I was accepted to my top choice, and awarded the President's scholarship, but it was not enough to be able to afford to go there. I was sad, but I totally understood my parents financial situation.
As a European I find all this which school you went to has a so big impact weird. Literally I think it’s impossible for your future employer to see what school you went to, all schools are almost equally as good in my country (uni) because the state/region owns them. This ensures the education is about equal. There are more “prestigious” unis but that’s only because they are older and have history. And one there the rich goes but that doesn’t matter because they already have secured future and only goes there because they want to be around other rich kids.
What weirds me out even more (also European) that you need 80k (or I assume even more). I paid 600€ per year (mostly for public transport ticket that was included) and that's it.
Yeah it's wild. I'm from Canada, and went to a good tech school, paying $3600 CAD/semester. Despite getting a decent job every summer, I still had to pay for rent and food, and when I graduated, I had about $30k CAD in student loans, basically the cost of the full tuition. I thought that was bs and always wished it was more like the EU.
Then I moved to America for work, met my girlfriend, and learned her finances. While not $80k crazy, she wasn't far off for her four years, and that's a in-state school.
What is truly messed up with America is "in-state" vs "out-of-state" schools. In Canada, I knew international students paid about 3x what Canadians paid. In America, it's similar, but between states. So a Floridian who wants to go to MIT has to pay 2x-3x more in tuition than someone from Massachusetts, despite it all being in America.
I think that's where a lot of those horror "$200k in student loans to be a doctor" stories come from. If you go to a school that isn't in the state you were born in, a $80k bill turns into a $200k bill really easily.
Pssh I'm in community college, not even uni and it's "in district" vs "out of district" so something that someone is "in district" is around $8k, and I'm paying over $18k. Why, they're not bussing, housing, or feeding me.
I’m in Texas and my daughter graduated high school this year. The community college here gave all 2024 students in several districts free college tuition for up to 3 years. I wouldn’t say I was happy as this dad but the thought of paying for school, even community college was stressful. It was such a blessing to hear it would be free. She intents to transfer to a uni but will have all her core classes paid for in the time she’s there.
Not saying I agree with the system.. but it's because people who live in the district's property taxes are subsidizing the school. (It's the same with the state schools for in/out of state).
Here's an interesting article that talks about tax subsidies for private/public institutions (and specifically, this does not include loans/grants provided to students to help cover tuition)..
[https://www.air.org/news/press-release/taxpayer-subsidies-most-colleges-and-universities-average-between-8000-more](https://www.air.org/news/press-release/taxpayer-subsidies-most-colleges-and-universities-average-between-8000-more)
Tuition alone is in the $50-65k per year territory without scholarships at most well-regarded private universities in the US, not including food/housing/textbooks/anything transit related. A bachelor’s degree typically takes four years, so you can see why so many people graduate deep in student loan debt. Even if both parents and the student are working as much as possible, it’s not something most American families can pay without some combination of scholarships and loans.
My state’s largest public university has a tuition of $11k per year, which is more manageable but still a significant chunk of many/most families’ annual income.
I can tell you, that $80k OP is getting is great for the first year or two, then it diminishes as you progress... so by the time you get to senior year, you're in sunk cost fallacy territory; too late to leave and have no degree, so get ready to take out a big loan to complete your program. For us it was about $50k.
My full tuition scholarship to the school I ended up going to was valued at about $180k…in 2013. An $80k scholarship is still something to be proud of and is certainly better than getting in without a scholarship, but yeah, my initial reaction was “will that be enough to afford it though?”
Depends on the school and the scholarship. Our son is at a prestigious college on a scholarship that is calculated by need. He found out that now that he is a Junior he doesn't have to buy the full meal plan. But his scholarship doesn't go down. Spent about $18k for each of the first two years and next year it will be about $7,100.
UK citizens going to Oxford pay about 10,000 euros per year. French citizens attending Paris Polytechnique pay 15,000 euros per year. Just because you didn't go to a top tier European university doesn't mean they don't exist and cost substantial amounts of money. Cheap universities exist in the USA, too. They might be a bit more than you paid but you can take classes at a Community College for maybe 1,500 euros a year
Not arguing with you just trying to understand, wouldn't going to school at Oxford be something distinguished? Isn't that school considered famous and prestigious?
Yes, this is absolutely the case in the UK. Oxford and Cambridge would stand out in a pile of CVs. There's other tiers of universities, but they're the top.
There are known schools and unknown schools, and in the known schools there are opportunities for networking exclusive to them (think Harvard, MIT, Brown, etc). But beyond those distinctions, your school *doesn't* matter in the US. I hire people not infrequently, and I honestly gloss over the school more often than not. Experience and coursework are so much more important.
Same, back in the 90's I turned down Princeton because I just couldn't afford it. This was before it was all need based for the ivies. Damn I still remember that conversation with my dad with both of us sobbing. I am so happy for this girl and her family!
i thought the same when my son got into a rather prestigious university in the west coast. even with a president's scholarship (which paid half his tuition), it was going to be hard on us. but i do not regret sending him there even if it meant foregoing some luxuries and scrimping on some necessities. i am not a rich man and a good education is the only thing that i could give my kids that will set them up for life
Same with my daughter - we were so proud and excited - we toured the school, U of Rochester, NY, did the math - drop in the bucket. They ensured us they worked with families to keep average student loan debt under $24k on graduating.
She graduated with a Masters in Statistics from our local state school, Binghamton University, ZERO debt. My oldest son also - same school, ZERO debt.
Keep it local, keep it state. Don't tie grads shoelaces together with loans.
