-Isms: Views on life in rural America

Summerland parents and teachers held mid-term conferences this week. It reminded me of days gone by ... Grandma Larson would give Laurie and me a buck for every “A” we earned on our report cards.

I appreciated the extra cash, but I really did not need the incentive. It wasn’t like Grandma was dangling dollars and I was off on a chase to earn “A”s. I’ve told you before, I’m kind of a nerd when it comes to school. I liked it and school - except for algebra - came easy.

Now I know there are people who are against paying kiddos for good grades. Bribery, of some sorts, it seems, or so I’ve been told.

But, colleges have been using merit aid - a type of payment for grades - for years.

I received a president’s academic scholarship from the college I chose to attend. The award, at that time, was $20,000 spread amongst a four-year period. Students who received that award needed to maintain a high grade-point average - I think a 3.75 or above - to guarantee the $5,000 per year reduction in tuition and fees.

In “The Price You Pay for College: An Entirely New Road Map for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make,” author Ron Lieber outlines how good grades influence the price you pay for a college education.

“And just like drugs, you should talk to your kid about it before someone else does,” Lieber writes.

He suggests starting a financial conversation with kids during the summer between eighth grade and freshman year, explaining while good grades and a high ACT score assist with admission to a college or university, those good grades, applied to the merit aid formula, “can make many expensive schools more affordable.”

It boils down to this: good grades give students a chance to say, “Show me the money.”

See, good grades can lead to big bucks; in some cases, all those “A”s can add up to six figures off tuition.

The problem, in this case, is some of the discounts, offered in the form of scholarship funding, can still lead to high costs on the bottom line.

Padded financial aid packages, on paper, look like a great deal. What students and their families need to look at is the final cost of attending each particular school.

I value the education I received at Hastings College. I know my parents made sacrifices so I could attend the private school. And, I know even with a high-dollar merit scholarship, the price tag for a four-year education and bachelor’s degree was steep.

If time could rewind to the age of 17, I would rethink my post-high school decision and consider where I would get the most bang for my bucks.

I want my grandkids to work hard and earn good grades. It can pay off in the long run. And, I also want their parents - and Grandma and Grandpa - to have a conversation with them about the cost of college, when the appropriate time arrives.

If I learned any lesson from receiving grade money from Grandma, it’s this: Work hard, give extra effort and spend money wisely. All are good lessons worth sharing.