The GFM to end all GFMs

beachyone15 · June 2015

I mean, I know we've all seen some eyeroll-worthy Go Fund Mes. But I have never seen anything like this...One of my FB friends shared a link for her friend who is asking for $38,000!!!!! to continue going to college in Boston (I think she's done a year or two). The whole description talks about how her family is "hard working people" yada yada yada but they can't afford it anymore. Yeah, I'm hard working too but I didn't beg randos on FB for tuition money.

Hmmm...should I have created a GFM for my mortgage? I mean, I'm hard working and all so I feel like I deserve it...

novella1186 · June 2015

Hard working people still manage to pay for their own shit.

Makes me think of my grandpa who worked all day at a car dealership, and then worked a 10-hour night shift at an airplane parts factory. He apparently slept about 4 hours a night, and did this for years. I count that as hard working for sure, and he never asked for a damn thing from anyone, and never felt entitled to things. Maybe that's why he ended up successful in life? Weird.

lovemesomemonster · June 2015

So... can I start one to pay off my student loans? Pretty sure that's OK if people can ask for it up front, I just wasn't as "smart" as this person apparently and took out loans instead of asking strangers for money.

banana468 · June 2015

So the concept of student loans hasn't occurred to her? Or perhaps community college??

But I guess if it's in Boston then she really deserves it...

beachyone15 · June 2015

lovemesomemonster said:

So... can I start one to pay off my student loans? Pretty sure that's OK if people can ask for it up front, I just wasn't as "smart" as this person apparently and took out loans instead of asking strangers for money.

Same here!

OliveOilsMom · June 2015

You can comment on GFMs, can you write on there that they should try out student loans? That's what they were created for! I also held down a job while going to school.

I still remember fondly, the summer before college started, my mom calling me on the phone and asking if I wanted the good news or the bad news first. I said the good news, she replied that she was able to pay for my first semester of college with my savings account. The bad news, was that was all the money and I had to get a second job. I only worked the two jobs for the summer and stayed with one during school. But the next summer, I was back to two, until my one boss was tired of sharing my work skills. He offered to match my salary at the other job and provide me with the same (and mostly more) hours.

beachyone15 · June 2015

OliveOilsMom said:

You can comment on GFMs, can you write on there that they should try out student loans? That's what they were created for! I also held down a job while going to school.
I still remember fondly, the summer before college started, my mom calling me on the phone and asking if I wanted the good news or the bad news first. I said the good news, she replied that she was able to pay for my first semester of college with my savings account. The bad news, was that was all the money and I had to get a second job. I only worked the two jobs for the summer and stayed with one during school. But the next summer, I was back to two, until my one boss was tired of sharing my work skills. He offered to match my salary at the other job and provide me with the same (and mostly more) hours.

I was very tempted! Even though student loans suck to have to pay off later, I'm thankful that I had them. Without them I wouldn't have been able to attend the university that I attended, which I am proud of.

thisismynickname2 · June 2015

I work in higher ed and know a lot of reasons why college is so expensive, so I have far more opinions on this than anyone will care to read right now.

If you can't fucking afford your fancy college:

Loans
Extra jobs
Go to community college first for all the gen eds and transfer to somewhere with a better academic reputation
Go to a local college, live at home
Take a personal finance course and figure out how to manage your own fucking money and figure out what this magical thing called "ROI" is.

I'll never understand why personal finance isn't a Gen Ed and required first year study.

banana468 · June 2015

thisismynickname said:

I work in higher ed and know a lot of reasons why college is so expensive, so I have far more opinions on this than anyone will care to read right now.

If you can't fucking afford your fancy college:
Loans
Extra jobs
Go to community college first for all the gen eds and transfer to somewhere with a better academic reputation
Go to a local college, live at home
Take a personal finance course and figure out how to manage your own fucking money and figure out what this magical thing called "ROI" is.
I'll never understand why personal finance isn't a Gen Ed and required first year study.

I love this. DH and I discuss college all the time - maybe because we're still in the "kids are young so how will we do this" stage. But we've concluded a few things:

1) You should think about your ability to be employed when picking a major.

2) The above needs to affect WHERE you attend college. If you want to major in Women's Studies then knock yourself out. But please don't cry about how you have low earning potential and a ton of student loans that you can't pay off from attending (insert fancy Boston area college here) and somehow there should be student loan forgiveness for you.