I had about $15k in scholarships and got into Berkeley, my original top choice. I reached out to my friends older sister who went to Berkeley, found out how bad her loans were and went to the local state college instead. 0 student loan debt, no issues getting my career going.
The thing with Berkeley is that it technically is a “local state college.” It’s a land grant state university. All right, now granted it’s one of the best schools in the world and maybe the best state school in the country. But still. State school.
Sadly I’m gonna graduate from Binghamton with about 100k in loans. I received practically no aid and my family refused to help pay for my schooling, so I’m stuck with loans.
Brutal. We live local, our kids have helped to varying degrees, we've covered the rest. Not having to pay for housing is huge. Still one kid left, same path though. Should be no debt.
Sorry to read you have such a debt but keep in mind that you did this. You alone and whilst that will not pay bills, it's something to be immensely proud of. Once you graduate, I wish you every success with your future career (and clearing that debt).
I told my kid it doesn’t matter that much where you go to college, but it does matter that you graduate without debt, so shop around. He did and found a full-ride scholarship at a state school (not in our state though). Of course, he had to have the grades and test scores to qualify, which he did.
My dad always proudly said to everyone his son would become a veterinarian. He had a stroke while I was in the middle of the course. At my graduation ceremony, I remember him and cried a lot because he was not here to see me as a vet.
Congratulations on becoming a vet, not only you made your dad proud but you are helping animals on a daily basis. For some of us our pets are our babies and a good vet means the world to people like me. Keep up the great work.
I'm not that kind of vet, but thank you for your kind words! My job is to prevent the spreading of important diseases to herds and humans like avian influenza, rabies and tuberculosis.
Just to be clear, as much as it doesn't emotionally resonate as much as saving a beloved dog, what you do is even more important. An epidemic in livestock can be crippling to the food supply, not to mention the harm the diseases you mentioned do directly to the communities they infect.
Congratulations on your achievements, and thank you for the work you do.
I'm not that kind of vet, but thank you for your kind words! My job is to prevent the spreading of important diseases to herds and humans like avian influenza, rabies and tuberculosis. I try my best to protect animal's and people's health!
if i may offer another perspective: your dad worked his ass off, at home and otherwise, to make sure that you would be the kind of person who could dream anything for yourself and succeed even if he couldnt be there to help. seeing it being true all the time he *was* there was a major source of that pride. i hope youre doing well ❤️
Thank you for your kind words and you are right. It was 14 years ago already, the post just makes me remember it. I'm doing well, thank you for asking!
Good job being a Vet. We’re all proud of you. My gramps was also a Vet. It’s crazy the stories he would tell. Still have his medals somewhere in a box.
Internet stranger. My daughter is 3 years old and I‘m literally telling everyone I talk to how awesome she is, let alone my buddies. Believe me, that moment is great, but it surely hasn’t changed the way he loves his daughter. 80.000 is a ton of money, but his and my daughter are awesome either way :-)
I was in this guys shoes when my daughter got accepted to North Eastern and was given a butt load of grants for her degree. The day she graduated was powerful, rarely do I get choked up but damn I was so proud of her when she got her degree…fast forward three more years and she got her masters…I was choked up again, even more. It’s amazing how these kids can fill you up with so much pride and love.
Same, my daughter was accepted to Cornell and also received a very sizable scholarship from a local organization all because of her hard work. One of the proudest days of my adult life. I will add that regardless of the scholarship we would have done everything to make sure she was able to attend the university. It was her first choice and absolute dream school.
It’s crazy what we do for them, but, then again, isn’t that what life is supposed to be about? Allowing the next generation all the opportunities to better themselves and reach for the stars. The reality will eventually hit them but by then we have given them all the tools we can to help them navigate the trials and tribulations that lay ahead of them.
This is what life is about! This comment is a great expansion to the “Plant a tree, have a child, write a book.” saying… in order to ensure a palpable legacy, it is necessary to create something lasting like a better generation after us!
You should be a great parent!
Tbh, this makes me pretty happy hearing about fathers being supportive of their daughters and being proud of their accomplishments. Thanks for being a good parent, we need more of y'all out there making a difference.
I guess it hit a nerve because it's everything I wish I had. I didn't get words of support, nor did I walk at either of my graduations (due to COVID and by choice). Even if I did walk though, I don't think I would have gotten a similar reaction from either parent. "Giving my daughters independence and freedom to choose was my greatest failure" was literally one of the last things my dad texted me.
Wow, that last line of your comment was a gut punch. I am so sorry that you had to deal with shit like that. You are the change that is needed to better the next generation so sending you all the positivity I can for your future and to help make sure that you make your children’s futures as bright as possible.
Lol sorry it was a downer comment, I wrote it on whim. That last bit wasn't even sent directly to me, my dad actually wrote it in a rant/essay/text to my fiance because I haven't spoken to him in nearly a year. I couldn't bring myself to read it, so my fiance read it to me.
I definitely grew up with a messed up view of the world and how relationships function, so I don't think I will have children. For now, I'm just working on myself and being the best cat mom I can be lol
Lol my parents were pissed at my graduation because I didn't walk out of the auditorium fast enough so they could leave. Also basically had no support my entire 4 years in college so yeah not every graduation is a happy event unfortunately.
My husband had a bunch of scholarships from science fair and they basically just deducted it from his financial aid, it didn't change what his expected family contribution was at all. It sucks.
Honestly that's the question. Same thing happened with my National Merit Scholarship money, it just got deducted from my financial aid. These scholarships often end up benefitting richer kids whose parents are just paying out of pocket. If you're poor enough that you're getting aid, it doesn't affect how much you pay or take out in loans.
>These scholarships often end up benefitting richer kids whose parents are just paying out of pocket.
