These Back-Busting Americans Paid For
College Themselves And Think You Should, Too

Great article! I'd love to hear what some L-Dotters (or their parents) did to work their way through school. I worked every summer and break; stacked classes in the morning and worked at the campus TV station from noon to 5 every day. And loved it. I went back for a Masters 30 years after my undergrad degree, working full time and paying by the semester. Loved that, too. Wouldn't trade any of that for being given a free ride from hard-working strangers.

Hey Folks, Cut him some slack. He's buying votes.

I worked at Del Monte Cannery as a forklift driver during the summer, and as a fry cook in the evening 'til 2 am. During the school year, tips from part-time bartending helped pay for some tuitions. Back then, never had PELL Grants and Title IV student loans. My children have a career and they just paid off their student loans for the graduate programs.

My parents paid for my tuition, books, meal ticket and dorm rent. That was the great majority, but I covered all clothing, auto fuel and repairs, travel expenses to and from home, and any personal items purchased during the year came out of my summer wages. I paid 100% for grad school for my master's degree myself. It's not right for this puke Biden to act like a king and hand out taxpayer money to these deadbeats.

I lived at home the first two years and went full time to the local state university. My parents paid my tuition and books. I worked part time to pay for my expenses. Then I wanted my independence and own apartment. I worked full time and went to school part time for two years and completed my junior year, paying all my own expenses. I got burned out and took off a year-and-a-half from school. My parents got worried I wouldn't finish my senior year credits and offered to let me live at home; they would pay my tuition and books, I could get a part-time job for pocket money. I took them up on the offer and finished my degree. Side Bar: It was a really great year, from January to December. I got to spend that summer at Girl Scout camp as a counselor. Most importantly; I returned home as their daughter, but no longer their child. We got to know each other as adults. They told me stories of their family life as children. They shared more details of their depression era and WWII experiences, and their early years as young marrieds living in Hollywood right after the war. That wonderfully special year gave me greater insights into their personalities and personhoods. It was a gift from God that not may sons or daughters receive, to know their parents as people.

I lived in an apartment with 4 other girls off campus and rode my 10-speed bicycle 8 miles in and back from campus. I scrubbed pots , washed and put away the dishes, wiped down the counters, and swabbed the floors, and dragged out the trash, in a kitchen in one of the women's dorms for my meals there M-F. Sometimes, I was even able to bring a plastic container to bring a few leftovers when i was instructed to dispose of them, to tide me over on the weekends. I did not work there for money, mind you, but to cover my meals. I was so thankful for that job. Worked summers and at the local Channel Lumber during school breaks, there were never, ever fun, fun Spring Breaks to FL or Jamaica for me.

College was paid for by loans, scholarship, summer and holiday jobs, and help from parents who were living paycheck to paycheck, after winning WWII. This load forgiveness is wrong on so many levels, primary of which is that it gives students an overwhelming sense of entitlement.

I had a small scholarship to the local state university. I lived at home. My parents paid for the tuition that the scholarship didn't cover and I paid for the books, lab fees, clothes etc. I worked at the library on campus part time during the school year and full time in the summer.

Every summer I worked 2 jobs to help pay for my college education. I worked while I was in college. I could have gone to an Ivy league school but chose not to due to the cost. I still got a good education and I have no regrets. I could have studied art but figured I have a better future as an engineer. I worked while I was in graduate school too. I did have student loans, which I paid back. I worked my butt off, in school and in my jobs. I have no sympathy for anyone who chooses to get a student loan to go to college to get a useless degree and then can't or won't pay off their loans. And I highly resent that my government thinks that I should pay for their loans.

I worked at a series of crappy minimum wage jobs to pay MY way. (Try cleaning nasty beer kegs after they sat with the dregs cooking in the summer sun a few days.) My parents did their bit by allowing me to live at home so long as I was in school (a hyphenated state commuter school) and advancing. I got my "big break" when I was hired by a manufacturing company giving me a real (third shift) job at double the money. I often say I got my schooling at the university, and my education at the company. Government is what we allow it to become. In this case, as in many others, it is a charity that is hardly charitable to all and forces me to pay into many causes and social outcomes I detest. This "forgiveness" scheme is a fine example. Perhaps homeowners with Federally-guaranteed mortgages need to start agitating. Why not? Start writing your Member of Congress!