University of Alabama, Fall 2022, required expenses for freshmen -

Parking permit - $400
Meal plan - $2213 (standard, could be less if you apply)
Tuition - $5550
Dorm fees - $3050 - $7200, depending on availability

Adds up to almost $12,000 per semester minimum. Most kids graduate in 5 years, not 4, but that means the 4 year degree would be at least $100,000 with nothing extra.

I have a friend with a freshman son at Alabama. He tells me the real number is more like $25-$30,000 per semester, but I know them and their ideas of what is "required". They will spend at least $200,000 while he is there. And he has not declared a major yet.

University of Alabama, Fall 2022, required expenses for freshmen -

Parking permit - $400
Meal plan - $2213 (standard, could be less if you apply)
Tuition - $5550
Dorm fees - $3050 - $7200, depending on availability

Adds up to almost $12,000 per semester minimum. Most kids graduate in 5 years, not 4, but that means the 4 year degree would be at least $100,000 with nothing extra.

I have a friend with a freshman son at Alabama. He tells me the real number is more like $25-$30,000 per semester, but I know them and their ideas of what is "required". They will spend at least $200,000 while he is there. And he has not declared a major yet.

I don't know his situation, but as a parent who put 2 through Alabama I didn't spend near that. No scholarship help either.

Be kinda ok with one of my kids quitting school. One of the twins (17 and a Jr at the IB high school with consistent A’s in all advanced classes) is becoming pretty adamant that he’s done with high school.
He’s probably already a top tier diesel mechanic that I’d put against anyone anywhere in his ability to diagnose properly and repair anything
He’s about as good a body man as anyone I’ve had working here.
In fact he’s been working at a world known custom shop after school just to see what he can learn about stuff we don’t do much of.
He’s capable of custom programming and operating cnc and 3D printing
He competes on a national level designing, building, programming and operating advanced robotics

He could probably make $100k+ next year (and just go up from there) conservatively working on commission here alongside everyone else.

He wants to skip his senior year, get a GED and go to a couple trade classes (welding and hydraulics not sure why, he’s pretty competent at both) while he works.

He’s grown up in a shop and never wanted to be anywhere else unless it was hunting, fishing or at a car show.

Honestly, I’m against it but having a hard time really convincing myself he’s wrong. I don’t think I’ll ever convince him to go to college as he’s become dead set against that idea lately, says he just bored with the whole school idea and knows it probably not gonna increase his value significantly so “why spend the time around a bunch of liberals in a bigger school doing useless stuff”.

I think he’s probably not wrong, I’m just hung on the idea he should finish high school I guess

I have first hand experience with this and my son 6 years ago. He struggled in school since Kindergarten, and somehow was promoted each year. He completely bombed the 9th grade but somehow once again was moved on to the 10th. He failed everything all year, and at 17 he dropped out midway thru the 10th grade. He had his GED with a month, and a good job soon thereafter. By the time his classmates graduated he was making $40K / yr. Last year he made $80K and just got another promotion last week that will put him just under $100K. He is a hard worker and always has been. We knew from a very early age he just wasn’t cut out for school, although we never shared that with him. I realize this route is not for most, but it makes me proud to see what my dropout has accomplished in a short period of time.