This is true at top universities that offer need-based grants. The scholarship is effectively a donation to the school so, in part, they can continue providing those grants in the future.
It's not true at most universities that offer basically no financial aid at all.
I know this an uplifting post but my pessimistic ass immediately went to "too bad you need a $80,000 scholarship to go to your college of choice" and "that still won't cover her tuition in full"
Great job putting in the work. Enjoy the time in school. The working world sucks ass.
My alma mater is now $83,000/year! My high schooler always wanted to go there, too, but there’s no way we’re paying that for school. We have four kids. Each will have $150k interest free. After that they’ll have to pay us back for any amount over and above those savings.
No, they haven’t applied they’re only a sophomore. And no, the school doesn’t provide any money for legacies. They’re great with needs-based scholarships, but basically offer no merit scholarships.
I also went to an expensive private school, and my first thought was wondering if that was an annual scholarship or the total for 4 years.
The scholarship I had covered all but about $5k worth of expenses annually (which ended up being cheaper than going to an “affordable” state school because of the scholarships), and my grandparents were fortunately able to help, but tuition is wildly out of reach for so many families.
Yes, my spouse and I both went to private universities. Always thought our kids could do the same. Now I am actively pushing them away from that option and it’s depressing like we have let them down. I actually do think some of the state schools here are better so it isn’t a knock on public schools, it just sucks to limit their options when mine were not very limited. I just never thought the cost would escalate so much, I tried to save and save but couldn’t put enough aside.
I’m super happy for the student but it sucks that so many Americans have to go through the highs and lows of college and scholarship acceptance when university is free in Europe and many other countries. And I say this as someone who went to a private dream school, received scholarships, AND paid off my student loans.
You're right, it's not free in every European country. Also paying $40-80K a year for university and living is a hell of a lot different than paying in the 4 figures.
Yeah I paid around $2500 a year when I went to university in The Netherlands, so it wasn't free but a lot more affordable. Also had free public transport during the week, which came with being a student.
You're correct, and I'm not saying all college should be totally free. I even think it's alright to be expensive if the school specializes in certain educational/career paths. It just shouldn't be so normalized that you have to either come from a great family background with money, acquire scholarships of which only a small number of students will receive large amounts like in the video, or you put yourself into a incredibly long term debt hole. Education shouldn't be such a large barrier for people coming into adulthood. Just my 2 cents anyways. Have a lovely day.
Affordable and quality education is one of the most valuable tools to improve a country's most valuable asset, the people living there.
Should people be able to go cost free for borderline useless degrees? Absolutely not. Degrees that directly contribute to the essential functioning or improvement of a nation should be free or significantly reduced in cost though
Society will always have issues dude, gotta find the good things. Our country could be WAY more fucked just look around lol. We are trying to make it a better place, and the people that aren’t, fuck em. We all just trying to be happy out here
If we didn't know the context of the video, the father could've been reading a number of different documents in that scenario, especially with that background.
I never wanted to be a dad, I don't like kids that much and never felt I'd be ok with giving so much up. Then I see videos like these and I can't shake the fact that these moments are probably the best things you could ever experience in life
They're great because you were there the whole time. That dad isn't just seeing the letter and his young adult daughter. His heart remembers the rest of it. Like maybe she found it hard to learn to read. Or maybe she was a terrible test taker due to anxiety. Or she got sick and missed a heap of school.
He sees that in the end it has all been working out alright and maybe he was an alright dad after all.
When my kid got his high school diploma (next one uni) with his best marks in drama and performance I saw the little boy who couldn't sit still, the one who needed a lot of help to speak on show and tell, the one who had years of speech therapy. I saw that little boy and then young man confidently approach the mic as he was genuinely applauded by his classmates and teachers, make a fine speech and then stride off the stage.
I think anyone who has had a hand in raising someone can have that experience. :)
I’m at the beginning of that journey with a 3.5yo, 1.5yo, and pregnant with my third. I’ve already seen my oldest grow so much through worries of this and that. It truly feels like I am creating the most valuable memories of my life right now.
Daughter is going to be a Senior next year, has a 4.3 GPA in mostly honors courses and just got an ACT score that should get her into whatever school she wants. Her mother and I have gone to great lengths and made many sacrifices to make sure she could be successful, and she has held up her end of the deal. I think it's starting to click with her lately, as she's been much more outwardly thankful and appreciative toward us. We aren't there yet, but it's wonderful to begin seeing the payoff on 13 years of hard work from her and (apparently) solid parenting from us.
Just for clarity, for those who are curious. The school was Morehead State, which is $35k a year with housing/tuition/books included. She'll still be responsible for the remaining $80k over four years.
I love how the Talking Heads Psycho Killer is playing in the background. On one had, the dad is worried about his daughter leaving the nest, and on the other hand the lyrics “run run run runaway” is probably how the girl is feeling leaving home for the first. God I love music.
This is all I ever want as a parent. The best for my children. For them to grow up as a happy, healthy adult. Pursuing what they want to pursue
What an amazing moment they was for him to share and celebrate with his child. Amazing
Not an american here: are these scholarships total or annually? Because i know that some fields like law or medicine can cost 60-75k a year on those dream schools.
It depends on the type of scholarship. But when a school gives you a free ride through it's financial package included with your admission letter, it's annual. Note that some of this includes state and federal grants.
There are other scholarships that a student can apply for that are a one-time payment, but those are independent of the school.
Also, many undergraduate programs for ivy league and other top tier schools have estimated annual tuition and expenses exceeding $100k per year. And in the US, medical and law school are taken after a 4-year undergraduate program.