3) Not everyone needs to go to college -and frankly, we're in dire need of more plumbers and HVAC technicians who would benefit from learning a trade vs. being told "ALL KIDS SHOULD GET A COLLEGE EDUCATION" like you're less of a person if you didn't go to (insert fancy Boston area college here).

4) Kids need to stop feeling like their parents owe them a college education. I'm lucky that my parents paid for mine. DH was told that he was going to take as many loans as he could in his name. He chose our state university and an engineering degree. We were able to pay off the loans before we had our first child. We have friends out of college for 13 years still paying off loans. I just saw the episode of Parenthood where Adam decides he'll do what it takes to send Haddie to Cornell and I wanted to throw something at the TV for them not discussing the finances with her BEFORE SHE APPLIED!!

That's it. Rant over.

southernbelle0915 · June 2015

I saw one where this guy I went to undergrad with created a GFM to go to grad school "because lifelong learning is important. Um ok.. How about learning to invest in your own future?

This is the same guy who never worked during school (or after), majored in philosophy with no plans to actually do anything with it, and spent all his free time smoking so much pot I don't think I ever saw him not high. Yea sure, guy....here's $60,000 so you can do it all over again. Have fun!

thisismynickname2 · June 2015

banana468 said:

thisismynickname said:

I work in higher ed and know a lot of reasons why college is so expensive, so I have far more opinions on this than anyone will care to read right now.

If you can't fucking afford your fancy college:
Loans
Extra jobs
Go to community college first for all the gen eds and transfer to somewhere with a better academic reputation
Go to a local college, live at home
Take a personal finance course and figure out how to manage your own fucking money and figure out what this magical thing called "ROI" is.
I'll never understand why personal finance isn't a Gen Ed and required first year study.

I love this. DH and I discuss college all the time - maybe because we're still in the "kids are young so how will we do this" stage. But we've concluded a few things:

1) You should think about your ability to be employed when picking a major.
2) The above needs to affect WHERE you attend college. If you want to major in Women's Studies then knock yourself out. But please don't cry about how you have low earning potential and a ton of student loans that you can't pay off from attending (insert fancy Boston area college here) and somehow there should be student loan forgiveness for you.
3) Not everyone needs to go to college -and frankly, we're in dire need of more plumbers and HVAC technicians who would benefit from learning a trade vs. being told "ALL KIDS SHOULD GET A COLLEGE EDUCATION" like you're less of a person if you didn't go to (insert fancy Boston area college here).
4) Kids need to stop feeling like their parents owe them a college education. I'm lucky that my parents paid for mine. DH was told that he was going to take as many loans as he could in his name. He chose our state university and an engineering degree. We were able to pay off the loans before we had our first child. We have friends out of college for 13 years still paying off loans. I just saw the episode of Parenthood where Adam decides he'll do what it takes to send Haddie to Cornell and I wanted to throw something at the TV for them not discussing the finances with her BEFORE SHE APPLIED!!

That's it. Rant over.

QFT!!!

ChemFanatic25 · June 2015

thisismynickname said:

I work in higher ed and know a lot of reasons why college is so expensive, so I have far more opinions on this than anyone will care to read right now.

If you can't fucking afford your fancy college:
Loans
Extra jobs
Go to community college first for all the gen eds and transfer to somewhere with a better academic reputation
Go to a local college, live at home
Take a personal finance course and figure out how to manage your own fucking money and figure out what this magical thing called "ROI" is.
I'll never understand why personal finance isn't a Gen Ed and required first year study.

Boxes?

I did all but 2 of those things. I went to a community college my first two years. I worked two jobs - tutoring and at a lab though the money I saved up went towards me living off campus at my 4 year (because it was cheaper). I pulled out student loans (because realistically there was no way I was going to work a full time job and try to do well in the major I was in for the university I later attended). I lived at home the first year of CC though I did move out my second year because things were getting really bad at home and I wasn't able to mentally sustain living there anymore.

It sucks having student loans but honestly, I wouldn't have done it any other way. I loved the University I attend my last 2 years of college and I am proud of my CC. They had an amazing engineering program that really prepared us for the 4 year schools. I highly recommend it. Also, I have friends who are paying a lot in loans and will be doing so for the next 10 years. Due to sad circumstances that will not be happening for me. I plan to have my loans paid off in 2 years. It has worked out for me and I'm quite happy. I'd be embarrassed if I felt entitled enough to ask for money from other people who are most likely trying to put their own kids through college, pay for their own loans, etc.

