4 Things I'd Rather Spend Money on Than My Kids' College Education

woensdag 11 september 2013

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Every month, I cringe a bit when I see the funds coming out of our account that automatically go into our children's college savings funds. It's not much when you look at the soaring price of higher education, but it feels like a lot when there are so many other things to pay for in our daily lives, and things I would much rather spend money on than their college education.

It's not that I don't value education; in fact, there are few things I value more. However, I also loathe the attitude that college is just an expected for kids, and that their parents will pay for it. Then we see the droves who have no appreciation for the experience, who party all night, and see classes an optional activity. Most may successfully plod their way through, but I question how many truly appreciate it and embrace all the opportunities a college educations presents, especially when they don't work for it.

While I'm hopefully raising them to value education too, I know all too well how easy it is to throw that out the window at the first frat house for a beer bong. Maybe because I did just that. I wouldn't say I wasted my college education, but to say I fully applied myself would be a big stretch ... and I even paid for part of my own education. So to have it just handed to you on a silver platter ... I'm not convinced that it's going to be the best thing I can provide for my kids.

Then there are studies that say college isn't even worth the price. So I question why then am I scrimping to pay for something that may or may not pay off so well when there are other, very valuable things I could be doing for my children with that money, such as:

Sleep Away Camp

Studies have shown the lifelong benefits of sleep away camps. They offer independence, adventure, and opportunities for kids to learn to do for themselves in a safe environment. Of course, all that doesn't come without a price.

Travel

There's no better way to learn about the world than to travel and see it firsthand. When I imagine the trips we could take with the money we save for college, I have a hard time not cashing it in and booking plane tickets.

Enrichment Activities

From sports to art and music lessons to tutors and perhaps even private schools, instilling that passion for learning and the arts early is so important, but often we have to skip or eliminate opportunities because they're expensive. Do we forgo early opportunities that could be valuable because we're so focused on saving for the future?

An Advanced Degree

If they prove themselves in college, I'd much rather help them pay for an advanced degree to help keep debt down. At that point I'd be more confident they would appreciate and embrace it.

Of course, in an ideal, cash-flowing world, we'd all be able to provide all of these things for our children. For most of us, however, that's not our reality, so we have to pick and choose. Most of us choose college when it comes down to it because that's what it feels like we need to do, and we don't want our children to forego higher education because they can't pay for it.  So yes, my husband and I will keep saving for it when we can, but it won't be without reservation.

Do you save for your children's college education? What things are most important for you to provide for your children?

Image via Philip Brewer/Flickr

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Are College Honor Societies Worth the Fees?

zaterdag 10 augustus 2013

Are College Honor Societies Worth the Fees?

It is nearly back-to-school time for college students, and many of them will soon be bombarded with invitation letters to join various honor societies. Local chapters usually cost between $30–100 or more to join. It can be difficult to know if it is really worth the cost, or if the tradition is arcane and unnecessary for future success. There are a number of factors to consider when deciding if joining an honor society is right for you or your child. Here’s what you need to know:

Some honor societies include members from all academic areas, while others are specific to certain majors and career fields, such as business or pharmacy. The more specialized honor societies allow students to network with fellow students who have the same career focus, as well as alumni already working in the field. Meeting the right people can lead to internship opportunities and even job offers—in fact, studies show that between 60–80 percent of all jobs are obtained through networking. But remember, being a member is not enough. You have to plan on going to meetings and events to make helpful contacts, and so the fees may not be worth it if you don’t plan to fully participate.

It is worth mentioning that there are ways to be involved and make connections beyond attending events and meetings. Even the oldest honor societies have kept up with the digital age and are active on sites like Twitter and Facebook. Just remember that being a passive consumer of online media is no better than being a wallflower at a meeting. To get your name out there you have to be invested and involved.

Honor societies are sometimes criticized as just being résumé fillers. It is difficult to know if a prospective employer will be impressed by membership in an honor society or if it won’t really matter. The key to knowing if a particular society is valuable for your résumé is to ask yourself if it is professionally relevant or prestigious. For example, Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1776 and is one of the most respected, selective and well-recognized honor societies. While I would not go so far as to say that being a member fundamentally changed the course of my career, I have been told more than once that it was the reason I was granted that all-important first interview.

Many honor societies offer substantial scholarship opportunities for members. Paying for college is difficult, so the more opportunities a student has to bring the cost down, the better. Scholarships can range from a couple hundred to thousands of dollars, and can be designated for a variety of expenses such as books, tuition and even travel-enrichment opportunities. Before you join an honor society, it is worth asking about what scholarship opportunities are available from both the local chapter and the national organization.

Membership in college honor societies can come with perks long after your college days are over. Membership can get you special discounts on everything from cell phone plans and insurance to hotels and résumé services. Many societies also offer professional development opportunities like conferences that can help you get ahead after you are hired, so even after you land your dream job, it can pay to stay involved. Staying involved also lets you keep an eye out for new talent when you are in a position to do the hiring.

