Raising Money for School Tuition??

[Buckalew11]

I had a FB do this this past summer. Not sure if she got anything or not. I'm not in favor of it--just as I am not in favor of asking for $$ to go on class trip, a mission trip, adopting a baby, a trip in general, etc.

Very different from friends and family throwing a shower for a bride and groom or a new baby.

 

[disykat]

People picking out dozens of items that they desire and putting into a registry for others to purchase it for them is the same as telling someone that you want this item, if they want to buy it for them.

Sounds pretty similar to saying that this student would like $400 for school and if anyone wants to contribute to the fund, they are more than welcome.

To my knowledge, college registries don't exist. How would someone know to go looking for it?

 

[sophiagymgall]

I wouldn't ever do this myself, and I probably wouldn't contribute to the fund unless it was someone close to me.. BUT, I would much rather pay for someone to attend college instead of buying some semi-useful and definitely non-vital wedding/baby shower gift!

 

[mfd25wife]

I probably wouldn't donate, but if I knew her well you never know. I might help her out depending on the situation. It could be she had it all planned out and something happened like a broken ac, or unexpected medical bills, or whatever.

I recently saw a page for a guy asking donations for him to raise $1500 to race in a mountain bike race and how hard he worked to get to qualify for it. He mentions he is a college student and has two kids and it's a lot of money so please donate to help him with the entry fee. I actually have a harder time with that because it is not for a charity race or to improve himself and he trained for this race knowing it was that expensive and that he did not have the money. For the situation in the OP, I don't know if there was a reason she had the money and then something happened. If I did, that would be factored into my decision.

 

[Aliceacc]

She's free to post the request. And perhaps some of her family members have some spare cash and will contribute.

Personally, I would have skipped jijutsu class and gotten a part time job. My 15 year old son has one and by the end of the summer will have earned over $400.

In your shoes, I would not be considering contributing. Personally, I'm not a fan of asking others for money except in emergencies. So I'm OK with asking people to contribute to Sandy relief, or to the tornado victims in Moore OK. Not a fan of asking others to fund my education, particularly when it appears I could be doing more to fund it myself.

 

[okeydokey]

Wow. I am not surprised. I know someone who asked people for money on her facebook feed to pay for her daughter's cheerleading fees for High School. I would never donate, as I have my own family to take care of.

 

[Pigeon]

I wouldn't contribute, but I think this is much less obnoxious that some shakedowns, like the requests for people to fund their "mission" trips.

 

[kwelch10377]

She's free to post the request. And perhaps some of her family members have some spare cash and will contribute.

Personally, I would have skipped jijutsu class and gotten a part time job. My 15 year old son has one and by the end of the summer will have earned over $400.

In your shoes, I would not be considering contributing. Personally, I'm not a fan of asking others for money except in emergencies. So I'm OK with asking people to contribute to Sandy relief, or to the tornado victims in Moore OK. Not a fan of asking others to fund my education, particularly when it appears I could be doing more to fund it myself.

I am not even thinking of contributing, I was just wondering what others thoughts were on doing this in general.

 

[Janepod]

I wouldn't contribute, but I think this is much less obnoxious that some shakedowns, like the requests for people to fund their "mission" trips.

I agree. College is a terrific goal and honestly I don't care how people raise the money for it (assuming they do it lawfully.) Considering the Facebook shakedowns, Kickstarter nonsense and showers for third children I've seen lately, this is pretty innocuous.

Best of luck to her. I hope she comes up with the money, one way or another (lawfully!!!)

 

[minnie mum]

she also recently got married to one of the instructors so I don't know if she gets to go to class for free now.

I know she was working. I have only talked to her a little thru FB since she hasn't been to class lately. I am not sure if she is working and going back to school or what the whole deal it.

She might not have been able to get grants/loans in time since she just decided to go back to school about a month ago.

While I'm not surprised that someone would have the gall to ask people to fund their education for them, I certainly wouldn't do it, nor would I contribute to it.

Sounds like this girl needs to do a bit more long term planning. She just decided a month ago to do this and jumps in knowing she can't afford it? Sorry- if you want it that badly, get a job and earn it. Put in the effort to apply for some grants/loans/scholarships. Stop looking for handouts so you can take the easy road funded by somebody else.