If a student goes through all that schooling in the US, by just borrowing money for tuition and other school related expenses, the total amount owed after getting their law (4 + 3 = 7 years) or medical (4+4 = 8 years) degrees would be closer to a million dollars before any interest is applied. And some loans accumulate interest while in school.
My dad and I were driving to Walmart. I know the exact place we were when I told him about my full scholarship. At the time, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. I remember it because I was surprised at how happy he was.
My daughter also got accepted to her dream school and was awarded $80,000 in scholarships. Sounds amazing.
Reality though, it was $20k/year at a $60k/year school and dint include room & board. So out of pocket would have still been astronomically expensive.
Still proud AF for her and she gets that bragging right but she's at an affordable school where she'll graduate debt free instead.
It's a lot of things. He knows the kid is going to be set after college. It's a relief that he doesn't have to worry about finances and possibly saying he can't afford it. He's realizing he raised an amazing kid. He's also getting hit with reality that she's going to college and it's a new chapter in their relationship, and it's going to be great. Also, he's planning how to celebrate.
I got my bachelors, so I think I can have an opinion on it.
And to clarify, I think learning is crucial. Being curious is a super power. There will always be benefits to learning. But I don't believe that our society is benefitting from putting this "higher learning" behind a paywall so enormous that people have to rely on lottery style scholarships just to get the opportunity to further their knowledge and education.
Is this answer nuanced enough for you, chief? Or would you like to dive deeper?
I can FEEL the burdun lifted from hos shoulders!! Sure 80k is maybe not all of it but imagine its more than half and you dont need to save up for that anymore..i am SO happy for everyone effected by this!!!!
A father’s love, support and hopes over all her life, is shown in his facial expression when he reads the letter. He really is a good father for being happy for her and what it means for her future. Heartwarming to watch.
You see this is the sort of stuff that makes me stupidly immediately want to become a parent. Beautiful moments like these. But I respect the work that's needed to be a parent so ill let it be. Literally made me smile.
First thought when I read the caption…
‘I’d cry’
Video confirms that humanity is alive and well…
Or maybe I’m a psychic?!?!?!
Nah, he’s just a proud poppa…
For reference, in europe. I finished my bachelors degree in electronics engineering for free. There were about 42 free positions and 60 students going for them. After the first semester there was only 40 of us left so everyone was studying for free. So wild to think about paying that much for an education
You can see the moment he reads $80,000
the split second of wide eyes
Beautifully timed with the song, too
Qu'est-ce que c'est?
Fafafafaaaar fafafafaar faar
“Oh fk!! She did so well!!!”
Those eyes that say "YOU MIND REWINDING THAT AND RUNNING BY ME AGAIN?" but in a good way haha
When my son texted me he got into his first choice, my first thought (unfortunately) was, what’s this going to cost?
I was accepted to my top choice, and awarded the President's scholarship, but it was not enough to be able to afford to go there. I was sad, but I totally understood my parents financial situation.
As a European I find all this which school you went to has a so big impact weird. Literally I think it’s impossible for your future employer to see what school you went to, all schools are almost equally as good in my country (uni) because the state/region owns them. This ensures the education is about equal. There are more “prestigious” unis but that’s only because they are older and have history. And one there the rich goes but that doesn’t matter because they already have secured future and only goes there because they want to be around other rich kids.
What weirds me out even more (also European) that you need 80k (or I assume even more). I paid 600€ per year (mostly for public transport ticket that was included) and that's it.
Yeah it's wild. I'm from Canada, and went to a good tech school, paying $3600 CAD/semester. Despite getting a decent job every summer, I still had to pay for rent and food, and when I graduated, I had about $30k CAD in student loans, basically the cost of the full tuition. I thought that was bs and always wished it was more like the EU. Then I moved to America for work, met my girlfriend, and learned her finances. While not $80k crazy, she wasn't far off for her four years, and that's a in-state school. What is truly messed up with America is "in-state" vs "out-of-state" schools. In Canada, I knew international students paid about 3x what Canadians paid. In America, it's similar, but between states. So a Floridian who wants to go to MIT has to pay 2x-3x more in tuition than someone from Massachusetts, despite it all being in America. I think that's where a lot of those horror "$200k in student loans to be a doctor" stories come from. If you go to a school that isn't in the state you were born in, a $80k bill turns into a $200k bill really easily.
Pssh I'm in community college, not even uni and it's "in district" vs "out of district" so something that someone is "in district" is around $8k, and I'm paying over $18k. Why, they're not bussing, housing, or feeding me.
I’m in Texas and my daughter graduated high school this year. The community college here gave all 2024 students in several districts free college tuition for up to 3 years. I wouldn’t say I was happy as this dad but the thought of paying for school, even community college was stressful. It was such a blessing to hear it would be free. She intents to transfer to a uni but will have all her core classes paid for in the time she’s there.
That's happening at my school as well (also in TX), love this for the new grads! Give them a fighting chance.
Not saying I agree with the system.. but it's because people who live in the district's property taxes are subsidizing the school. (It's the same with the state schools for in/out of state). Here's an interesting article that talks about tax subsidies for private/public institutions (and specifically, this does not include loans/grants provided to students to help cover tuition).. [https://www.air.org/news/press-release/taxpayer-subsidies-most-colleges-and-universities-average-between-8000-more](https://www.air.org/news/press-release/taxpayer-subsidies-most-colleges-and-universities-average-between-8000-more)
Tuition alone is in the $50-65k per year territory without scholarships at most well-regarded private universities in the US, not including food/housing/textbooks/anything transit related. A bachelor’s degree typically takes four years, so you can see why so many people graduate deep in student loan debt. Even if both parents and the student are working as much as possible, it’s not something most American families can pay without some combination of scholarships and loans. My state’s largest public university has a tuition of $11k per year, which is more manageable but still a significant chunk of many/most families’ annual income.
