How do people plan on paying? Forum

[AlasLavinia]

I went to a slightly lower ranked school than I could have, and they gave me a 75% tuition scholarship.

I sold my house in Colorado before I went to school (yes, the house that anonymous posters in the Employment forum don't believe I EVER COULD HAVE AFFORDED EVER). Plus, I had money tucked away from a previous career. Haven't had to touch it yet, though.

I do a weird job that pays well and doesn't take a lot of my time or break NALP guidelines. No, it is not salad-related. I write a trade journal.

I am a paint heiress. No, really. Burnin' that trust fund. (Slow burn so far, but whatevs).

If any one of these elements had not been in place, I probably would not have made the decision to go to school, at the school that I attend.

[mailmanstalker]

My parents are footing the bill for law school.

They are thrilled that I am pursuing an advanced degree since no one else in my family feels motivated to pursue one (yet). Having said that, my parents would be proud of me if I kept my UG server position at a local restaurant. They honestly want me to pursue whatever makes me happy.

Am I immature for allowing my parents to put me through law school? Not at all. My life story is truly unique and I am aware of how unbelievably fortunate I am. My philosophy is you play the cards that are dealt to you. I am in the fortunate position that I will be graduating without any debt and feel as if I will have more options (god willing) than the typical cash strapped 3L to pursue some meaningful area of law, sort of as a way to pay forward what has been given to me.

What baffles me is parents who do have the financial means to support their child's college/grad school but refuses to pony up. I feel one of the most fundamental responsibilities parents have is to make sure their children become educated and functional contributors to society. Forcing a child to take on debt/work through school to me defeats the purpose of higher education. How can someone truly enjoy their studies when they are worried about whether or not they can pay their utilities for the month? Usually the people I know in this situation tell me that their parents feel its only right that their children share the same sort of hardships they had to endure as young adults. Someone else can find the flaw in that logic.

Anyways /tangential rant.

Conclusion: OP is not immature, just be thankful for what you have.

My parents had the ability, but did not see how helping me through law school was beneficial to them. If i have kids, they will never know my parents.

why should they sacrifice their retirement for you>? At a certain age you should take care of your own responsibilities! I could but wouldn't take $$ from my parents because im an adult and adults find their own way to better their life.

[Luis Gomez]

I got a very nice scholly, a student loan from my country of origin (mexico) plus convinced dad to finance COL.

I am not taking anything away from his retirement or anybody else´s and I think it is just nice that he will finance my education in such a way. I will probably be able to pay my dad right after law school and the small loan one year after graduation before it starts building interest.

If someone can help finance school and you are committed to paying them back, it might be a great idea.

[ppa840]

My parents and loans. I was fortunate enough to get a free ride as an undergrad, so my parents said they would finance my law school endeavor since they didn't have to pay for undergrad.

[prezidentv8]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiznEMknjr0

[Renzo]

How do people plan on paying?

Heeyoooge novelty check, like this:

[sawwaverunner]

My parents are footing the bill for law school.

They are thrilled that I am pursuing an advanced degree since no one else in my family feels motivated to pursue one (yet). Having said that, my parents would be proud of me if I kept my UG server position at a local restaurant. They honestly want me to pursue whatever makes me happy.

Am I immature for allowing my parents to put me through law school? Not at all. My life story is truly unique and I am aware of how unbelievably fortunate I am. My philosophy is you play the cards that are dealt to you. I am in the fortunate position that I will be graduating without any debt and feel as if I will have more options (god willing) than the typical cash strapped 3L to pursue some meaningful area of law, sort of as a way to pay forward what has been given to me.

What baffles me is parents who do have the financial means to support their child's college/grad school but refuses to pony up. I feel one of the most fundamental responsibilities parents have is to make sure their children become educated and functional contributors to society. Forcing a child to take on debt/work through school to me defeats the purpose of higher education. How can someone truly enjoy their studies when they are worried about whether or not they can pay their utilities for the month? Usually the people I know in this situation tell me that their parents feel its only right that their children share the same sort of hardships they had to endure as young adults. Someone else can find the flaw in that logic.

Anyways /tangential rant.

Conclusion: OP is not immature, just be thankful for what you have.

Agree for the most part. Don't agree that parents should have to "pony up" if they have the money. Sure, you be thankful for what you are given, but you shouldn't feel entitled.

[prezidentv8]

How do people plan on paying?

Heeyoooge novelty check, like this:

"I don't have any more checks to give"
"Well gimme one of them big ones"

[evilxs]

Good scholly and then the staffords. My folks also give me a trunk full of groceries every time I visit. They are just awesomely supportive. The folks paid for the laptop and for a lot of my supplies and some of my books and will continue doing what they can where they can. My spouse covers my COL.

[caoyun]

I fail to understand why parents are obligated to pay as much as they can for your law school education. Aren't you an adult by, say, 18? At some point, you need to grow up and take care of yourself. You can't demand that mommy and daddy pay for everything.

That being said, if your parents are willing and able to help out, then by all means jump on it. It's not immature. Rather, it's awesome.

And to answer the original question: crippling, crippling debt. My scholarship covers some (though its less each year), but for the most part, crippling, crippling debt. Combined with undergrad debt, I could finance a pretty substantial house.

[pollaclc]

I would think that anyone who takes this attitude toward you is bitter about their own situation. If you are fortunate enough that your parents can do this for you, then you should take what they are offering you. I say this because it lessens the sting of getting lesser grades, and when you graduate, you can literally do whatever you want. Whether you just want to have the extra credentials, travel straight out of school, or take that awesomely fulfilling but low paying public interest job, you can do it. More power to you, man, seriously.

so credited

[ToTransferOrNot]

It isn't immature to accept money from parents willing to give it, though I find the fact that there are parents willing to give their kids money for college to be amusing.