VulgarGirl · June 2015

I'm gonna talk about a millennial who doesn't act like life should be handed to him on a silver platter. Cause I think peeps like miss "give me money I am special" are giving the rest of her peer group a bad name.

My dad always encouraged us to go to at least community college, and because he works there we can go for free. I did it while I was in high school, my younger brother went after he finished high school but after he got his AA decided school wasn't for him, and my youngest brother also started at community college while in high school. He finished the year after he graduated high school. And then he gets a job at Starbucks and Starbucks rolls out their "We'll pay for your tuition to ASU on-line".

So he's go another year to go before he gets his undergrad (I think...or maybe just a semester) and he hates his barista job. He's discovered this is not the right job for him. But, if he keeps it, they'll pay for college and he doesn't have to take out student loans or beg for money. He doesn't like it but he keeps going and counting down the days before he can quit.

See, sometimes we have to do shit we do not like to get the things we do like. Begging for money should not be a thing you do to get something you want. Working a job you hate, taking out loans, attending your non-dream school, these are all options. You might not like them. Tough shit. That's being an adult.

l9i · June 2015

My options... go to my hometown small, private university with tuition covered (parent works there) or take out loans and go wherever I choose. As much as I wanted to move away and have all those away from home experiences my friends had guess which option I picked? I wouldn't change a thing. DH choose a relatively close state university he could commute to while living at home, lower tuition and no room and board. We also both majored in areas with a great job demand.

So now while we have friends that between them have over 100k+ in loans (mostly mine that went to said private school) we are looking to have DHs loans paid off within 1 year of DH graduating.

I don't get how people don't consider these long term effects. Friends shelling out that 100k for psychology and now realizing they may need that masters but don't want to go back. Or another 50k for cultural studies and no job 2 years after the fact. I think sometimes our society is now shifted to "Do whatever makes you happy" versus "Do what you can make a living in".

abl13 · June 2015

My H and I are extremely lucky because both sets of our parents paid for our undergrads, and then our employers paid for our master's programs. I really feel like we have a significant advantage over others our age with student loans because the money we would have been spending paying them went to our retirement and savings accounts instead. If we have kids, I hope to do that for them too.

A lot of my friends are in situations where they majored in what they thought would be "fun" and not what would be a good paying job later on. Most have student loans from their first undergrad and are going back to school because they hate their careers. I do think it sucks because careers like teaching require an undergrad or master's and make it difficult to pay your loans off due to the low salary, but you have to think about that stuff first.

kvruns · June 2015

banana468 said:

thisismynickname said:

I work in higher ed and know a lot of reasons why college is so expensive, so I have far more opinions on this than anyone will care to read right now.

If you can't fucking afford your fancy college:
Loans
Extra jobs
Go to community college first for all the gen eds and transfer to somewhere with a better academic reputation
Go to a local college, live at home
Take a personal finance course and figure out how to manage your own fucking money and figure out what this magical thing called "ROI" is.
I'll never understand why personal finance isn't a Gen Ed and required first year study.

I love this. DH and I discuss college all the time - maybe because we're still in the "kids are young so how will we do this" stage. But we've concluded a few things:

1) You should think about your ability to be employed when picking a major.
2) The above needs to affect WHERE you attend college. If you want to major in Women's Studies then knock yourself out. But please don't cry about how you have low earning potential and a ton of student loans that you can't pay off from attending (insert fancy Boston area college here) and somehow there should be student loan forgiveness for you.
3) Not everyone needs to go to college -and frankly, we're in dire need of more plumbers and HVAC technicians who would benefit from learning a trade vs. being told "ALL KIDS SHOULD GET A COLLEGE EDUCATION" like you're less of a person if you didn't go to (insert fancy Boston area college here).
4) Kids need to stop feeling like their parents owe them a college education. I'm lucky that my parents paid for mine. DH was told that he was going to take as many loans as he could in his name. He chose our state university and an engineering degree. We were able to pay off the loans before we had our first child. We have friends out of college for 13 years still paying off loans. I just saw the episode of Parenthood where Adam decides he'll do what it takes to send Haddie to Cornell and I wanted to throw something at the TV for them not discussing the finances with her BEFORE SHE APPLIED!!

That's it. Rant over.

