds school record for AP grades in a few classes, has his first girl friend, never a day he does not say he loves me, hugs me and is smiling.
DS 17: football player, offensive lineman, made all county, all region and all district....rare for lineman., oh and all-academic athletic award also. On Dream Team, counselor at SASI camp(chosen as student athlete with good grades and leadership), super kind and aware of others all the time, ready to help without being asked, great grades, working hard to be able to get into good college and hopefully play football. Has tons of fun and loves his little sister.
DS 15: straight A's, named new Drum Major after tryouts of 7 kids. Won 3rd place in talent show for stand-up comedy. Good, kind, helpful kid who always makes others feel welcome. and so much more....
DD13 & DD 10 - great girls!!! Happy kids, great grades, good manners, kind and fair, outgoing, great singers and younger has a knack for theater.
Just to mention a bit of the reason I wake up each morning and thank the Lord many times during the day. At the same time, the reason I feel guilty and a failure for allowing there circumstances of life, keeping them for some things. They are such great kids, never complain and probably will turn out better because of it all.

Fact: DS(17) has been told by employers that someone who has their own car will get hired before he does. Its a matter of being reliable and able to get to work.

Fact: American Girl was not given, as in FREE. Way back when (2003/04) I was looking for a specific American Girl of Today (the look alike kind). They were sold out on website and a fellow Dis'er found one in NYC. She offered to pick it up and ship it to me. I paid her via paypal, shipping and all. She was an "angel for helping me" and more truly "one of Santa's elf because DD only Santa wish and gift was this doll".
SO MOST OF YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.

Fact: I purchased Samantha and Friend AG dolls together at a discounted price. I was planning on saving the friend doll for DD's September birthday. However when money was tight I offered to sell it to an awesome mom (Dis'er met here, lives states away) She was wanting it for a First Communion gift, and the doll came with cross necklace! These dolls were discontinued a few months earlier. I certainly could have sold doll for a profit, but instead "paid it forward" by sending her the AG invoice and didn't charge her for shipping. Another time she visited the AG annual sale and many times have offered to get things for my girls. A good friendship started.
SO AGAIN, THE SELLING OF DOLL, NOT EXACTLY WHAT Y'ALL WERE THINKING

MOST important FACT: Graduating DS has no idea of the worries I have over paying for his college stuff, no idea that I wonder how earning a scholarship can take away previously offered funding, etc. All he knows is how proud we are of him. How sooo many of his former teachers are proud of him. And, as of today's mail.....he has earned 40 credit hours during his high school years, so this great news almost starts him at the Sophmore level. He is gifted, not like many other kids. And I try not to sound too braggy on here because that certainly would open a whole other thread of how I am perceived.
SO AGAIN, ACCUSED OF SOMETHING THAT IS JUST NOT TRUE.

I do know that many, many people out there are struggling too. The economy sucks and in our area a recovery is quite far in distance.

Okay, gotta go. Boys waiting patiently for their computer time and I have to work kinda early.

Thanks to all who have continued to offer kinds words, advice, and understanding. May God Bless you.
To others, maybe looking at things a bit differently and you will see that I am not a swindler, just a crazy mixed up mom of 5 kids that is doing the best I can (but not quite good enough for y'all)

May we all share in God's blessing and live long, happy, healthy, and even prosperous lives.

The rule! People, remember the rule!

Fact: You are indeed truly blessed by your children. You should be proud of them but do not have to share that pride with internet strangers who don't know them.

Fact: It is illegal for an employer to ask a prospective employee whether they have a car or not unless the vehicle is necessary in the performance of the job (such as a newspaper deliverer).

Fact: You thanked the disboard angels in a post dated 02-23-2009. If you were thanking the person who found that AG doll and mailed it to you, you were thanking her about 4 years too late.

Fact: You posted a question here about where to sell an unused, still in the box AG doll that had been given to your child. The doll was a duplicate of one that your daughter already had. You deleted that post but not before a few of us saw it and told you to return it to the gift-giver. You then went on to begin a new thread about "trading" that same doll for the one that she wanted.

Most important fact: You son is a bright kid. Believe me, he knows. And he may even read what you post on the disboards. Imagine how he must feel when he sees this stuff.