However, thinking that it is somehow a parent's responsibility to pay for any post-secondary education, much less law school, if they have the means? I'm hard-pressed to come up with a more absurd sentiment.

[ihurtmyselftoday]

For me it'll be Scholly> Post 9/11 GI Bill> Savings> Poker> Teach LSAT> Sling Tattoos> Breakdance> Loans as a last resort

My parents had the ability, but did not see how helping me through law school was beneficial to them. If i have kids, they will never know my parents.

Why do you feel like your parents owe you anything? Obviously you've made it this far and in some way they are responsible for that. Even if it's just for donating the DNA. You should be thanking them for that at the very least.

If anything the sense of entitlement should go to the older generations for helping us get where we are.

My parents haven't paid a dime for any of my education, but still, when I graduated undergrad I put a nice down payment on their house, and when I got my first law school acceptance, I bought them a car.

If you aren't going to introduce your kids to your parents, it should be for raising you to be such an ungrateful brat.

[Cestjustemoi]

I'm gonna be a hooker and not like the Julia Roberts kind. More along the lines of a transexual mess who has a lot of married johns for clients. Get it!!!!

[CyLaw]

Post 9/11 GI Bill

FTW

[big_blue79]

Post 9/11 GI Bill

FTW

+2. It's so awesome it makes the total cost of NYU/Columbia (@$40k/year COL estimated) cost less than $90k over three years. The only problem is because of its high state-to-state variance it skews costs in an irrational way.

Also, diamond cream. It's like a million f#$%ing diamonds!

[CyLaw]

Post 9/11 GI Bill

FTW

+2. It's so awesome it makes the total cost of NYU/Columbia (@$40k/year COL estimated) cost less than $90k over three years. The only problem is because of its high state-to-state variance it skews costs in an irrational way.

Also, diamond cream. It's like a million f#$%ing diamonds!

Damn that is high for COL. But don't forget that Columbia's Yellow Ribbon covers the rest of tuition (Stupid Columbia, waitlisting me).

If I use my 12 months of GI Bill at Cornell, I'll get 3 semesters of GI Bill making COA for all three years 130k instead of 210k without any additional aid from the school. If I can get Yellow Ribbon, that makes the first 3 semesters free, which makes it 100k total. I am hoping for additional funds from the school, but even without it I am looking at only paying 50% costs for Cornell, making it cheaper than most of my alternative schools.

[big_blue79]

Damn that is high for COL. But don't forget that Columbia's Yellow Ribbon covers the rest of tuition (Stupid Columbia, waitlisting me).

If I use my 12 months of GI Bill at Cornell, I'll get 3 semesters of GI Bill making COA for all three years 130k instead of 210k without any additional aid from the school. If I can get Yellow Ribbon, that makes the first 3 semesters free, which makes it 100k total. I am hoping for additional funds from the school, but even without it I am looking at only paying 50% costs for Cornell, making it cheaper than most of my alternative schools.

Columbia's Yellow Ribbon is $1000/year, which becomes $2000/year with VA match. NYU is actually a bit cheaper because of the difference in tuition. http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_info/c ... tes/ny.htm
Did they change it for this year?

Edit: program enrollment forms are due between 15 March and 21 May this year, so details for each school may not be available for a bit. I heard back from Virginia on this, and they might be changing their program from 5 awards of total tuition (with GI Bill) to more awards. A lot of schools have a small number of yellow ribbon slots (2 at Chicago), but it's only 1 year old. I guess we'll see what changes this year.

Also, I am married with a dog (less available units), and we've lived well for the last 2 years (can't not have a DVR now) so I expect my actual CoL to be around $40k/year in NYC. I am trying to be realistic. Graduating with even $100k in loans is from NYU or Columbia is fine by me considering Big Law salary or excellent LRAP.

[CyLaw]

Damn that is high for COL. But don't forget that Columbia's Yellow Ribbon covers the rest of tuition (Stupid Columbia, waitlisting me).

If I use my 12 months of GI Bill at Cornell, I'll get 3 semesters of GI Bill making COA for all three years 130k instead of 210k without any additional aid from the school. If I can get Yellow Ribbon, that makes the first 3 semesters free, which makes it 100k total. I am hoping for additional funds from the school, but even without it I am looking at only paying 50% costs for Cornell, making it cheaper than most of my alternative schools.

Columbia's Yellow Ribbon is $1000/year, which becomes $2000/year with VA match. NYU is actually a bit cheaper because of the difference in tuition. http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_info/c ... tes/ny.htm
Did they change it for this year?

Also, I am married with a dog (less available units), and we've lived well for the last 2 years (can't not have a DVR now) so I expect my actual CoL to be around $40k/year in NYC. I am trying to be realistic. Graduating with even $100k in loans is from NYU or Columbia is fine by me considering Big Law salary or excellent LRAP.

You know what, I was thinking of their General Studies program, because I remember reading a news article about how they wanted to make it free for anyone with Chapter 33 benefits. My bad.

And that does sound responsible for your COL. I'm also married with dogs, but thankfully she will be taking them for the first half of law school while she finishes her PhD. And I agree with you about the DVR .

[blue5385]

My parents are paying tuition & rent and I'm paying for all other COL expenses out of pocket. I have enough saved up to cover expenses for the first two years, and (hopefully) my SA salary will cover my 3L year. In my culture, parents pay all education-related expenses for their children almost across the board if they can afford it, and adult children repay the favor by taking care of their elderly parents (although my parents don't expect this from me). I realize how fortunate I am to have generous parents, and will be doing the same thing for my children without expecting anything in return.