How does anyone afford seminary?

amother

Mint

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 6:46 am

amother [ Floralwhite ] wrote:

FAFSA.

Masa.

Working with the seminaries on tuition reductions: my parents paid the same $7,000 for my seminary tuition as they did for the 4 years of high school. They did the same for my sister.

Money saved up for several years.

Can you or someone else be specific please? How much do FAFSA and Masa actually give? What are the requirements to be met in order to get financial aid for both of these programs?

amother

Saddlebrown

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 6:54 am

amother [ Mint ] wrote:

Can you or someone else be specific please? How much do FAFSA and Masa actually give? What are the requirements to be met in order to get financial aid for both of these programs?

I got about $6-7000 masa. This may be dependant on location, or even the year. And we didn't know if we got it until june or july when we had already commited to the seminary and paid money up front.

I was not able to get fafsa although I applied. I think I can appeal - still working on that. (for this year)

A lot of seminaries give college credits so they are good value for money if your dd wants a BA.

amother

Mint

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 7:00 am

amother [ Saddlebrown ] wrote:

Thanks! So what exactly is Masa? What are the requirements?

Can anyone else tell me about FAFSA?

Fyi, we are yeshivish.

amother

Saddlebrown

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 7:09 am

amother [ Mint ] wrote:

Thanks! So what exactly is Masa? What are the requirements?

Can anyone else tell me about FAFSA?

Fyi, we are yeshivish.

Masa has a website. https://www.masaisrael.org/ We had to send them a bunch of information...tax returns and so on. Its a Jewish org so we explained about tuitions etc even though our income is high. (well, too high for fafsa...) I have no idea how they calculate grants though. I think the seminary needs to participate in their program...my daughter's was on their list. You can call them and ask them but I am not sure how much they can tell you over the phone...

Fafsa is federal student aid. They also has a website. Google for advice on applying...

amother

Lavender

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 8:02 am

I like the idea of seminary. As an OOTer who doesn't qualify for government aid, we found the North American seminaries were still more expensive than what we paid for 12th grade tuition.
But an Israeli sem, with MASA, seminary breaks (newer ones wanted our girls), local Federation grants, wasn't much more expensive.
We've been out of the parsha for a few years and I hear prices have gone up.

southernbubby

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 8:04 am

Our girls went and benefited, as did 2 DILs. One of the remaining DILs went for a short time to a local Crown Heights seminary and the other lived in EY and went to a local 4 year seminary for Israeli women, many of whom married and had babies while attending.

There are some real drawbacks to sending 18 year olds very far from home. Some kids take advantage of this new freedom. Even non-Jews factor this in while picking a college. Some kids, however, mature from leaving home.

Seminary used to be a selling point for shidduchim but I don't think that people give it as much consideration any more, at least not in Chabad. A top girl in seminary can struggle in shidduchim if the boys are not up to her standards.

Developing local programs for high school graduates keeps the girls in a learning environment.

Chayalle

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 12:07 pm

amother [ Lavender ] wrote:

Adding up the costs of tuition, E"Y trip, Shabbatons, and extra-curricular...and I'm paying more for the local seminary my DD is attending, than the cost of my niece's seminary in E"Y (they gave her a significant scholarship.)

So some of the people running the seminaries in E"Y really do give steep discounts to those who need/qualify.

OP, is there someone in your DD's school who can guide her to apply to seminaries that would fit her needs/type but are known to give breaks? I know that that's what my niece did, and I must say, her high school principal did a great job guiding her to the right place. She told them upfront that finances would be a big issue, so her mechaneches told her where to apply. B"H it worked out well.

ShishKabob

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 12:09 pm

amother [ Navy ] wrote:

I didnt go to seminary because it was hard for my parents financially. In town, most of my class went.
I didnt and dont regret it for a second. My parents didnt have to pay a ridiculous ammount of money, I married a learning boy anyway, BH had no problems with shidduchim and now 12 years later, seminary is a distant thing of the past.

