Woman Argues That People With Money Who Refuse To Pay For Their Kid's College Are Bad Parents — ‘You’re Greedy’
If parents have the financial means, they shouldn't want to see their children suffering under the weight of student loans.
Pixel-Shot | Shutterstock When it comes to college tuition, many young adults are unable to pay the thousands of dollars that these universities demand, often needing to rely on student loans, grants, and scholarships.
However, Siobhan McCaffrey turned to TikTok to argue that 18-year-olds shouldn't have to depend on their own financial means to pay for college, and instead, that should be entirely up to their parents, especially the ones who can afford it.
She argued that people with money who refuse to pay for their kid's college tuition are bad parents.
"If you can afford to help your kids pay for school and you don't, and you let them take out loans, you're a piece of [expletive]," McCaffrey declared. She explained that there are exceptions, including someone wanting to take out six figures in loan to pursue a theater degree; then, in that case, it's understandable if parents don't want to contribute.
But if a young adult has been getting good grades, plans on attending a state school, and just needs help paying a few thousand dollars, parents who can more than afford it shouldn't have to think twice about contributing. McCaffrey pointed out that it's even worse when parents spend their exorbitant money on themselves instead.
"You are greedy, and you shouldn't be a parent; that's a hot take," McCaffrey said.
As it stands, the average cost of college, according to Bankrate, has nearly tripled over the last four decades, and especially now that inflation has skyrocketed, it won't get any easier.
For the 2022-23 academic year, the average cost of tuition and fees for public four-year schools came out to $10,940 for in-state students and $28,240 for out-of-state students, per the latest data from College Board.
Private nonprofit four-year schools were much higher, with an average of $39,400. Of course, that doesn't take into account room and board, books, and other expenses, which causes the overall bill to go up at least several thousand dollars more.
Despite McCaffrey's sentiment, there are parents out there who try their hardest to make sure their kids don't have to take out any loans to pay for their college education.
According to a study from Sallie Mae, a private loan provider, 77% of American families used their income and savings to pay for some of their kids’ college expenses. Another 18% of parents use borrowed funds to pay for some portion of their child’s higher education.
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In that same vein, a growing number of parents have felt an increasing strain at the cost of higher education and feel financially unprepared to support their children.
In a survey from Discover Student Loans, nearly three-quarters (70%) of parents said they are worried about having enough funds, compared to 66% in 2022 and 63% in 2021. Nearly half of the parents said they felt less prepared to fund college costs because inflation and rising costs were straining savings and spending; 46% said it was because they did not start saving early enough, and 43% cited rising tuition costs.
However, the parents out there who have more than enough money to cover their children's tuition and accompanying expenses but still refuse are doing a huge disservice to their children. They are, at most, freshly turned 18-year-olds who shouldn't have to sign their names on the dotted line to take out thousands of dollars in loans just to get an education.
Most teenagers have no idea just how stifling it can be to pay off those loans, and most people spend their entire lives making payments each month.
If parents have the means to help their children avoid having to struggle, they should at least try instead of forcing them to carry that kind of burden.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.