<p>S3's aid letters are starting to roll in. It is surprising to me that after 3 kids, 17 potential freshman financial aid letters (2 more to come) they are all basically the same. Same amount of merit + or - an insignificant amount that rolls in with the acceptance letter and then alittle insigificant bit of subsidized federal loans, alittle bit of work/study sometimes and for the privates a grant and voila....the bottom line. The only thing that changes is the college cost of attendance and all 17 so far are remarkably similar in the bottom line adjusted for a smallish increase in tuition every single year. I'm so very glad we are nearing the end. Interesting since 2006, the bottom line has risen just about 3% each year which sorta matches my salary increases. Yuck and bleck, i just luv the doughnut hole. Rant over.</p>
<p>Ah, but in four years you will feel like you won the lottery!</p>
<p>No kidding… especially if #3 graduates. Then we will have hit the 3 for 3 on kids starting and completing an undergraduate degree. Then we will have $$ again and beat the odds! #3 is killing me, he was 10 days late to be born (1 and 2 were early) and he is waiting the very longest to decide which college he will attend and now I can’t even hold the finances card over his head to prod him to a decision this month because they are all going to be pretty much the same + or - a couple % over the total cost. Oh well…it is the last, the end of the line.</p>
<p>No more admission decisions? That’s great! S had all his decisions by Christmas and still didn’t make a final choice until April 20 and only because that was the date I had as an end date (had a couple of housing deposits in and wanted the money back). D didn’t have all her decisions in until April 1 and I think made her choice on April 2. This is the way all of their life decisions go. Crazy!</p>
<p>Good luck and it is very interesting how the costs and aid packages have pretty much stayed the same.</p>
<p>Wow, you are earning 3% more each year? You are lucky for that as well as for the last-kid-in-school. Around here, no one is getting a 3% raise … which means we are all falling behind. </p>
<p>I do have to say that being tuition-free is something I look forward to. I am house-payment free now, and when the tuition goes away … well, wish I could say it’ll be fun, but the reality is that I will just increase my retirement savings.</p>
<p>Kelsmom, yes I’m fortunate, i had that once awful year and a half of zero income between H and I, post-auto industry (w/2 in college) but things have picked up nicely on the other side of the state and that is in the rear view mirror, pun intended plus I completely switched industries. And yes, we have a heck of a lot of retirement to recover from that disaster period, but I’ll still be jumping for joy, especially if the our cars keep running another decade LOL so I’ll be right there with you. But raises, yes, we’re seeing them again. I’m still earning less than I did in 2007 though…and most of us 2008/2009 refugees are (still earning less).</p>