save money or enjoy the college experience?

Question

I want to go to a 4-year university after I graduate from high school, and I want to live in a dorm. The problem is, it costs $8,000 per year to live in a dorm, which is $32,000 total (not including books).

My mom said that she would find a way to pay for my room and board money (the tuition is taken care of with scholarships). She makes about $60,000 a year, though, and $8,000 a year is a lot considering her salary.

I want to live in the dorms really badly, but I hate spending that much of her money, and I wouldn't mind going to a community college first, but I'd prefer a dorm.

Should I go to a community college for the first 2 years and save $16,000 in room and board fees, or should I take advantage of my mom's offer and have fun?

Thank you.

Answer 1

They're right that you'll miss the experience of dorm life if you go to a community college. It's not all fun on the 4-year school campus. Sometimes it's having lots of people living with you who're taking the same class and getting ready for the same test who can study with you or finding someone who remembers DNA sequences or natural logs or the French pluperfect tense right down the hall.

Another consideration is that going to a community college is associated with taking longer to graduate and with not graduating at all.(That's probably more about the kinds of students--usually lower ability, fewer planning to finish in 4 years--than about the teachers.) Living at home could wind up costing you more money. Are all your scholarships transferrable to the community college?

If you're worried about spending your mom's money, start looking now for a summer job that you can use to fund yourself. Plan to borrow the room and board money for your senior year when you can see the job market ahead for you. Don't be any more expensive than you have to be. Only a few flashy clothes, take sheets and towels from home and buy used books.

Answer 2

It is generous of you to be concerned about your mom's financial situation; too many students are pleased to take their parents' money and waste it! My sense is that if you get into a good four-year university, go for it. If it is a matter of living in the dorms at a low-level university or going to a community college for two years, do the community college.

I'm not sure how you know about scholarships taking care of tuition at this point, since you can't have applied for financial aid yet, but if the only expense is room and board, you can mitigate the costs through things like work-study, and even if you have to take out some loans, it would be worth it to get you into thinking of college as more than just a series of classes.

Answer 3

Like you said, a CC for the first two years is a good way to save a lot of money, some are even offering dorms for students now.

Try looking into scholarships that cover not only tuition, but room & board as well, or at least part of it.

Studies have shown that students living on campus, rather than commuting to school, earn higher GPA's overall.

Answer 4

honestly if u wait for the last two years u wont get the "dorm life" experience, why? because MOST upperclassmen get their own apartments and only live on campus the first two years, or get an apartment and just buy the school meal plan. honestly ur situation is tough, but for example in my case my parent's make alot less then ur mom and room and board is about 10k and they can manage, not to sound selfish or anything but i mean ur mom wouldn't offer if she couldn't afford it. and if the guilt is killing u then think of it this way, u'll only go thru this once, and she WANTS u to expereince it, plus she's already saving 32k in tuition so i figure she's prolly happy to pay the room and board instead of that. idk thats just my opinion, mainly cuz i think dorm life rocks.

Answer 5

This shouldn't be a money question. You can get loans easy to pay for your dorm. You have to ask yourself which choice will be better for you. Do you feel like you would be bored in a community college or do you feel like you need to start off at a slower pace? Do you think you will get tired of living at home for two more years?

Answer 6

Go to a four year school. You can always get other types of financial aid that can help cover your room and board cost. You will be okay especially since you mom is willing to help out.

Answer 7

wow, that's a really tough situation. i would suggest saving the 16,000 first and then transfer. you can still have that college experience during those last 2 years!