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SheilaT

(23,156 posts)
6. Good. My advice to you
Mon Apr 25, 2016, 03:21 PM
Apr 2016

will be to keep your eye firmly on the bottom line. Depending on where you live, what he wants to major in, what special skills or attributes he may have, you may do well in the scholarship department.

So many students and their families get focused on the idea that the kid absolutely must go to The Most Prestigious University, whether or not MPU is at all a sensible choice for the kid.

Many state universities and colleges are excellent, as well as a lot of the junior colleges.

The other thing to be fully aware of is will the degree he wants to get lead to a good job? I tell young people all the time to go ahead and major in what they love, but don't ever lose sight of the fact they're going to need to get a job at the end. If your major isn't one with a good number of decent jobs, but you'll be okay doing pizza delivery to support yourself the rest of your life, then go for it. But there are an awful lot of good jobs to be had through the vocational programs at the junior colleges. A person can take classes just for intellectual interest the rest of his life, and it might be a lot easier if he's got a well-paying job to support that.

Best of luck to you and your son.

Footnote here: My younger son graduated cum laude from the University of Tulsa several years ago with a major in psychology and a minor in marketing. I could not persuade him to seek out internships over the summer. Instead, he did pizza delivery. Currently he lives in Portland, OR, when he earns his living doing pizza delivery. I'm just as proud of him as I am of his physicist brother. The most important point is that he supports himself, because he knows if he were to ask either of his parents for money, we'd tell him to get a better job. And he does love what he does, in no small part because he only needs to work four days a week and does lots of stuff on his days off, including playing ultimate frisbee, and doing some occasional stand-up.


Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Does your son have a 529? SheilaT Apr 2016 #1
No, no 529..... usedtobedemgurl Apr 2016 #2
And this should not be surprising.... usedtobedemgurl Apr 2016 #3
Thanks for clarifying the 529 thing. SheilaT Apr 2016 #4
No, I do not feel I can count on him at all. usedtobedemgurl Apr 2016 #5
Good. My advice to you SheilaT Apr 2016 #6
I love that your son does what he truly enjoys for a living. usedtobedemgurl Apr 2016 #7
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