But I deserve a BMW September 11, 2007
Posted by makingyourdashcount in college costs, fafsa, Life Journey, rants.add a comment
So I found myself arguing that the school where my daughter wants to attend has perfect right not to offer academic scholarships against their close to $50 grand tuition and estimated costs. Is it a ridiculous amount of money? Yes! Do they have a right to charge whatever their little hearts’ desire? Absolutely. They do not have a shortage of applicants. To even think that private educational institutions have an ethical responsibility to provide merit scholarships to those who have the money is poppycock. This feeling of entitlement is no different than my God given right as a consumer to drive a BMW even though I only want to spend money on a Ford Fiesta.
Now, FAFSA form calculations are a different story. FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid,) as parents of college age kids know, is thetelltale form that determines amount of need based financial aid one can get for college. I do find it ethically reprehensible that our government rewards those of us who choose to consume instead of save or who choose to overspend on housing. The FAFSA form discriminates against those of us who actually save money for a rainy day. We will pay more of our savings toward college, while those who have no savings will qualify for need based funds. Try to explain to me how that even makes sense?
Will we pay too much for our daughter’s education?
If one were to consider the return on her career aspirations, most definitely, yes. But I do not look at education as a return based investment. Education is just that… education. I expect that we will pay just the right amount to help her learn how to critically approach life in a literate manner in a place where she is a name and not a number. I feel fortunate that we can choose a campus that is a haven even safer than our home town. I look forward to giving her that ivory tower experience. Is $50 grand a ridiculous amount of money? Yes. If this is the right school for our daughter, is it too much?
Like purchasing that BMW instead of the Fiesta after feeling it’s buttery soft upholstery I am sure it will be, ” just right.”
Making your Dash Count 