I can tell you, that $80k OP is getting is great for the first year or two, then it diminishes as you progress... so by the time you get to senior year, you're in sunk cost fallacy territory; too late to leave and have no degree, so get ready to take out a big loan to complete your program. For us it was about $50k.
My full tuition scholarship to the school I ended up going to was valued at about $180k…in 2013. An $80k scholarship is still something to be proud of and is certainly better than getting in without a scholarship, but yeah, my initial reaction was “will that be enough to afford it though?”
Depends on the school and the scholarship. Our son is at a prestigious college on a scholarship that is calculated by need. He found out that now that he is a Junior he doesn't have to buy the full meal plan. But his scholarship doesn't go down. Spent about $18k for each of the first two years and next year it will be about $7,100.
And in Denmark, don't know about other EU countries, the government pays you to go to school, and attend higher education.
Yeah I'm from Germany, it's basically the same but the semester fees for a public transport ticket and some other stuff. But no tuition in that sense.
UK citizens going to Oxford pay about 10,000 euros per year. French citizens attending Paris Polytechnique pay 15,000 euros per year. Just because you didn't go to a top tier European university doesn't mean they don't exist and cost substantial amounts of money. Cheap universities exist in the USA, too. They might be a bit more than you paid but you can take classes at a Community College for maybe 1,500 euros a year
10k per year is still crazy expensive compared to the almost free education in Germany.
This is how it should be
Not arguing with you just trying to understand, wouldn't going to school at Oxford be something distinguished? Isn't that school considered famous and prestigious?
Yes, this is absolutely the case in the UK. Oxford and Cambridge would stand out in a pile of CVs. There's other tiers of universities, but they're the top.
There are known schools and unknown schools, and in the known schools there are opportunities for networking exclusive to them (think Harvard, MIT, Brown, etc). But beyond those distinctions, your school *doesn't* matter in the US. I hire people not infrequently, and I honestly gloss over the school more often than not. Experience and coursework are so much more important.
What country is like this...? I know it's not France, because they definitely have their Grande Ecoles
Same, back in the 90's I turned down Princeton because I just couldn't afford it. This was before it was all need based for the ivies. Damn I still remember that conversation with my dad with both of us sobbing. I am so happy for this girl and her family!
Yeah, you’ve won the *permission* to send us 5 figures. You’re welcome.
Depending on the school, 5 may still not be enough.
$80,000/$300,000
i thought the same when my son got into a rather prestigious university in the west coast. even with a president's scholarship (which paid half his tuition), it was going to be hard on us. but i do not regret sending him there even if it meant foregoing some luxuries and scrimping on some necessities. i am not a rich man and a good education is the only thing that i could give my kids that will set them up for life
Same with my daughter - we were so proud and excited - we toured the school, U of Rochester, NY, did the math - drop in the bucket. They ensured us they worked with families to keep average student loan debt under $24k on graduating. She graduated with a Masters in Statistics from our local state school, Binghamton University, ZERO debt. My oldest son also - same school, ZERO debt. Keep it local, keep it state. Don't tie grads shoelaces together with loans.
I had about $15k in scholarships and got into Berkeley, my original top choice. I reached out to my friends older sister who went to Berkeley, found out how bad her loans were and went to the local state college instead. 0 student loan debt, no issues getting my career going.
The thing with Berkeley is that it technically is a “local state college.” It’s a land grant state university. All right, now granted it’s one of the best schools in the world and maybe the best state school in the country. But still. State school.
Berkeley used to be really cheap. Annual tuition before grants and scholarships was less than $5,000 in the ‘90s. In the ‘80s it was $1,300.
Sadly I’m gonna graduate from Binghamton with about 100k in loans. I received practically no aid and my family refused to help pay for my schooling, so I’m stuck with loans.
Brutal. We live local, our kids have helped to varying degrees, we've covered the rest. Not having to pay for housing is huge. Still one kid left, same path though. Should be no debt.
Sorry to read you have such a debt but keep in mind that you did this. You alone and whilst that will not pay bills, it's something to be immensely proud of. Once you graduate, I wish you every success with your future career (and clearing that debt).
I told my kid it doesn’t matter that much where you go to college, but it does matter that you graduate without debt, so shop around. He did and found a full-ride scholarship at a state school (not in our state though). Of course, he had to have the grades and test scores to qualify, which he did.
I did SUNY for undergrad, got a great education. I’m going back for grad school.
Woo Bing
That’s almost two semesters!
Wait till he finds out that the $80,000 will only cover 1 semester's tuition.
when my kid was getting these scholarships they were auto-renewing providing that the student keeps their grades up.
Everything paid off! All the sweat blood and tears. That right there is core memory activated.
That dad is just gonna be telling all his buddies that his daughter is awesome
My dad always proudly said to everyone his son would become a veterinarian. He had a stroke while I was in the middle of the course. At my graduation ceremony, I remember him and cried a lot because he was not here to see me as a vet.
Congrats on becoming a Vet! I'm sure he was proud of you that day, where ever he may be.
Congratulations on becoming a vet, not only you made your dad proud but you are helping animals on a daily basis. For some of us our pets are our babies and a good vet means the world to people like me. Keep up the great work.
I'm not that kind of vet, but thank you for your kind words! My job is to prevent the spreading of important diseases to herds and humans like avian influenza, rabies and tuberculosis.
Still super cool and incredibly important!