The bolded is a HUGE issue of mine in any sort of student loan debate. I still remember an article a few years ago about a girl who just had to go to NYU, took out a bunch of loans to afford it, graduated with an art degree and was working as a photographer assistant for like $10 an hour in SF (or some other expensive area) and was complaining she couldn't pay her loans and that somehow it was unfair she had them. Sigh

Cookie Pusher · June 2015

banana468 said:

thisismynickname said:

I work in higher ed and know a lot of reasons why college is so expensive, so I have far more opinions on this than anyone will care to read right now.

If you can't fucking afford your fancy college:
Loans
Extra jobs
Go to community college first for all the gen eds and transfer to somewhere with a better academic reputation
Go to a local college, live at home
Take a personal finance course and figure out how to manage your own fucking money and figure out what this magical thing called "ROI" is.
I'll never understand why personal finance isn't a Gen Ed and required first year study.

I love this. DH and I discuss college all the time - maybe because we're still in the "kids are young so how will we do this" stage. But we've concluded a few things:

1) You should think about your ability to be employed when picking a major.
2) The above needs to affect WHERE you attend college. If you want to major in Women's Studies then knock yourself out. But please don't cry about how you have low earning potential and a ton of student loans that you can't pay off from attending (insert fancy Boston area college here) and somehow there should be student loan forgiveness for you.
3) Not everyone needs to go to college -and frankly, we're in dire need of more plumbers and HVAC technicians who would benefit from learning a trade vs. being told "ALL KIDS SHOULD GET A COLLEGE EDUCATION" like you're less of a person if you didn't go to (insert fancy Boston area college here).
4) Kids need to stop feeling like their parents owe them a college education. I'm lucky that my parents paid for mine. DH was told that he was going to take as many loans as he could in his name. He chose our state university and an engineering degree. We were able to pay off the loans before we had our first child. We have friends out of college for 13 years still paying off loans. I just saw the episode of Parenthood where Adam decides he'll do what it takes to send Haddie to Cornell and I wanted to throw something at the TV for them not discussing the finances with her BEFORE SHE APPLIED!!

That's it. Rant over.

I fully stand behind the bolded. I went to a 4-year university and got my degree. I worked 3 jobs and took out 6k in loans to pay my tuition. My parents were able to help me my first year but it would have been unfair for me to expect them to foot the entire bill for MY education. I have a degree that I don't use, but it got me in the door with my current employer (they liked that I had an English degree since it's a publishing office but that I had sales and office management experience from other jobs - it allows them to move me around where extra help is needed).

However, if I could do it all over again, I'd have gone to trade school and learned to be a welder. There is a serious shortage of people qualified and skilled to do jobs like welding, HVAC repair, plumbing, electrical work, automotive work, etc. Good schools that specialize in these trades not only offer tons of money and tuition assistance, they have better job placement numbers than most colleges. And the earning potential is pretty high for many of those jobs.

PrettyGirlLost · June 2015

beachyone15 said:

I mean, I know we've all seen some eyeroll-worthy Go Fund Mes. But I have never seen anything like this...One of my FB friends shared a link for her friend who is asking for $38,000!!!!! to continue going to college in Boston (I think she's done a year or two). The whole description talks about how her family is "hard working people" yada yada yada but they can't afford it anymore. Yeah, I'm hard working too but I didn't beg randos on FB for tuition money.

Hmmm...should I have created a GFM for my mortgage? I mean, I'm hard working and all so I feel like I deserve it...

LRN2LOAN.

But yeah, rather than taking out a mortgage you shold have set up a GFM for the purchase of the house.

ETA: I do think college tuition is grossly over priced, especially if you look at the universities with the highest endowments in the country. And supposedly the student loan bubble is the next big financial meltdown brewing in the US. But taking out student loans might be the best option for some (most) people.

banana468 · June 2015

PrettyGirlLost said:

beachyone15 said:

I mean, I know we've all seen some eyeroll-worthy Go Fund Mes. But I have never seen anything like this...One of my FB friends shared a link for her friend who is asking for $38,000!!!!! to continue going to college in Boston (I think she's done a year or two). The whole description talks about how her family is "hard working people" yada yada yada but they can't afford it anymore. Yeah, I'm hard working too but I didn't beg randos on FB for tuition money.

Hmmm...should I have created a GFM for my mortgage? I mean, I'm hard working and all so I feel like I deserve it...

LRN2LOAN.

But yeah, rather than taking out a mortgage you shold have set up a GFM for the purchase of the house.

ETA: I do think college tuition is grossly over priced, especially if you look at the universities with the highest endowments in the country. And supposedly the student loan bubble is the next big financial meltdown brewing in the US. But taking out student loans might be the best option for some (most) people.