 

[RitaE]

Fact: My kids might be a dunderheads, but even he understands how much college costs and how much we've had to do in order to pay it. In FACT: he's been involved in his college savings accounts since about 5th grade.

At what college is 40 credit hours earned still a Freshman?

 

[Green Tea]

If he earned 40 hours during high school, that is wonderful. He will certainly be able to graduate early; probably in 2.5 yeas. That saves a TON of money.

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

Fact: My kids might be a dunderheads, but even he understands how much college costs and how much we've had to do in order to pay it. In FACT: he's been involved in his college savings accounts since about 5th grade.

At what college is 40 credit hours earned still a Freshman?

Right? At every college I know 30 credits makes you a Sophmore.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Right? At every college I know 30 credits makes you a Sophmore.

DD went into college with 30 credits. While she is considered a Senior (junior year in college) it is only on paper with the credits, in reality she is and will be a junior because of all the required classes that are needed for her degree. It allowed her to take an easier class load and concentrate on the intense classes and she does not have to take a summer class or two, but it won't allow her to graduate early. Nor does she want to at this time.

She will have a double minor though, because to be able to be on the deans list you need a certain amount of credits each semester.

OP's son is definitely sitting in a great position and should be breathing a little easier. He put himself in a great place to be.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

The OP should realize that it is very possible that her son knows she is posting about him. Remember she gave the computer to her kids the other night after posting. (so her history is still there and well kids are nosy, kind of like middle-aged woman)

Also, OP if your son played in a band that was working in the area at one time, (you posted he was), he would have needed that Sax. I have a wonderful friend who's housemate and son are in bands that actually get gigs. Trust me, each member needed the instrument that were playing. IF you were by chance renting it at that time, why can you not rent if for college also. I would have really thought he already owned his instrument since you were not having financial problems when he started. I could be way off, but from reading your posts, that is the impression I have.

 

[EMAW_KSU]

Right? At every college I know 30 credits makes you a Sophmore.

Most engineering degrees require more than 30 credits per year but not 40.

 

[disykat]

At what college is 40 credit hours earned still a Freshman?

At entry, I'm guessing every college. When you go into a school with AP credits, you go in as a Freshman and then become your new class standing AFTER the start of the year. My son went in as a Freshman and became a Junior. In that way, AP credits are not the same as transfer credits. You matriculate as a Freshman.

While many AP students are able to graduate early, some majors require extensive sequencial coursework - extending the number of terms necessary to obtain that degree.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

The OP should realize that it is very possible that her son knows she is posting about him. Remember she gave the computer to her kids the other night after posting. (so her history is still there and well kids are nosy, kind of like middle-aged woman)

Also, OP if your son played in a band that was working in the area at one time, (you posted he was), he would have needed that Sax. I have a wonderful friend who's housemate and son are in bands that actually get gigs. Trust me, each member needed the instrument that were playing. IF you were by chance renting it at that time, why can you not rent if for college also. I would have really thought he already owned his instrument since you were not having financial problems when he started. I could be way off, but from reading your posts, that is the impression I have.

True. Ds12 plays the sax in his school band. He's been playing since 4th grade, going into 7th in the fall. We've been paying $37/month (rent to own) since he started. We have 8 payments left and it's his forever. I don't know how long a sax lasts but if he ever wants a new or upgraded one, he needs to get a job, cut lawns, shovel snow, etc to get his own.

I don't feel obligated to give my kids every single thing they want.

 

[ilovemk76]

FACT: You still have cable for four years after you stopped paying on your CCs.

FACT: You still have cable yet cannot buy a pair of sneakers.

FACT: Your son is the best in his class and the drum major but he can't earn any money.

 

[Eastern]

Tough crowd

 

[duffy]

I don't feel obligated to give my kids every single thing they want.

But...but...but what if they're GOOD KIDS????

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

But...but...but what if they're GOOD KIDS????

Ah, well in that case, I should give them anything & everything!
We should get ds15 a new Beamer for graduation. I'll have to start looking into that. To make that year's cruise extra special, we should get the Walt Disney suite. That's only around $20k for the week but really, it's a special occasion to celebrate & we don't cruise like that all the time so it's ok.

Does anyone want my palpay info? He's such a good boy; deserves nothing but the best.