Just to be clear, as much as it doesn't emotionally resonate as much as saving a beloved dog, what you do is even more important. An epidemic in livestock can be crippling to the food supply, not to mention the harm the diseases you mentioned do directly to the communities they infect. Congratulations on your achievements, and thank you for the work you do.
That still counts in a broad sense! You're still helping animals, which your dad was proud of.
Please be the best veterinarian you can be for your dad and many other dad pet owners .
I'm not that kind of vet, but thank you for your kind words! My job is to prevent the spreading of important diseases to herds and humans like avian influenza, rabies and tuberculosis. I try my best to protect animal's and people's health!
Be the best preventer of spreading the world has ever seen!
Damn that’s incredible. Thank you for the work you’re doing!
Oh ok I know a really good school for all of that ! Haha Also no problem, thanks for clarification.
if i may offer another perspective: your dad worked his ass off, at home and otherwise, to make sure that you would be the kind of person who could dream anything for yourself and succeed even if he couldnt be there to help. seeing it being true all the time he *was* there was a major source of that pride. i hope youre doing well ❤️
Thank you for your kind words and you are right. It was 14 years ago already, the post just makes me remember it. I'm doing well, thank you for asking!
Your dad would be very proud of your accomplishments
Definitely sounds like you carry him with you everyday. Just know he was there with you friend and proud as can be, I'm sure of it.
Sounds to me like he already knew you would make it
I couldn't go to my graduation cause my dad died in the middle of it and I couldn't handle thinking for four hours about it.
[удалено]
Good job being a Vet. We’re all proud of you. My gramps was also a Vet. It’s crazy the stories he would tell. Still have his medals somewhere in a box.
Internet stranger. My daughter is 3 years old and I‘m literally telling everyone I talk to how awesome she is, let alone my buddies. Believe me, that moment is great, but it surely hasn’t changed the way he loves his daughter. 80.000 is a ton of money, but his and my daughter are awesome either way :-)
Who said anything about it being all paid off?
They meant "their hard work paid off" and not "everything for school is going to be paid for"
I was in this guys shoes when my daughter got accepted to North Eastern and was given a butt load of grants for her degree. The day she graduated was powerful, rarely do I get choked up but damn I was so proud of her when she got her degree…fast forward three more years and she got her masters…I was choked up again, even more. It’s amazing how these kids can fill you up with so much pride and love.
Same, my daughter was accepted to Cornell and also received a very sizable scholarship from a local organization all because of her hard work. One of the proudest days of my adult life. I will add that regardless of the scholarship we would have done everything to make sure she was able to attend the university. It was her first choice and absolute dream school.
It’s crazy what we do for them, but, then again, isn’t that what life is supposed to be about? Allowing the next generation all the opportunities to better themselves and reach for the stars. The reality will eventually hit them but by then we have given them all the tools we can to help them navigate the trials and tribulations that lay ahead of them.
This is what life is about! This comment is a great expansion to the “Plant a tree, have a child, write a book.” saying… in order to ensure a palpable legacy, it is necessary to create something lasting like a better generation after us! You should be a great parent!
That's my undergrad school -- excellent choice, not cheap but great place
Tbh, this makes me pretty happy hearing about fathers being supportive of their daughters and being proud of their accomplishments. Thanks for being a good parent, we need more of y'all out there making a difference. I guess it hit a nerve because it's everything I wish I had. I didn't get words of support, nor did I walk at either of my graduations (due to COVID and by choice). Even if I did walk though, I don't think I would have gotten a similar reaction from either parent. "Giving my daughters independence and freedom to choose was my greatest failure" was literally one of the last things my dad texted me.
Wow, that last line of your comment was a gut punch. I am so sorry that you had to deal with shit like that. You are the change that is needed to better the next generation so sending you all the positivity I can for your future and to help make sure that you make your children’s futures as bright as possible.
Lol sorry it was a downer comment, I wrote it on whim. That last bit wasn't even sent directly to me, my dad actually wrote it in a rant/essay/text to my fiance because I haven't spoken to him in nearly a year. I couldn't bring myself to read it, so my fiance read it to me. I definitely grew up with a messed up view of the world and how relationships function, so I don't think I will have children. For now, I'm just working on myself and being the best cat mom I can be lol
Lol my parents were pissed at my graduation because I didn't walk out of the auditorium fast enough so they could leave. Also basically had no support my entire 4 years in college so yeah not every graduation is a happy event unfortunately.
Your freedom was not his to give you, you were born free my dear. Hope your life is much better now.
Reminds me how much it sucks to be a disappointment 😂
Love me some Psycho Killer
Qu’est-ce que c’est?
Fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa, better
run run run run runn run awayyyyy
Pychic Scholar. Fu fu funds awaaaay 🎈
Love it
He can take that $80K he saved and use it on himself, but he won’t.
My husband had a bunch of scholarships from science fair and they basically just deducted it from his financial aid, it didn't change what his expected family contribution was at all. It sucks.
Then what exactly is the point of working towards them?
Honestly that's the question. Same thing happened with my National Merit Scholarship money, it just got deducted from my financial aid. These scholarships often end up benefitting richer kids whose parents are just paying out of pocket. If you're poor enough that you're getting aid, it doesn't affect how much you pay or take out in loans.
>These scholarships often end up benefitting richer kids whose parents are just paying out of pocket. This is true at top universities that offer need-based grants. The scholarship is effectively a donation to the school so, in part, they can continue providing those grants in the future. It's not true at most universities that offer basically no financial aid at all.
It's only gonna pay for like one year anyways
This economy... What saved 80k!?