I hope they are. In any other loan-taking agenda you need to show promise that you'll pay it back. It's too easy to take out a ton of student loans without showing that you have a plan to earn the income required to start paying them.

That should be the required process before you apply to college and before you fill out the FAFSA.

Regarding trades, my FIL works in an industry where they can't find people to do the job required. They need to be certified to do what they do and it's in an area of the state where more and more people are college educated and working in NYC.

peachy13 · June 2015

banana468 said:

PrettyGirlLost said:

beachyone15 said:

I mean, I know we've all seen some eyeroll-worthy Go Fund Mes. But I have never seen anything like this...One of my FB friends shared a link for her friend who is asking for $38,000!!!!! to continue going to college in Boston (I think she's done a year or two). The whole description talks about how her family is "hard working people" yada yada yada but they can't afford it anymore. Yeah, I'm hard working too but I didn't beg randos on FB for tuition money.

Hmmm...should I have created a GFM for my mortgage? I mean, I'm hard working and all so I feel like I deserve it...

LRN2LOAN.

But yeah, rather than taking out a mortgage you shold have set up a GFM for the purchase of the house.

ETA: I do think college tuition is grossly over priced, especially if you look at the universities with the highest endowments in the country. And supposedly the student loan bubble is the next big financial meltdown brewing in the US. But taking out student loans might be the best option for some (most) people.

I hope they are. In any other loan-taking agenda you need to show promise that you'll pay it back. It's too easy to take out a ton of student loans without showing that you have a plan to earn the income required to start paying them.

That should be the required process before you apply to college and before you fill out the FAFSA.

Regarding trades, my FIL works in an industry where they can't find people to do the job required. They need to be certified to do what they do and it's in an area of the state where more and more people are college educated and working in NYC.

Just to go off this, I went to a 4 year school, graduated, and just finished off paying my student loans 7 years later. I have no use for my degree in my current job, and I make okay money. I could be totally wrong, but I have a sense that a lot of people took a similar journey post high school.

My whole high school experience, teachers were forcing higher ed down our throats. One teacher used to say things to the trouble-makers like "hey keep acting up and you'll be scrubbing toilets" like being a janitor or plumber was the worst thing ever. English classes were devoted to writing the perfect college essay. Every class was gearing us up to take the SATs. They gave out personal days to students only if they were using the day to visit a school (and had to show proof). They even used to have this list right outside the main office of every soon-to-be-graduate and under each student's name was the college they had chosen.

So what about the kids who decided not to go to college? I can't speak for all of them, but my FI, who I graduated HS with, was one of them. So were half of his buddies. And I can speak for them that they've been happily working their butts off doing something they actually like, making more than most college grads, and living in their own purchased homes for the past 11 years. A good trade will always be needed. I wish the teachers in high school would have respected that and would have let us know that not going to college wasn't going to ruin our life. I mean obviously in an education setting, the teachers will always want their students to keep learning, but it just seemed like the majority of my class (and possibly my generation) went to college just because they didn't know there was another option. I fear the day when my town has 2 plumbers and 2,500 psychology majors.

banana468 · June 2015

peachy13 said:

banana468 said:

PrettyGirlLost said:

beachyone15 said:

I mean, I know we've all seen some eyeroll-worthy Go Fund Mes. But I have never seen anything like this...One of my FB friends shared a link for her friend who is asking for $38,000!!!!! to continue going to college in Boston (I think she's done a year or two). The whole description talks about how her family is "hard working people" yada yada yada but they can't afford it anymore. Yeah, I'm hard working too but I didn't beg randos on FB for tuition money.

Hmmm...should I have created a GFM for my mortgage? I mean, I'm hard working and all so I feel like I deserve it...

LRN2LOAN.

But yeah, rather than taking out a mortgage you shold have set up a GFM for the purchase of the house.

ETA: I do think college tuition is grossly over priced, especially if you look at the universities with the highest endowments in the country. And supposedly the student loan bubble is the next big financial meltdown brewing in the US. But taking out student loans might be the best option for some (most) people.

I hope they are. In any other loan-taking agenda you need to show promise that you'll pay it back. It's too easy to take out a ton of student loans without showing that you have a plan to earn the income required to start paying them.

That should be the required process before you apply to college and before you fill out the FAFSA.