 

[okeydokey]

While I'm not surprised that someone would have the gall to ask people to fund their education for them, I certainly wouldn't do it, nor would I contribute to it.

Sounds like this girl needs to do a bit more long term planning. She just decided a month ago to do this and jumps in knowing she can't afford it? Sorry- if you want it that badly, get a job and earn it. Put in the effort to apply for some grants/loans/scholarships. Stop looking for handouts so you can take the easy road funded by somebody else.

Exactly. I imagine most people have stuff in their homes they can sell if she only needs $400. Who is going to donate to this cause when they have their own bills and families to take care of?

 

[aristocatz]

I'm not sure if I would contribute. I guess it would depend on her circumstances. Has she just overcome a major obstacle to get to college, struggled & worked hard, but just a little bit short? I'm guessing for this person, no, since she had the $$ and time to take a fun class. My family did throw me a big graduation party when I graduated from high school & I ended up receiving quite a few checks for college.

I do know several people who planned baby showers & wedding showers for themselves, with the expectation of collecting money & presents. Personally, I would NEVER do this for myself (had surprise showers for both of those occasions in my own life).

 

[GadgetTheInventor]

Is this woman going to the cheapest college possible? What is the return investment on her degree? Will she be eating potatoes and fishing in the local river for protein? Living in the cheapest dorm room or apartment possible?

Whatever happened to learning to live within your means? The news story about the firefighters out West who died recently hit me hard because a large percentage of the guys I went to college with spent their summers doing the same job to afford tuition and living expenses during the rest of the year. None of them wanted to go and risk their lives, but it was a way to stay debt free during the rest of the year as long as they got a part-time job when going to school.

When someone asks me for money for a trip or cause, I tell them to go mow lawns or make themselves useful enough that someone would want to pay them. I'll donate a 10 lb bag of rice or teach someone to fish or have a garden if they are hungry, but I'm not buying expensive boxed or canned food that even I rarely eat.

I also think wedding and baby showers have gotten away from their roots of passing along knowledge to help a new bride or mother establish her home. I generally give a high-quality kitchen knife with instructions on how to properly care and use it because cheap knives are painful to use and discourage healthy cooking, or a favorite high-quality children's book or handmade blanket or quilt.

 

[ronandannette]

Eh, to each his own...not really all that different from a Kickstarter project. She can put it up there but that doesn't mean anyone is being forced to donate.

This ^. I'm never offended by anyone asking me for anything...they need not be offended if I decline.

Was it a bible college... This is fairly common for that type of school.

I wouldn't contribute, but I think this is much less obnoxious that some shakedowns, like the requests for people to fund their "mission" trips.

It's not seen as obnoxious by people of like-minds within a congretation that considers this type of thing as "kingdom" work; many people who really have a heart for missions (for example) aren't able to participate themselves for a variety of reasons. Funding is their opportunity to have a hand in activities they value. I do agree however that there's little point to asking for support from people who don't feel similarly and such requests are best confined to people one knows well or are part of the same faith community. Regardless of the circumstances though, I still stand by my main point that no one is obligagted to do anything simply because someone else has requested they do so.

 

[Disney Doll]

Showers are thrown by someone else for the guest of honor. Registry information should never be included on a shower invitation...that information is determined when the invite recipient RSVPs to the shower and inquires about what the guest of honor might want or like. Registry information can then be conveyed, but always with the caveat "A gift is not required. We want you there because you are special to us and we want you to celebrate with us". If I, as the invite recipient, still then choose to bring a gift, then that is my choice.

This new thing of putting up a website asking for money when one wants something is just another indicator of the "me" focus that society currently has. "I want this and I can't afford it and I don't want to work for it so I'll get someone else to pay".

OP, I do not contribute to these kinds of things...not for college, not for a mission trip, not for someone's kid to go to summer camp, not for someone's kid to get a diabetic alert dog.

The one exception I will make to contirbuting to some kind of fundraiser is if someone has suffered a catastrophic illness or "life event" (ie-lost everything in a natural disaster). Those folks generally have many expenses that are not covered by normal insurance and I am happy to help them.

Unless she has had some catastrophic event in her life that has impacted her, she should get a job and earn her own $400.