Unfortunately, not all honor societies are legitimate. Since almost all societies charge a joining fee and it can be hard for students to know the difference between a real society and a fake one, it is easy for students and their parents to be scammed out of their hard-earned money. Additionally, there are some societies that have let their admissions standards fall so low that they can no longer really be considered valid. A quick way to check on the status of an honor society is to see if they are a member of the Association of College Honor Societies. However, just because a society is not a member doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not authentic, so you may want to check with your college advisor for advice.

This is a guest post by April from Grand Blanc, MI
Find out more about the KCL Contributor Network!

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College Student Told She Wasn’t Raped Because He Didn’t 'Finish'

woensdag 24 juli 2013

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by Adriana Velez 2 hours ago

Can someone please help out the University of Southern California police? They seem a bit confused about how this how rape/sexual assault business works. In fact, it's gotten so bad that there's a federal investigation of the campus police and school officials into their alleged failure to prosecute rape. 13 people have filed complaints, including one woman who says she was told she wasn't raped because her assailant didn't orgasm.

"Because he stopped, it was not rape," the victim was told when she reported the rape, according to a complaint she filed. "Even though his penis penetrated your vagina, because he stopped, it was not a crime." 

Okay ladies? It's not rape if he stops. So someone can force himself on you, but if at some point he says, "Oh, my mistake! Excuse me while I remove myself here" and he hasn't ejaculated yet, it's not really rape. It's something we call "schmape." Schmape is more common than you think. I wonder what else the USC campus police classify as schmape, and not, you know, rape rape.

I'm kidding about the schmape. It's just... Where do they get these guys? Shouldn't you have to know what rape is in order to get hired with campus police? Would an IQ test be out of order?

Another woman complained that her ex-boyfriend raped her. She even had a recording of him bragging about it. But she says the campus police gave her the old "not my job" line, telling her their "goal was to offer an 'educative' process, not to 'punish' the assailant." First of all, ye gods, they don't even know what their job is (enforce the law???). Secondly, are these people really in a position to educate anyone about anything, let alone about sexual assault?

Then there was the student who reported a sexual assault at a frat house party. According to her complaint, campus police told her and a friend that women should not "go out, get drunk, and expect not to get raped." Well now we know; campus police are there to enforce the law, unless of course you go and get drunk and then you're on your own. Only men can get drunk. If you have a vagina, stay home and stay sober. Alcohol is just for the guys.

So the feds do an investigation and come to the shocking conclusion that the USC campus police are a bunch of stone-age knuckleheads. Now what? There are similar investigations happening at college campuses all over the country. Francesca Bessey, who is part of a group lawsuit, says she hopes it changes how college administrators and campus police respond to complaints about sexual assault. "For me, the technical outcome of the investigation is much less important than the consciousness I want it to inspire among decision makers at colleges and universities nationwide."

In other words, she wants to put these guys on notice. They're doing it wrong, and they need to get educated.

Are you surprised at the USC police's responses to these complaints about sexual assault?

Image via Brandon Grasley/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adriana Velez

is a staff writer who dabbles in food, parenting, news, entertainment, molecular biology, and anything else that that pops into her head. She lives with her elementary school-aged son in Brooklyn, land of urban farms and artisan everything.  

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Trayvon Martin’s Friend Rachel Jeantel Gets Full College Scholarship From Total Stranger (VIDEO)

donderdag 18 juli 2013

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by Adriana Velez 10 hours ago

One of the most dramatic parts of the George Zimmerman trial was the two-day testimony of the friend Trayvon Martin was talking with on the phone just before he was killed. Rachel Jeantel had a grueling time on the stand. On the first day she got testy with Zimmerman's lawyer, Don West, during his badgering cross-examination. She was forced to admit that some of the testimony she'd given to police had been false. Afterward she was the subject of jeers throughout the Internet.

When we met her during her interview with Piers Morgan, though, we met a woman who had grown up with a debilitating overbite who considered Trayvon Martin one of her few loyal friends. One person watching that interview was so moved, he offered Jeantel a scholarship: Radio host Tom Joyner.

Joyner says he was especially moved when Jeantel told Morgan that she and Martin had talked about their futures. That got him wondering about Jeantel's future -- what are her hopes and dreams? On his radio show Tuesday morning he said:

If there is something she wants to do, I want to help ... I will help you get tutors to get out of high school, tutors to pass the SAT. I will give you a full-ride scholarship to any HBCU [historically black college or university].

Though 19, Jeantel has not yet graduated from high school, though she says she has a 3.0 G.P.A. Joyner later said, "it's going to take some work, first of all, to get her a high school diploma." So it sounds like Joyner is signing up for a significant project. But good for him.

If Joyner can keep his commitment, and Jeantel does finally get her diploma and attends (and graduates from) college, then at least one good thing will have come from the whole depressing Trayvon Martin case. It won't make up for his death, but I think Martin would be happy for his friend.

I wish every struggling young woman like Jeantel could get this much help. I hope it all works out for her.

Do you think Joyner should be helping Jeantel this much?

Image via CNN

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adriana Velez

is a staff writer who dabbles in food, parenting, news, entertainment, molecular biology, and anything else that that pops into her head. She lives with her elementary school-aged son in Brooklyn, land of urban farms and artisan everything.  

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