Regarding trades, my FIL works in an industry where they can't find people to do the job required. They need to be certified to do what they do and it's in an area of the state where more and more people are college educated and working in NYC.

Just to go off this, I went to a 4 year school, graduated, and just finished off paying my student loans 7 years later. I have no use for my degree in my current job, and I make okay money. I could be totally wrong, but I have a sense that a lot of people took a similar journey post high school.

My whole high school experience, teachers were forcing higher ed down our throats. One teacher used to say things to the trouble-makers like "hey keep acting up and you'll be scrubbing toilets" like being a janitor or plumber was the worst thing ever. English classes were devoted to writing the perfect college essay. Every class was gearing us up to take the SATs. They gave out personal days to students only if they were using the day to visit a school (and had to show proof). They even used to have this list right outside the main office of every soon-to-be-graduate and under each student's name was the college they had chosen.

So what about the kids who decided not to go to college? I can't speak for all of them, but my FI, who I graduated HS with, was one of them. So were half of his buddies. And I can speak for them that they've been happily working their butts off doing something they actually like, making more than most college grads, and living in their own purchased homes for the past 11 years. A good trade will always be needed. I wish the teachers in high school would have respected that and would have let us know that not going to college wasn't going to ruin our life. I mean obviously in an education setting, the teachers will always want their students to keep learning, but it just seemed like the majority of my class (and possibly my generation) went to college just because they didn't know there was another option. I fear the day when my town has 2 plumbers and 2,500 psychology majors.

Word. And I graduated with a degree in psychology! It did help prepare me for the working world (and my focus was IO psych vs. clinical) but I could do my job without a college degree.

DH is a mechanical engineer but I can tell you that if he didn't know how to fix things around the house we'd be up shit's creek. And I mean that quite literally since the pipe carrying waste water from our toilet rotted out two weeks ago and he was able to fix it. There are a ton of people we know with NO CLUE how to do those things.

It's a shame that the technical HS is going the way of the dodo bird.

novella1186 · June 2015

peachy13 said:

banana468 said:

PrettyGirlLost said:

beachyone15 said:

I mean, I know we've all seen some eyeroll-worthy Go Fund Mes. But I have never seen anything like this...One of my FB friends shared a link for her friend who is asking for $38,000!!!!! to continue going to college in Boston (I think she's done a year or two). The whole description talks about how her family is "hard working people" yada yada yada but they can't afford it anymore. Yeah, I'm hard working too but I didn't beg randos on FB for tuition money.

Hmmm...should I have created a GFM for my mortgage? I mean, I'm hard working and all so I feel like I deserve it...

LRN2LOAN.

But yeah, rather than taking out a mortgage you shold have set up a GFM for the purchase of the house.

ETA: I do think college tuition is grossly over priced, especially if you look at the universities with the highest endowments in the country. And supposedly the student loan bubble is the next big financial meltdown brewing in the US. But taking out student loans might be the best option for some (most) people.

I hope they are. In any other loan-taking agenda you need to show promise that you'll pay it back. It's too easy to take out a ton of student loans without showing that you have a plan to earn the income required to start paying them.

That should be the required process before you apply to college and before you fill out the FAFSA.

Regarding trades, my FIL works in an industry where they can't find people to do the job required. They need to be certified to do what they do and it's in an area of the state where more and more people are college educated and working in NYC.

Just to go off this, I went to a 4 year school, graduated, and just finished off paying my student loans 7 years later. I have no use for my degree in my current job, and I make okay money. I could be totally wrong, but I have a sense that a lot of people took a similar journey post high school.

My whole high school experience, teachers were forcing higher ed down our throats. One teacher used to say things to the trouble-makers like "hey keep acting up and you'll be scrubbing toilets" like being a janitor or plumber was the worst thing ever. English classes were devoted to writing the perfect college essay. Every class was gearing us up to take the SATs. They gave out personal days to students only if they were using the day to visit a school (and had to show proof). They even used to have this list right outside the main office of every soon-to-be-graduate and under each student's name was the college they had chosen.

So what about the kids who decided not to go to college? I can't speak for all of them, but my FI, who I graduated HS with, was one of them. So were half of his buddies. And I can speak for them that they've been happily working their butts off doing something they actually like, making more than most college grads, and living in their own purchased homes for the past 11 years. A good trade will always be needed. I wish the teachers in high school would have respected that and would have let us know that not going to college wasn't going to ruin our life. I mean obviously in an education setting, the teachers will always want their students to keep learning, but it just seemed like the majority of my class (and possibly my generation) went to college just because they didn't know there was another option. I fear the day when my town has 2 plumbers and 2,500 psychology majors.

