Ragoo said:

---

Living at home would have sucked. In fact I think the experience living on campus is well worth 10k.

---

I didn't live at home either but I was a 21 year old veteran. Either way though we're talking about the cost and ways to mitigate it, not how to maximize your experience budget be damned. The point in all of that his there are ways to control cost beyond just writing checks and killing yourself to cover it all. When room and board is 40% of the projected cost that's an area you have to look at.

We're only talking about it for his freshman year then I'll buy or build a house/duplex and let the tenants cover it.

Guitarsoup said:

---

My kids will be class of 35 and 37

---

Yeah that's a long ways into the future. Still the basic approach isn't going to change. You're still going to already be paying for their travel and personal expenses most likely, or at least some portion of those things. My son has a job that fuels his social life and some of his clothing, gas when school is out, etc and your kids will too. The bigger picture to me is that the big scary numbers we're all seeing make it sound like you're picking up $27K (current A&M number) in brand new spending and that simply isn't the case. Your kids aren't running around naked and they aren't starving. When the time comes find a way to mitigate the housing cost and you're on your way to cutting that $27K to $15K.or $20K. My $.02.

Texas Tuition Promise Fund is a great way for grandparents to contribute if they're so inclined.

Agree with as many dual credit courses as possible. Agree with as many Juco credits as possible. Agree with living off campus and working a part time job. One of mine splits a cheap place off campus and pays own rent and other bills. Plus, a job makes for great time management and real world training.

Also agree with military service if needed. I know a fellow who joined the reserves after he married before graduating. Good bennies.

Finally don't forget Division II schools, which are cheaper than the flagships. Depending on what they want to do, it's often just as good a degree.

And, if they have any athletic skills at all, encourage it and pay for the camps, etc. Several friends of ours have received full or partial athletic scholarships. Admittedly most were at Division II schools, but they didn't care.

terradactylexpress said:

---

Aggiewes said:

---

5. WORK your way through school is not a 4 letter word.

---

2nd or 3rd person to use this saying, Wtf does it mean?

---

Work while going to school. The work earnings can help pay for the cost. Some people's reaction to the word WORK is the same as if they heard a four letter word. A four letter word being a naughty word.

Quote:

---

national merit scholarship full ride any where in the USA.

---

A&M gave me $6000 for this, 1990 - 94. I got $3000 up front, and $375/semester. Has this changed?

PES was $10K when I was a student, and it paid for about 40% of the 4 year bill. I see now that they are $12K, which pays for about half of a year. Yikes!

PES also requires maintaining a 3.5. It was a 3.0 when I was in school. Maybe grade inflation has gotten worse, but my goodness, a 3.5 in chemistry was doing serious work back in the day.

National Merit Scholarships

Just found the above discussion. If true that's insane! 20 years ago A&M didn't even recruit National Merit winners. I knew schools like OU would give huge payments as a way to boost their perception as a good school ("top 10 in NMS scholarship enrollees!"), but A&M didn't do much by comparison. Looks like they've upped the ante - had no idea that the PSAT score was worth a 3000 square foot home!

My older daughter was born in the last year of the old Texas Tomorrow Fund (2002-2003), and every day I thank my lucky stars that I signed up. Purchased 128 hours of tuition and fees for $17k. But I still have her younger sister to cover.

My kids have generous grandparents

But honestly, once daycare is gone, if we save what we currently pay for about 10 years, we'll have several hundred thousand bucks. That should take care of most of it.

I paid for 4 BS degrees and 2 MS degrees. All but one were at A&M, one was at UTA. The cost caught me by surprise even though these were all state schools. Around $300k. Maybe it was those season tickets that pushed me over the edge.

There is good scholarship money out there, start looking into that early. Don't forget about things like 4H and FFA. I dropped the ball on that.

Quote:

---

I paid for 4 BS degrees and 2 MS degrees.

---

Also, don't forget to consider graduate school instead of professional school. I got paid up to $17,000/yr as a chemistry graduate student almost 20 years ago. It completely covered my expenses. Even managed to save a bit. Basically just a low-paying first job, but it sure beat coming out of school with professional school debt.

94chem said:

---

Quote:

---

I paid for 4 BS degrees and 2 MS degrees.

---

Also, don't forget to consider graduate school instead of professional school. I got paid up to $17,000/yr as a chemistry graduate student almost 20 years ago. It completely covered my expenses. Even managed to save a bit. Basically just a low-paying first job, but it sure beat coming out of school with professional school debt.

---

Good point, thanks!

Enlist. Serious answer. For some it's the only option if they are not savants. I haven't seen a dime from my parents since about the age of 15. No way in absolute hell I could afford school on my own.

The life experience, maturity, and potential job training gained from service can put your kids in a much better stance when going to school.

GI Bill and Hazelwood Act (if in Texas) are pure gold. I did not enlist for this reason. However, since I am out and have access to these I am now fully cognizant of how amazing an opportunity this is.

Buck O Five said:

---

---

I always wanted a Porshe or Ferrari but wouldn't trade my 3 Aggie grad kids for it.

No kidding. Children trump material things every day of the week.