Thank you for sharing this! May Hashem repay you tenfold and you should have lots and lots of nachas from your children.

amother

Saddlebrown

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 12:26 pm

Chayalle wrote:

For the second year my dd is going to a part time NY seminary. Considering rent and food is not included, and no masa, AND it is only half a day, it is way more expensive then her year in Israel. (But she is working part time which helps)

After this, I think her year in Israel was pretty good value. Full day of learning plus evening classes, all food included, and dorm. This seminary doesn't give any scholarships but the price is a bit lower then other seminaries.

miami85

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 1:06 pm

we used the money that I got as a minor of a parent who was receiving social security/death benefits.

I also went and got college credits so it was a year less of college. I didn't come from a big family, so I know that its not easy, so far I only have 1 daughter.

It may depend a lot on the individual girl, but I personally grew a lot in seminary, made good friends, and got a lot out of the learning. Especially having grown up out of town.
My husband's mentor on the subject is not a huge proponent of seminary in Israel, so I know it will be a huge conversation when the time comes. I had the option of going to an American seminary especially it was back in the day when safety was a HUGE concern, but I knew then it wasn't the right fit for me. I think its one of those things, like chasunas and other simchos, sometimes we dont know where the money is going to come from, but if its the right decision, the money will happen. At times I say "its on Hashem's cheshbon"

imorethanamother

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 1:28 pm

Fox wrote:

The OOT pressure to go to seminary is ridiculous, reckless, and not consistent with a Torah outlook.

If a girl specifically needs to go for some reason or wants to go (and has therefore the saved money for it), then fine. But seminaries are money-making institutions for their owners and families. The idea that a girl should go just so she can participate in all the hoopla is the worst possible lesson imaginable.

When my DH and I seriously researched seminary options, we discovered that about 40 percent of the girls had a good experience; 50 percent had a bad experience; and 10 percent had a life-changing experience for the good. The girls who had bad experiences were typically those who were least motivated to attend seminary for its own merits.

We chose not to send our daughters, and I am thankful we had the backbone. The financial pressure put on families is enormous. Rabbi Shloimie Simon, who works with Agudath Israel of the Midwest offering credit counseling, estimates that seminary or seminary plus subsequent weddings are the biggest causes of financial problems among frum families.

It never came up at all in shidduchim.

If someone whom you trust feels your daughter needs the hashkafic influence of seminary or your daughter has saved money to go, then by all means, extend yourself. If your daughter is going to because "everybody" goes, then it's time to learn that not everybody really has a pony.

You do realize that these days, high school tuition is about the same as the seminary expense? And it's for four years! My elementary school and high school tuition costs are killing me, not seminary!

amother

Cyan

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 1:51 pm

My kids are still young, but I'm probably not going to send to seminary or send my son to learn in Israel post high school. I went to seminary myself and I loved it, but I definitely feel like there's not enough supervision. The seminary doesn't know where everyone is at any given time. Just the thought of sending an 18 year old to a foreign country for a year makes me nervous. I'll probably send my kids to Michlelet or Kollel summer program through ncsy so they can have the Israel experience while in high school and then they'll start college after high school at either Touro\Landers or YU\Stern so they can still continue to learn and remain in a Jewish environment, but still be close to home.

amother

Lavender

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 4:10 pm

SixOfWands wrote:

The answer as to how people afford seminary is that they save, and their kids save.

DD2 is still saying that she doesn't want to go to seminary, but we've encouraged her to apply in case she changes her mind.

MASA has looser $$ guidelines than FAFSA.
A couple of years ago I saw an article in a YI bulletin about a grant similar to MASA for seminaries/yeshivos with a more Zionist bent. I don't remember the name.

Librarian

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 5:01 pm

imorethanamother wrote:

This! I am always amazed at these seminary discussions. My sons' high school tuition (including transportation, dinner) were same as seminary! No airfare, true, but they were 4 years, not one! And it was hard!

amother

Ruby

Wed, Nov 20 2019, 7:06 pm

amother [ Saddlebrown ] wrote:

I got about $6-7000 masa. This may be dependant on location, or even the year. And we didn't know if we got it until june or july when we had already commited to the seminary and paid money up front.

Hope you don't mind me asking but where do you live?