Ugh YES! It always annoys me when teachers push the college thing so hard. It's not for everyone. I had a lot of friends who went to college for 1 semester, only because they thought they were "supposed to", like there were no other options, and then they dropped out as soon as they figured out it wasn't for them.

One of those people went to cosmetology school and now owns her own hair salon. One of them owns his own [booming] home repair business. One of them became a certified electrician. A couple of them make 6 figures working for a steel mill. None of them have the thousands and thousands of dollars of student loan debts that I have, yet they make plenty of money to support themselves, are successful at what they do, and like what they do.

I seriously wish high school teachers would make students aware of things like trade school and all the other great alternatives out there, because I think it's a huge disservice to kids to make them believe their options are either college or doom.

thisismynickname2 · June 2015

I completely agree that college is forced upon many of us because the trades are looked down upon, and that's such bullshit. My dad owned his own small business for years after apprenticing in a trade.

I also think financial management is sorely lacking in high school and college. I think of my best friend, whom I met at my inexpensive state school, who's a teacher. Her parents paid for her education but even if they hadn't, it was a cheap school, so loans for most people I know are merely $5k to maybe $20k, tops.

Well, she works side by side with a teacher, same age, living with her husband and two kids in her parents' basement, because their loans are sky-high. This teacher went to Big Ten expensive school, and not only borrowed tuition, but put her living expenses and sorority dues on a credit card.

AUGHHH. So not only did her "better" school get her to the exact same position as my friend who went to a regular-Joe school, she was a total idiot and is pretty much never going to have her own place. Unless one of their parents' dies and bequeaths them a house or something.

Seriously, all I know about financial management I was taught by my dad (and I'd like to think I have some common sense). We have got to teach young people how to manage money!!

novella1186 · June 2015

thisismynickname said:

I completely agree that college is forced upon many of us because the trades are looked down upon, and that's such bullshit. My dad owned his own small business for years after apprenticing in a trade.

I also think financial management is sorely lacking in high school and college. I think of my best friend, whom I met at my inexpensive state school, who's a teacher. Her parents paid for her education but even if they hadn't, it was a cheap school, so loans for most people I know are merely $5k to maybe $20k, tops.
Well, she works side by side with a teacher, same age, living with her husband and two kids in her parents' basement, because their loans are sky-high. This teacher went to Big Ten expensive school, and not only borrowed tuition, but put her living expenses and sorority dues on a credit card.
AUGHHH. So not only did her "better" school get her to the exact same position as my friend who went to a regular-Joe school, she was a total idiot and is pretty much never going to have her own place. Unless one of their parents' dies and bequeaths them a house or something.
Seriously, all I know about financial management I was taught by my dad (and I'd like to think I have some common sense). We have got to teach young people how to manage money!!

And then maybe there wouldn't be so many damn GFMs!!! See look at that, we circled back around to the topic

peachy13 · June 2015

thisismynickname said:

I completely agree that college is forced upon many of us because the trades are looked down upon, and that's such bullshit. My dad owned his own small business for years after apprenticing in a trade.

I also think financial management is sorely lacking in high school and college. I think of my best friend, whom I met at my inexpensive state school, who's a teacher. Her parents paid for her education but even if they hadn't, it was a cheap school, so loans for most people I know are merely $5k to maybe $20k, tops.
Well, she works side by side with a teacher, same age, living with her husband and two kids in her parents' basement, because their loans are sky-high. This teacher went to Big Ten expensive school, and not only borrowed tuition, but put her living expenses and sorority dues on a credit card.
AUGHHH. So not only did her "better" school get her to the exact same position as my friend who went to a regular-Joe school, she was a total idiot and is pretty much never going to have her own place. Unless one of their parents' dies and bequeaths them a house or something.
Seriously, all I know about financial management I was taught by my dad (and I'd like to think I have some common sense). We have got to teach young people how to manage money!!

Full oatmeal comic: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/senior_year

lovesclimbing · June 2015

I know I posted about this before, but I have an acquaintance who posted a GFM for her college education.

She went to a non-accredited school, so she wasn't eligible for any scholarships except a couple offered through the school, and she couldn't get financial aid.

It was so stupid. I rolled my eyes hard. If you can't afford school on your own (and being non accredited, it was pretty cheap), go to a school where you can actually get financial aid!!