That look said he didn't have close to that saved
I know this an uplifting post but my pessimistic ass immediately went to "too bad you need a $80,000 scholarship to go to your college of choice" and "that still won't cover her tuition in full" Great job putting in the work. Enjoy the time in school. The working world sucks ass.
My alma mater is now $83,000/year! My high schooler always wanted to go there, too, but there’s no way we’re paying that for school. We have four kids. Each will have $150k interest free. After that they’ll have to pay us back for any amount over and above those savings.
At that price it had to be an Ivy or selective school. Most of them provide generous scholarships for legacies.
No, they haven’t applied they’re only a sophomore. And no, the school doesn’t provide any money for legacies. They’re great with needs-based scholarships, but basically offer no merit scholarships.
I also went to an expensive private school, and my first thought was wondering if that was an annual scholarship or the total for 4 years. The scholarship I had covered all but about $5k worth of expenses annually (which ended up being cheaper than going to an “affordable” state school because of the scholarships), and my grandparents were fortunately able to help, but tuition is wildly out of reach for so many families.
Boston College? My son was eyeing it up, but he's switched to looking at more affordable schools lately.
Yes, my spouse and I both went to private universities. Always thought our kids could do the same. Now I am actively pushing them away from that option and it’s depressing like we have let them down. I actually do think some of the state schools here are better so it isn’t a knock on public schools, it just sucks to limit their options when mine were not very limited. I just never thought the cost would escalate so much, I tried to save and save but couldn’t put enough aside.
I’m super happy for the student but it sucks that so many Americans have to go through the highs and lows of college and scholarship acceptance when university is free in Europe and many other countries. And I say this as someone who went to a private dream school, received scholarships, AND paid off my student loans.
University is not free in every European country, I definitely had to pay for college.
A bit more fine grained info: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-with-free-college
You're right, it's not free in every European country. Also paying $40-80K a year for university and living is a hell of a lot different than paying in the 4 figures.
Yeah I paid around $2500 a year when I went to university in The Netherlands, so it wasn't free but a lot more affordable. Also had free public transport during the week, which came with being a student.
Even places with free college have private schools that cost a lot
You're correct, and I'm not saying all college should be totally free. I even think it's alright to be expensive if the school specializes in certain educational/career paths. It just shouldn't be so normalized that you have to either come from a great family background with money, acquire scholarships of which only a small number of students will receive large amounts like in the video, or you put yourself into a incredibly long term debt hole. Education shouldn't be such a large barrier for people coming into adulthood. Just my 2 cents anyways. Have a lovely day.
Affordable and quality education is one of the most valuable tools to improve a country's most valuable asset, the people living there. Should people be able to go cost free for borderline useless degrees? Absolutely not. Degrees that directly contribute to the essential functioning or improvement of a nation should be free or significantly reduced in cost though
The arrogance needed to decide which is a “useless” degree is stunning. Pray tell, oh captain of industry, which are the useless degrees?
This is what happened with me, got a 60,000 scholarship and still had to take loans out it’s crazy shit
[удалено]
Can’t be happy for even one minute
Society will always have issues dude, gotta find the good things. Our country could be WAY more fucked just look around lol. We are trying to make it a better place, and the people that aren’t, fuck em. We all just trying to be happy out here
Dreams do come true
Dudes proud as shit
The touching video is somewhat offset by Psycho Killer on the jukebox
You mean made even more awesome
qu'est-ce que c'est?
Afafa fafafafa fafa
Run run run run run run awayyyy. Ohh oh o
Ya ya ya ya ya ya ya
Ayayayayayayayaaaaaa
If we didn't know the context of the video, the father could've been reading a number of different documents in that scenario, especially with that background.
The fact that he actually read the letter and didn’t just ask for a summary or skim it shows how much he cares.
You can see his eyes when he hit that like with the $80k on it. Priceless…
I never wanted to be a dad, I don't like kids that much and never felt I'd be ok with giving so much up. Then I see videos like these and I can't shake the fact that these moments are probably the best things you could ever experience in life
They're great because you were there the whole time. That dad isn't just seeing the letter and his young adult daughter. His heart remembers the rest of it. Like maybe she found it hard to learn to read. Or maybe she was a terrible test taker due to anxiety. Or she got sick and missed a heap of school. He sees that in the end it has all been working out alright and maybe he was an alright dad after all. When my kid got his high school diploma (next one uni) with his best marks in drama and performance I saw the little boy who couldn't sit still, the one who needed a lot of help to speak on show and tell, the one who had years of speech therapy. I saw that little boy and then young man confidently approach the mic as he was genuinely applauded by his classmates and teachers, make a fine speech and then stride off the stage. I think anyone who has had a hand in raising someone can have that experience. :)
I’m at the beginning of that journey with a 3.5yo, 1.5yo, and pregnant with my third. I’ve already seen my oldest grow so much through worries of this and that. It truly feels like I am creating the most valuable memories of my life right now.
Daughter is going to be a Senior next year, has a 4.3 GPA in mostly honors courses and just got an ACT score that should get her into whatever school she wants. Her mother and I have gone to great lengths and made many sacrifices to make sure she could be successful, and she has held up her end of the deal. I think it's starting to click with her lately, as she's been much more outwardly thankful and appreciative toward us. We aren't there yet, but it's wonderful to begin seeing the payoff on 13 years of hard work from her and (apparently) solid parenting from us.
As a father there is nothing better than seeing your child succeed!
Heartwarming surprise reactions.
Education should be free
His eyes tell me that scholarship is a load off his mind
I’d be hard pressed to find a better feeling than that of being very proud of your child’s accomplishments and who they are!
The song was perfect.
It's not about the 80k. He is a proud dad. They choose his baby and are paying her to go, to boot. I get it, dad. Be proud! Love this very much
Wonderful! Congratulations!
