I wouldn't get too upset over the article. It reflects a fairly ignorant viewpoint. My husband and I teach, and we filled out the FAFSA one time for my oldest child who will graduate from a state public univ. in December. The EFC was some outlandish number, and there was basically no help offered other than a couple of low interest loans. Fortunately, with the help of her grandparents, we had all contributed to a state college funding program called the MET (for MI), and that helped a lot. But we told her she had to go to a state school unless she found the funding to do otherwise. My daughter loves to spend (hair, pedicures, etc.). I could not possibly afford to help her with college and books AND provide her with day to day spending money. It has not hurt her at all to work part time WHILE attending college full time IN STATE. She is developing a much better understanding of the value of a buck, which she needed to do. If she graduates in Dec. (6 months early), she should be in good financial shape since everyone pitched in to make it happen, and she is nearly a 4.0 at Uof Mich.

My son is a valedictorian and has chosen to go to a public in state university. He has applied for numerous scholarships, but despite his 4.0 and 34 ACT, they have been tough to come by. I always thought that a kid who worked his guts out in school shouldn't have to worry about paying an $80,000 or so college bill, but I guess I was a bit off base. Something is indeed wrong with the system.

As needy as I may be and as much as my parents would like to help me they cant but according to the FAFSA they have enough to help me. I dont get any grants either :/

Any money we would have put aside for college for three of our kids was used for therapies for our one son with autism and related disorders. We have next to no retirement money at age 50 - and are looking at this one disabled son never leaving home. I do not care what the Federal Gov. thinks we can pay - we will do what we can but have our own futures and that of our son with autism to consider. Our three who will be college material know that cc is an option, as are state schools. Private schools only if they can get scholarships/grants. Hubby just paid HIS student loans from grad. school off earlier this year and has no desire to see any of our kids take on an even bigger debt load.

First of all she's quoting the government's justifications for not offering students themselves more financial aid. As a needy student who is getting the short end of the stick, it makes a lot of sense. My parents make too much money for me to qualify for even enough in LOANS for my tuition. Nevermind that I have not been supported by my parents since before I graduated high school. Paying for your child's education is helping them help themselves. It's not giving them money to buy a car or a big screen tv, it is so they can make more money in the FUTURE. It fosters a society of educated individuals with valuable skills to offer. Many students are forced to work full time or more during college just to stay above water. Our grades suffer, our resources suffer, and our sanity suffers. As a struggling student who has basically been abandoned by my parents, I disagree. Parenting does not stop once we turn 18 and graduate high school.

Our "primary responsibility"!!!! I think you misquoted whatever article you got that from. Our primary responsibility was to put a roof over their heads, food in their bellies, keep them in school, with as much love as possible. We always told them they would have to pay their own way and to try for as many scholarships as possible. Our daughter did try - she did not fall into any of the specialty categories (even though adopted, not caucasian, female, etc.) nor was she going to college for engineering, or biology, or any of the well paying fields out there (when there is work), and although she was an exceptional writer, she only received a few one time $100 scholarships - a drop in the bucket (believe me, I am grateful she received at least that) Our son would not even try for scholarships. He felt he did not have a chance if someone with excellent writing skills did not get much. Then the kicker - she received early acceptance at a prestigious expensive private college. My husband turned on everything we ever talked about and told her to accept it. He co-signed for her. She just graduated and is staying in the city she went to school in. She has 6 months now before the loan is due. The total loans are over $75,000. She is not trained for anything substantial. Our son will be starting college in the fall. I have money set aside to get him started, but my husband will again be co-signing loans. He will give our son the same deal even though this time the cost and time frame will be less, and with better prospects for a job when our son graduates.
This whole thing has done irreparable damage to our marriage, and interpersonal relationships with our children. The bank says my husband can co-sign for this enormous amount of loans, yet they know nothing of my husband's inability to say no to debt for all the years we have been married. (I didn't either until we already had the children, otherwise.....). I am dreading the end of the next 6 months...she (or more likely, we) will be expected to pay as much as a mortgage payment, for the next 20 years, on top of the one we already have. It would have been cheaper, and less stressful, to buy her a house. I realize the writer of the article must be a college student, but to tell high school students to talk their parents into something....! Angry..yes, sorry...our future - I don't know - my husband insists we won't lose the house - he has a financial background, but lives in dreamland.

This may sound like foolishness to some who sit around and complain that they have lost all their fortunes because of the stock market, but I have encouraged my son, who by the way still gets an allowance of $1 per year of age each week, to take advantage of all this economic turmoil. He turned 19 last week and just completed his freshman year in college. For his birthday I gave him $50, as I always do, and opened a Sharebuilder account for him. I will assist his trades, as I have become quite the day-trader of late, having to come up with some kind of income for my mother who has Alzheimers and unfortunately does not qualify for any extra benefits through social security. It is amazing that I have turned $5000 into $8000 in just 3 months for her. My son is now planning to invest half of his $19 per week. I know it isn't much, but at least he is smart enough to let his money work for him.

Our trouble is~~~we didn't save. He never even talked like he wanted to go. Then out of the blue he decided to go. He went, and they told us it'd be around $30,000. And now it's over. Price is triple what they told us. Also, now Sallie Mae won't consolidate the loans. They no longer do that. I always thought that somehow I'd handle the $30,000, but not the $89,000. It's too late for scholarships. Or saving. I learned a lot about what we should of done LONG before he ever went to college. But not until after he already went. We knew nothing about the whole thing and nobody there helped us out, they just wanted another student~~~so they said anything to talk him into going there. What all they'd help with etc. He can't find a job in his field yet. When he does he'll have to move to a different state, nothing like that in Iowa. (game design & development). So almost everything he is making on his part-time job that doesn't help with food goes to savings towards moving when he finally can land a job somewhere. But Sallie Mae wants their money (over 1/2 my monthly wages) every month starting July 1st. If you have any information from anyone that has dealt with sallie mae or any help with paying students loans after the fact, please let me know. thank you. I wish I would of known someone to talk to years BEFORE he went to college~~then we wouldn't be in this mess.