[Deleted User] · June 2015

Just saw an acquaintance post a GFM for her boyfriend on facebook. He is finishing up his degree but "needs" $1500 for a course to get a real estate license.

His page goes on and on about how he is a veteran, and the GI bill doesn't cover it since it isn't towards a degree..and he is "just" a server because it has a flexible schedule.. Oh and has bills and owes child support. He says he can barely pay his bills now... Wouldn't that be your cue to find a better paying job or pick up another one? There are plenty of jobs where we live

It is full of horrible grammar and misspelled words, which just makes me snark on it more.

Chipmunk415 · June 2015

I was fortunate in school- my folks socked away money to pay for my education, but the agreement was if I saved any money for them via scholarships and cheap living, the money could go towards grad school or I could receive a lump sum.

I went to undergraduate at a state school on a full tuition scholarship and lived in the cheapest dorms. Law school still ended up being pricey, but was still less expensive than a lot of places as it was a state school and not in one of the biggest cities. The trade off for graduating without any debt was my parents right to give input into where I lived and what courses I took beyond the base requirements. There were several occasions where I wished I had gone with loans just to keep their noses out of my education, but it was the consequence of the choice I made, and I accepted that.

I am now buying my first home. Dh and I are getting a loan, picked a home and payment we could afford, and will not be asking anyone for any support. This was our decision and ww will deal with our consequences. Maybe I should start a gfm for redoing the carpets, haa!

loveislouder · June 2015

While I agree that GFMs for education are lame, I just want to throw out there that I didn't qualify for student loans because my dad made too much money and they expected that he'd be able to give me approximately $23,000.00 to contribute towards my education PER YEAR. What they don't take into account is that he had 3 other kids also in school, a house, bills, etc. That being said, I never turned to GFM. I worked my ass off, got scholarships and in the end, was sponsored for what was left of my tuition by a continuing education foundation.

banana468 · June 2015

loveislouder said:
While I agree that GFMs for education are lame, I just want to throw out there that I didn't qualify for student loans because my dad made too much money and they expected that he'd be able to give me approximately $23,000.00 to contribute towards my education PER YEAR. What they don't take into account is that he had 3 other kids also in school, a house, bills, etc.

That being said, I never turned to GFM. I worked my ass off, got scholarships and in the end, was sponsored for what was left of my tuition by a continuing education foundation.

Really? DH still got loans despite my FIL making a lot. He had to apply though.

PrettyGirlLost · June 2015

banana468 said:

PrettyGirlLost said:

beachyone15 said:

I mean, I know we've all seen some eyeroll-worthy Go Fund Mes. But I have never seen anything like this...One of my FB friends shared a link for her friend who is asking for $38,000!!!!! to continue going to college in Boston (I think she's done a year or two). The whole description talks about how her family is "hard working people" yada yada yada but they can't afford it anymore. Yeah, I'm hard working too but I didn't beg randos on FB for tuition money.

Hmmm...should I have created a GFM for my mortgage? I mean, I'm hard working and all so I feel like I deserve it...

LRN2LOAN.

But yeah, rather than taking out a mortgage you shold have set up a GFM for the purchase of the house.

ETA: I do think college tuition is grossly over priced, especially if you look at the universities with the highest endowments in the country. And supposedly the student loan bubble is the next big financial meltdown brewing in the US. But taking out student loans might be the best option for some (most) people.

I hope they are. In any other loan-taking agenda you need to show promise that you'll pay it back. It's too easy to take out a ton of student loans without showing that you have a plan to earn the income required to start paying them.

That should be the required process before you apply to college and before you fill out the FAFSA.

Regarding trades, my FIL works in an industry where they can't find people to do the job required. They need to be certified to do what they do and it's in an area of the state where more and more people are college educated and working in NYC.

As a student applying for the loan, you are not required to prove you have any plan towards paying them back. That's the main reason tuition is skyrocketing. Higher Ed knows they can keep jacking up the tuition rates, and that the lending industry will keep approving those loans. It's why the student loan debt bubble is the next financial crisis.

And how would a student applying for a loan even show they have a plan to pay it back? They can't prove they are going to have employment, nor what kind and at what salary, 4 years prior to graduation.

Tuition rates are so high, even state schools now, I don't know how anyone who doesn't have a trust fund can possibly afford college w/o tking out a loan.

The GFM to end all GFMs

Re: The GFM to end all GFMs

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