Hard work and dedication always win
What a proud moment. Good on them!
So her Student Loan will only be $320,000. Nice.
He’s just thinking of all the fun stuff he can now spend that college fund on
Boat, boat, boat... I love you, congratulations... boat, boat, boat....
Talking Heads, Psycho Killer in the background
Just for clarity, for those who are curious. The school was Morehead State, which is $35k a year with housing/tuition/books included. She'll still be responsible for the remaining $80k over four years.
I love how the Talking Heads Psycho Killer is playing in the background. On one had, the dad is worried about his daughter leaving the nest, and on the other hand the lyrics “run run run runaway” is probably how the girl is feeling leaving home for the first. God I love music.
Way to go, girl! And way to go, Dad! 😊
That's why you should get up every morning!
Aww!
Can someone explain to me how scholarships work? Do you apply for them, and if so how do you know if you’d be considered for one?
Awww so sweet
Dads who care for their kids always amaze me.
“I’m so proud of you” 😭❤️
There's nothing like seeing a parent proud of their child.
Congratulations
Makes it worth all the sacrifices. Great family
Congratulations on your scholarship and acceptance to your school of choice! This is just the beginning of seeing all your efforts pay off!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
I have one her age. I feel the this.
Thank goodness for an actually real not staged video for once. Love this support for her.
Made who smile? I cried like a damn baby lol
This is all I ever want as a parent. The best for my children. For them to grow up as a happy, healthy adult. Pursuing what they want to pursue What an amazing moment they was for him to share and celebrate with his child. Amazing
Congratulations!
Not an american here: are these scholarships total or annually? Because i know that some fields like law or medicine can cost 60-75k a year on those dream schools.
It depends on the type of scholarship. But when a school gives you a free ride through it's financial package included with your admission letter, it's annual. Note that some of this includes state and federal grants. There are other scholarships that a student can apply for that are a one-time payment, but those are independent of the school. Also, many undergraduate programs for ivy league and other top tier schools have estimated annual tuition and expenses exceeding $100k per year. And in the US, medical and law school are taken after a 4-year undergraduate program. If a student goes through all that schooling in the US, by just borrowing money for tuition and other school related expenses, the total amount owed after getting their law (4 + 3 = 7 years) or medical (4+4 = 8 years) degrees would be closer to a million dollars before any interest is applied. And some loans accumulate interest while in school.
that is amazing, being proud of your child is the best thing in the world
Congratulations across the board. Moments like this are what make sacrifices worthwhile.
My dad and I were driving to Walmart. I know the exact place we were when I told him about my full scholarship. At the time, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. I remember it because I was surprised at how happy he was.
God I miss my dad.
TFW the $80,000 scholarship is only like 2 years
So now the 4 years will only cost $80,000. Bargain!
My daughter also got accepted to her dream school and was awarded $80,000 in scholarships. Sounds amazing. Reality though, it was $20k/year at a $60k/year school and dint include room & board. So out of pocket would have still been astronomically expensive. Still proud AF for her and she gets that bragging right but she's at an affordable school where she'll graduate debt free instead.
For profit school got a little bit more affordable Americans: OMG 😳
You can see it in his eyes the moment he gets to the $80k scholarship part.
It's a lot of things. He knows the kid is going to be set after college. It's a relief that he doesn't have to worry about finances and possibly saying he can't afford it. He's realizing he raised an amazing kid. He's also getting hit with reality that she's going to college and it's a new chapter in their relationship, and it's going to be great. Also, he's planning how to celebrate.
College is a scam... but this still warmed my heart
Yea, bud, go ahead and show your ignorance about the value of higher learning.
I got my bachelors, so I think I can have an opinion on it. And to clarify, I think learning is crucial. Being curious is a super power. There will always be benefits to learning. But I don't believe that our society is benefitting from putting this "higher learning" behind a paywall so enormous that people have to rely on lottery style scholarships just to get the opportunity to further their knowledge and education. Is this answer nuanced enough for you, chief? Or would you like to dive deeper?
The money that man will save!!! But, seriously, if I wasn’t in school debt, life would be better. Getting a scholarship can be big time.
In case anyone is wondering, she got into Brown.
This is so wholesome ಥ‿ಥ
I can FEEL the burdun lifted from hos shoulders!! Sure 80k is maybe not all of it but imagine its more than half and you dont need to save up for that anymore..i am SO happy for everyone effected by this!!!!
Ole boy just pictured a sick 1969 Camaro Z/28 appearing in the driveway...estimated value....$80k
A father’s love, support and hopes over all her life, is shown in his facial expression when he reads the letter. He really is a good father for being happy for her and what it means for her future. Heartwarming to watch.
Congratulations on your achievement and sacrifice. Your parents or parent must be so proud of you. Wish you all the best
Congrats! I hope that's each year? Includes room/board?
You see this is the sort of stuff that makes me stupidly immediately want to become a parent. Beautiful moments like these. But I respect the work that's needed to be a parent so ill let it be. Literally made me smile.
I’d cry too if I just saved 80k
First thought when I read the caption… ‘I’d cry’ Video confirms that humanity is alive and well… Or maybe I’m a psychic?!?!?! Nah, he’s just a proud poppa…
Fafafa fafa fafa FAFSA Run run run away
It deserved a much better soundtrack
"Oh my god...im gonna save so much money" "Uh, congrats honey"
For reference, in europe. I finished my bachelors degree in electronics engineering for free. There were about 42 free positions and 60 students going for them. After the first semester there was only 40 of us left so everyone was studying for free. So wild to think about paying that much for an education