Compare seminary prices now vs 10 years ago.

↑ little neshamala

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 11:37 am

amother Plum wrote:

I’m really happy for you.
I live out of town and I’m basing my info on what I see. It could be it’s different in other cities.

I dont know if its different. I was in monsey-and everyone warned me, everyone warned my sister, that we'd be setting ourselves up for disaster by not going. BH we proved them wrong (without being rich either, I should add).

If Hashem is in charge, then Hashem is in charge.

amother

Leaf

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 11:55 am

I sent my daughter 5 years ago, and it cost just under $20000. Since we are from Europe, we got about 30% of that paid by MASA.

Actually ended up being cheaper than shana beis which she did in a NY seminary. (since we don't live in NY we had to pay rent, food etc although since is was a half day program she also got a job as well as college)

This was a Chabad seminary, which I think tend to be on the cheaper side.

↑ Chayalle ↓

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 11:59 am

amother Plum wrote:

I still think it’s important for girls to get out on their own. Girls who don’t go to Israel have a harder time in shidduchim. I’ve seen it and heard about it.
Zimras raised their prices this year. It’s still cheaper than other seminaries but there are other costs involved. And it could be more expensive than other seminaries in Israel. For example,
If you go through a study abroad program (like Touro, for example) you can use American scholarships for seminary and fafsa (if you’re eligible). Doing that and then getting masa (if eligible) also can mean you’re not paying much for seminary tuition. It can be cheaper than high school tuition.

LOL. BH I have two married daughters and seminary not being in EY never came up once!

BTW all those study-abroad programs....work for people who are income eligible. Most of us who work on the books don't qualify.

I have one sister (youngest out of 7) who qualified for FAFSA because my father was retired by the time she went to seminary.

amother

Glitter ↓

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 12:00 pm

amother OP wrote:

We just sent our dd to seminary last year. The cost was around 35k not including airfare.

I know inflation is running wild and I saw that college tuition is up over 70% since 2020.

This was our first child we sent to Israel. Can anyone tell me what the prices were 5, 10, and 15 years ago?

We sent to a slightly modern seminary which might be more expensive, but I'd be interested in hearing the price changes everywhere.

Back in 1984, seminary costed a tenth of that....and was considered outrageously expensive....

↑ Chayalle ↓

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 12:03 pm

amother Plum wrote:

I’m really happy for you.
I live out of town and I’m basing my info on what I see. It could be it’s different in other cities.

Is there a local option in your OOT city?
If not, that may be why. Since "everyone" goes away for seminary, it's expected to be EY.
But in Lakewood, the local seminaries are becoming more and more popular....and very much acceptable in the shidduch world.

amother

↑ Plum ↓

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 12:08 pm

Chayalle wrote:

Nope! Wanna start one?

B'Syata D'Shmya ↓

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 12:42 pm

amother Brass wrote:

People should stop sending and then the prices would go down. But everyone is scared to tell their daughter no.

Gemara mentions that, when fish prices go up, the community must boycott and its assur to buy fish till prices go down. Its effective.

PinkFridge ↓

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 12:46 pm

amother Anemone wrote:

Seminaries are a money maker.
As I mentioned earlier look at zimras. They set out to make a cheaper seminary. It worked. Ppl like it.
It’s same owner as brc who set out to prove camp doesn’t need to be so expensive.
I wish there were more ppl going that. It’s such a chessed.

Is it a full year program?

GLUE

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 1:36 pm

little neshamala wrote:

From Lakewood, my sister and I got the same speech both of us got married.

Bnei Berak 10 ↓

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 1:48 pm

little neshamala wrote:

Pure nonsense.
I didnt go to seminary in EY, neither did my sister.
We heard plenty of the fear mongering you are perpetuating, and BH both found our Basherts very easily. I got engaged one of the first in my class (to a learning boy).

Could you shout it out loud so that everyone will hear it loud and clear?
Could someone please tell me why sem would be such a huge deal breaker?

shabbatiscoming ↓

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 2:09 pm

amother Brass wrote:

People should stop sending and then the prices would go down. But everyone is scared to tell their daughter no.

Why only the daughters? It should be a no for anyone with a daughter OR son, if it is not in the budget.
I went over 25 years ago and it was a fraction of the price of what it is today.
The prices are insane. I dont understand how people do it.
And why is it something that is a must for shidduchim? Thats another crazy thing. If sem is a need for shidduchim, does noobody want to fix the system? That is not what finding your life partner is all about.

↑ chestnut ↓

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 2:09 pm

amother Plum wrote:

Disagree.
It’s up to each child to decide if they want to go. My daughter who’s going this year didn’t want to go to Israel for seminary and she changed her mind after a few trips to Israel. And on the trips no one mentioned seminary at all.
I think it’s important for girls to learn how to live away from home.

Your last point isn't that important. If it were THAT important, chassidishe girls would be going as well.
All this "being more responsible" reason is shtus. Girls are having a blast in Israel on their parents' dime, eating out, touring, having fun, even most studious places and even if they use their own money for expenses there. And that's all there's to the idea of Israeli seminaries . Yes, many do develop the love for the country, some are inspired to go there when married, even stay there, but all this absolutely doesn't justify the trend and expenses.
Girls who come back from seminary only start figuring themselves out once they get down from their cloud nine. While girls who stayed here have been in seminary, college, working, and living responsible, productive lives.
This is it in general. Of course, there are always girls whose lives get turned around, need to get away from dysfunctional families, etc. But that's not the vast majority.

Last edited by chestnut on Thu, Aug 22 2024, 2:15 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Cinnamon ↓

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 2:11 pm

Chayalle wrote:

I don't really believe that seminary matters to shidduchim at all. And having just sent a daughter to Israel, I get the whole conversation because it feels like yesterday that we were grappling with it. Just wanted to comment about "most who work on the books dont' qualify" since I got a teeny bit offended. My daughter (from Lkwd) did the study abroad program to get financial aid and there was an auditorium full of other girls who qualified as well. I don't think everyone is off the books. And I'm grateful for the financial aid program that enabled my daughter to have the most amazing year in E'Y that she will treasure for her lifetime. I view it as a gift we were able to give her, but there all kinds of gifts and all kinds of experiences, and if we were unable, it would have been fine.

↑ shabbatiscoming ↓

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 2:13 pm

amother Plum wrote:

So if the child wants to go but the parents can not afford it, then what? Im sorry but a 17 year old does not get to make such a financial decision. If the parents are able tot afford it then yes, she can decide if she wants to or not, but to decide if it is not financially feasible is not remotely a normal thing for a kid to get to decide.

And why do girls have to live away from home? So many never do, so many go from their parents home straight to their marriage home. And its all fine.
And better yet, why girls and not boys?

↑ chestnut ↓

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 2:14 pm

Regarding affecting shidduchim, of course, it does. Which seminary they go to also affects shidduchim. Being a BT or a get or having parents who are also affect shidduchim. Being poor also affects. Being not skinny does. Many, many things affect shidduchim and there are plenty of boys' mothers (who hold the key to the dates) who will reject for any and all reasons.
Having said that, girls who haven't gone to Israel or (gasp!) to seminary at all, poor and skinny girls, BT and geirim get married all the time.
You only need one. But the way often isn't easy.

↑ chestnut ↓

Thu, Aug 22 2024, 2:18 pm

amother Cinnamon wrote:

You have to be income eligible. Middle class often don't qualify for FAFSA. MASA doesn't pay for some (many?) BY sems. BY seminaries don't give scholarships unless a chinuch/kollel family or straight A student.
Low income families, of course, will get FAFSA and scholarships.