I love the Disboards. You're all to me.

 

[JB2K]

The OP should realize that it is very possible that her son knows she is posting about him. Remember she gave the computer to her kids the other night after posting. (so her history is still there and well kids are nosy, kind of like middle-aged woman)

Indeed.

I get the impression that OP isn't really what one calls "computer-savvy" to begin-with, since instead of using Google (or whatever search engine she prefers), she always poses fairly simple questions to the BB (and makes mention of something she needs). Maybe it's part of her M.O. (as whether or not that's her true intention, the posts certainly do appear "fishy" nine times out of 10).

Also, OP, if you are reading this post and you still think your kids have no idea of you/your husband's true financial situation, you need to come clean with them ASAP -- chances are they already know (as you have left a lot of information on your many posts at this website and the dots can be very easily connected as to what's going-on with you -- not to mention that little thing on your web browser called "History"). You've left "bread crumbs" all over your computer, and the open internet, in general.

In keeping with the "Budget" theme, here's an idea for your son, OP -- he's obviously a smart kid. Smart-enough to get him some scholarships into college, which is nothing to look-down at/everything to be proud of. If your son needs to raise the extra cash that you and hubby can't, why not have him tutor those high school/college students who simply "don't get it". I know in my own academic career, I would have done anything to get a reliable math tutor, as advanced math is my one big weaknees. He could do way better financially than those students having to work at McDonald's after hours to fund their dorm rent/incidentals.

Also, someone on the BB made mention that your husband was in the textiles industry, of which his job loss caused your near-catastrophic financial situation. I did some reading about the textiles industry in NC -- even though you may not think so, your family is among "the lucky ones". Those poor souls working for $8-$9 an hour who were laid-off didn't get severance pay, or anything else for that matter. Perhaps if your son knew the truth about how things are going (he's obviously no dummy), he could use those academic talents to help put himself through school. There is certainly no shame in a child working their way through school -- many of us have been there/done that...

 

[carebee21]

MOST important FACT: Graduating DS has no idea of the worries I have over paying for his college stuff, no idea that I wonder how earning a scholarship can take away previously offered funding, etc.

You have got to be kidding me. So your son is so bright and so smart, but he has no idea that you're worried about paying for items for college?

There is NO way that he hasn't noticed a huge cut back in spending due to the loss of income and credit cards in your household. There is no way that he hasn't noticed that you're working two jobs and not figured out that it's because your family needs the money. And there's no way that he's wearing old shoes that need to be replaced and not realized the reason they haven't been replaced is because of a lack of money. And once he's realized this, he knows that college is going to put some sort of strain on you.

The only way I buy the story that he doesn't know you're worried about his college expenses is if he either had, or was lead to believe he had, some sort of account or money for college.

 

[DisneyPolve]

This thread is far more entertaining than summer re-runs...excluding Big Bang Theory...of course!

 

[allison443]

MOST important FACT: Graduating DS has no idea of the worries I have over paying for his college stuff, no idea that I wonder how earning a scholarship can take away previously offered funding, etc.

See the bolded is what I think a lot of people find hard to believe. Even a cursory amount of research into financial aid will tell you the above. Since your kid obviously needs a lot of financial aid, and you have a few kids at or near college age, I would think you and your dh would have researched this, asked questions, etc.

You're in NC-is he going to one of the state universities? I'm willing to bet that a school like NC state or UNC will have the information listed about outside scholarships reducing financial aid awards in the FAQ on the financial aid section of their website. I think most schools do. Did you read the website?

If your kid needs financial aid, it's certainly worth putting the time into researching it so you know what the situation is.

 

[sunshinehighway]

This thread is far more entertaining than summer re-runs...excluding Big Bang Theory...of course!

It depends on the episode. The Shel-bot one was just on again so I decided to read this thread.

What I don't get is how she was paying for those things before the unexpected scholarships? Wouldn't the fact that they were unexpected mean she wasn't counting on them and had a plan to pay for shoes and instruments or whatever before she found out about them?

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

This thread is far more entertaining than summer re-runs...excluding Big Bang Theory...of course!

The kids bought season 1 for DH and gave it today for his birthday. We are on episode 1!!! Love BBT!