Extremely OT: Anyone here have kids in high school?

I condolances, I know yer pain! I just took my daughter to Medical school and as I have to pony up for the first semister (until the FAFFSA kicks in), I'm looking at about $15,000. I know that my daughter will pay this back, but MAN oh Man! Looks like I'll be building from the stash for a (good long) while instead of adding to it....

It is a deep plot by "those guys" to separate you from your bucks! When our daughter was wending her way through the various schools, I wondered if the people behind the IRS (tax guys for those of you outside the US of A) were involved......

Here in New York State they have a cute scam going. Whenever some politican announces that they are going to increase the tax deferment for school, or actually either give a grant to the student (college) or the parents (education in general), the schools seem to ~have~ to raise their rates dollar for dollar.....

daughter was wending her way through the various outside the US of A) were involved......
Well Andrew, you know what happens when you put "The" and "IRS" together don't you? "Theirs!"
;-)

It's all a scam. I remember having to pay $30.00 for a *used* copy of a textbook - in *paperback*. The next day, while browsing in a retail book store...I saw the exact same book...*hardback*...for $14.95 - NEW!

My oldest son left right after high school. Youngest is at University of Montana in Missoula (SP?) maintaining high grades while managing their large entertainment complex. Our "little" home forever Justin is 29. His disabilities had him in public school until 22. Now he is in a day program in which he thrives.And then there's Lynne's daughter. At 31 we have paid for the first semester of college twice, through the second semester twice and computer and equipment for photographry school this time around. Lynne went to her graduation in May. She hadn't finished her portfolio so no graduation. Treats her mother like shit except when she wants money. This time was the last. I guess that's what comes from a girl who ran away from home when she was 19. How the hell does one run away from home at 19? Oh, and she wanted to go to the Caribbean and be a pirate about the same time.Oh well, at least she's entertaining. :-)Tom=A0=A0 On Aug 8, 6:57=A0pm, Greg Heilers wrote:> On Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:22:52 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net wrote:> > Just got an info packet for the upcoming year:> > > $80 for a yearbook !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "suggested" donations of $$$$ hundreds per each of your kids....> > > So, does Hasegawa and Trumpeter run my high school prices too?> > > Craig> > It's all a scam. =A0I remember having to pay $30.00 for a *used* copy of> a textbook - in *paperback*. =A0The next day, while browsing in a retail> book store...I saw the exact same book...*hardback*...for $14.95 - NEW!

Believe it or not, I had not heard that one - thanks for the new "old saying"!

Millersville University here pulls the same scam. There is a Student Services organisation which is alleged to be a privately run outfit working in association with the university. In reality almost all the officers of this company are employees of the school. A few years back one genuinely private company attempted to enter the market and end the monopoly. The professors never gave out the book lists in time for them to have any in stock and in some cases the profs wouldn't hand over a list at all. The company sued in court and got turned down by the courts. The appeals went on until the company's assets went down the drain.
Personally, as the father of a student there, I was disgusted. She got a great education but the whole rotten system stinks. May their beards fall out.
Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

=== Should have done what I did. Several months after each one of my daughters were born, I started a US Savings Bond deduction from my and my wife's paycheck. Initially it was a $25 bond for each girl, as disposable money became more available, the bonds increased, and by the time they were ready for college, the bonds were $500 for each girl a month (remember the cost of each bond is half the face value, so $25 is $12.50 and so on). True, the interest is low, but the tax free advantage when you redeem the bonds is phenomenal. We had a sizable collection of bonds that provided about 80 percent of the college education for both.
My two cents to the joy of parenting.
Ray ===