How can you afford paying for yeshivas for several kids?!!

amother

Goldenrod

Wed, Aug 31 2016, 2:32 pm

My kids are starting their first year in a yeshiva. I'm happy for them, but also very concerned about next year (the amount will be higher!). Many times, I just feel like moving away from the US just because of these yeshiva tuitions! We're still stuck living in a 1 bedroom apartment with three kids. My husband is the only one working since I'm taking care of the baby (yes, I know some will say I should work, but even if I do go back to work, I'll need to earn a lot of money in order for us to move AND continue paying for tuition!). It's just INSANE. I feel depressed many days just thinking about the tuitions. I don't want to just send my kids to public schools at an early age, but it seems like there's no choice if we won't be able to afford any longer. I wish the government would have contribute some money.

Ruchel

Thu, Sep 01 2016, 9:04 am

I was going to say a yeshiva boy can work if he wants to go to yeshiva, but you're talking of school. Ok. I would suggest looking into OOT (or Europe or Israel) but that may not be possible.

amother

Goldenrod

Thu, Sep 01 2016, 9:23 am

Ruchel wrote:

I was going to say a yeshiva boy can work if he wants to go to yeshiva, but you're talking of school. Ok. I would suggest looking into OOT (or Europe or Israel) but that may not be possible.

OP here..that's exactly what I've been thinking. Some of my family is over there and I was born over there but lived in the US for awhile. My husband is American and thinks that I got used to the culture over here and won't like it in Israel. But I know it's a matter of getting used to and every start is difficult. I'm just concerned about jobs over there. My husband and I don't have the best jobs over here so over there it would be even harder. If it would be easier, I'd move to Israel right away because I want my kids to grow up there and be in religious schools (and not worry about tuition!).

amother

Puce

Thu, Sep 01 2016, 9:27 am

amother wrote:

Sounds like you are in a rough spot. Are you sure you will be worse off in Israel? If you are going to be poor anyway, better to be poor in Israel. Firstly because you'll be in Israel and secondly because there's less of a stigma here about poverty. Good luck with whatever you choose.

amother

Goldenrod

Thu, Sep 01 2016, 10:24 am

amother wrote:

That's what I was telling my husband! I feel like it's better to be struggling in Israel. But he's still not convinced.. Sad

amother

Silver

Thu, Sep 01 2016, 10:37 am

I don't want to even try do guess what the percentage is, but most people who live "in town" don't pay full tuition. I have a feeling many families simply pay $250-$400 per kid because that is all they can afford. Many families make less than 125k and if that's the case tuition becomes very difficult. Frankly, unless a family makes 250k or more it can be a struggle. You are not alone with this issue and most schools work in a very menchlach way with families struggling with tuition. Can I ask what general neighborhood you live in?

amother

Cyan

Thu, Sep 01 2016, 10:42 am

I think we're going to have to go to Israel in the not to distant future....there's no way we can afford to put all of our children in school here in the US. I don't know how people do it!

amother

Goldenrod

Thu, Sep 01 2016, 12:02 pm

amother wrote:

we live in NYC. I read on the forum that if I live OOT, they give vouchers... but I'm not sure if it's worth it to live somewhere else. Right now, my husband likes his job so I can't really move too far away. I'm not sure how much people pay each year after scholarships in nyc.

amother

Goldenrod

Thu, Sep 01 2016, 12:43 pm

sky wrote:

How much tuition per kid are you talking about?

Right now it's a bit over $11,000 a year for both kids (one is in UPK so it's just $1000) but next year it will be much more since it won't be UPK anymore and with three kids of course it will be more.

sky

Thu, Sep 01 2016, 1:30 pm

I know you said you can't go to work because of your baby. But can you take on a job that would make about the 15,000 to cover your tuition. This could free up the money your DH is earning toward tuition and put that toward rent.
Maybe babysit another child or 2 in your house with your own baby.

(I'm sorry if I'm giving solutions if you just wanted to vent...)

amother

Cerulean

Thu, Sep 01 2016, 1:55 pm

Right now we currently afford tuition in our NY "in town" neighborhood with Hashem's help. We r fortunate that H gave us energy and brains and allowed us to b born into families who enabled and encouraged us to pursue higher education to qualify for decently paid jobs. We each make low six figures so together, we can just about manage tuition, mortgage, household help (since we both need to work full time), and everything else that comes with havin a family. But it's so hard Sad

I wish I could b home w/ the baby, w/ the kids when they have vacation, 2 vomit in my own bathroom thru morning sickness, 2 host more 4 shabbos and yontif. I wish.
Regardless, thank u Hashem that I can pay full tuition.

amother

Silver

Thu, Sep 01 2016, 6:23 pm

livinginflatbus wrote:

There are some schools that don't give breaks but a lot will if you tell them your financial situation

I often hear this..."there are some schools that don't give breaks". I don't believe this. I bet out of the hundreds of "in town schools", 99% are giving breaks to at least some families. Can you name 1 single school that every child is paid for with full tuition?

amother

Apricot

Thu, Sep 01 2016, 6:41 pm

Please ask your LOR' but I believe that you can use maaser to pay part of your tuition.

For this reason my shul is making a tuition raffle. $50,000 to be used for jewish education.

amother

Coral

Thu, Sep 01 2016, 6:55 pm

there are also breaks and then there are Breaks. I know people who are paying 20-33 % of what the tuition actually costs, not all schools will do that.

Someone I know said that her kids school has decided to agree to give significantly less in scholarships because they said that it just wasnt financially responsible to continue to give such big breaks. Supposedly tuition is actual cost of your child there so if you want your kids to get such a costly tuition you'll have to figure it out , they'll give you a small break but not 1/2 off or something.

amother

Forestgreen

Thu, Sep 01 2016, 7:02 pm

amother wrote:

In our "in town"'school of about 800 students, roughly 175 of them receive some form of scholarship. That's not most people, it's not even a quarter of the students.

amother

Silver

Thu, Sep 01 2016, 7:35 pm

amother wrote:

In our "in town"'school of about 800 students, roughly 175 of them receive some form of scholarship. That's not most people, it's not even a quarter of the students.

Can I ask which school this is? What is full tuition? To the poster who mentioned lev bais yackov doesn't give breaks, their tuition is already discounted by maybe 25%-30%.