Can having a baby during college actually SAVE you money by getting you more financial aid? ?

Question

My husband and I have been wanting to have a child for a while, we are both in college and have never received financial aid from our schools. We've been wondering if we had a child NOW instead of later, could we potentially save thousands on college tuition (not to mention a much better tax break!). Any ideas on this?

Answer 1

First of all, increasing your family size would make your eligible for more federal aid, but financially it's not the best choice.

However, I get REALLY frustrated when people talk about how it's such an awful idea to have a baby while in college.  At least in college you are somewhat free to schedule yourself as necessary.  If you wait until you are out of school and are working full time it's much harder.  Sure you won't have studying to do, but you'll be at work more than you would be if you were in class.

I had my baby - by c-section - in the middle of the Spring Semster and took a full load of summer school courses and things have been fine.  I study when the baby is sleeping or in his bouncy chair or whatever.

But, honesty, having a baby now won't save you much money most likely.

Answer 2

Finish college first.  My opinion, you'd have too much on your plate and stress yourself out.  Working to support your family, going to school, taking care of baby...

I'm sure if you were a single mother, there would be grants available to you.  

Why don't you just find a job, who has tuition reimbursement?  that'd solve your problem!

Answer 3

My husband works at the college and goes to school too we have a 3 week old and we get grants to help with tuition and he gets free tution also... but we both work and i have mycollege degree too....

Answer 4

Sorry, but I think that sounds like a very foolish idea.  There is no guarantee that you would receive more financial aid, and even if you did, your increased financial needs would probably be much greater than any aid increase.  Besides, how would you manage caring for an infant, a full class schedule, and studying?  Professors aren't going to care if you aren't prepared for an exam or your paper isn't finished because your baby had an ear infection.  What about health insurance?  Day care?

Finish school first, get your careers going, and when things are more stable for you financially, then talk about expanding your family.

Answer 5

nope. you wont get any help. and it would be dumb of you to take on the extra work of having a baby just to save money. if you were single and had a kid that would be different.

Answer 6

Regardless of getting financial aid, please don't do this! I'm 28 and finishing up a degree I started years ago. I got pregnant last year because, well, my clock is ticking! I have a year left of college and a nine month old son. My husband makes too much for financial aid, so we don't even get that. It's very difficult for me to concentrate on school when I have a baby to take care of. I'm doing it sure, but it would be so much easier if we had just waited another couple years!  

Answer 7

That's a tricky way to cheat the system. That's like what people do when they want more welfare money, they just pop out a kid and take everyone's tax dollars.

Do your potential kid a favor, and plan his\her birth according to when you can best take care of it, not to save money on your college. That's a lame reason to have a baby, pretty selfish.