<p>I have one son at a 100% need met college so I hope that is some protection from escalating costs but the other at a state school. He had his needs all met this year but I suspect we will see a significant increase in room and Board for next year that may not be covered.</p>
<p>Perhaps it is cheaper to live off campus and time to move off. It was cheaper for me but there were other drawbacks.</p>
<p>So far I am only borrowing 4K a year to keep both kids in school and they have no loans but I don't know if that will hold up with food and energy inflation hitting so hard.</p>
<p>Anybody else nervous or have you seen next years estimates yet? I suspect it is to early for that though.</p>
<p>Not just because a small % incr of a 35K tuition is alot of $$, but also because of what housing will cost. There are several price points and there are no guarantees even if he chooses the cheapest. oh, the cheapest will be about 10.5K and that is w/o food (we may forgo meal plan at cost of 120 a week in favor of buying/preparing/some eating out since he will have a common kitchen area in whatever housing he gets).</p>
<p>in my case, it's the parent eating ramen noodles, not the student :-(</p>
<p>you know it's bad when a 30K scholarship (which he will have for all 4 years) doesn't even cover the tuition at a school with a COA hovering at 50K a year. Heck, books have been ~1k for 2 semesters...</p>
<p>Here's hoping the 17yo honda keeps running, and the roof doesn't leak in my house...</p>
<p>mythmom: eating for $60 a week? I know my son isn't going to prepare all his meals. But I figure if he can make it on $100 a week, we're ahead. I'm sure a 6'2 170lb teenager eats more than most girls....</p>
<p>If you can find any of the secret, cheap amazing places near NYU, pass them along.....</p>
<p>I've been sending him microwaveable soup, fruit cups and cereal to help out over break....</p>
<p>DD ate a lot of $4 Sushi. Also Ollie's noodles. (But she's 5'2" 105 lbs.)</p>
<p>She's in London now, and I can't afford to feed her. Just keep sending money. Even a stalwart feminist like me hopes she'll find some British guys to take her to dinner. The American boys she's hanging out with have the same currency problems she does.</p>
<p>The worries never end! I've had increases the last 7 years (2 sons, staggered schools). S2 spent the summer in London doing an internship at Imperial College and lived on "Frosties". Everything there was $$$$ and a horrible exchange rate. He's finishing up final year of college - then off to grad school...will it ever end :)</p>
<p>drizzit, I'm in the same situation as you. My S goes to a public school OOS. He also goes to school in a state that has one of the worst economy's in the country. </p>
<p>Last year because of budget cuts and uncertainty of funding for public universities, we did not get a FA statement or statement of costs until July, it was very very hard to budget. Room and board went up along with tuition and my costs are $3000 more than last year. </p>
<p>I really wanted him to live on campus for 2 years. But now that he's going to be a junior he's looking for a house off-campus and I know that it will save us quite of bit of money. Even with paying for an off-campus house for 12 months.</p>
<p>Frosh right? Well, I have two, so the way I get to look at it is: half done, three years to go. One more year of both at the same time. But wait! Law School and Med School.</p>
<p>^It's not in our book, either. Kids are on their own for that--we were fortunate to be able to make great undergrad educations available to them (though they of course earned the opportunities); what they do next is up to them.</p>
<p>Sueinphilly I am with you on that one...first semester done, second semester check sent and now only 6 more semesters to go...S said to me during break "won't it be nice when I am done with college and you don't have to pay for anymore?" what he forgot is that we will still be paying for that loan after he graduates....oh well he was thinking of us at least...</p>
<p>No, I am not planning on paying for those, nor can I. But I suspect that I wouldn't feel comfortable taking a European Grand Tour (haha) when they're struggling. So I do think I'll be helping a bit and still feeling some sense of responsibility.</p>
<p>DD is already campaigning to move me and H into Manhattan (in shooting distance of my job on LI) so she can move in and not pay rent while she's going to law school. Hmm. An apartment big enough? Sounds dubious.</p>
<p>Chedva, you might be right. She is intriguing me with the possibility of living in the city. I was born there and haven't lived there since I was eighteen months old, though I have had many jobs there.</p>
<p>Fortunately our son graduates in May so those pesky tuition increased will be a thing of the past. However for the past three years his scholarships have stayed constant while tuition and fees have gone up about $1750/yr. It really is something families should work into their financial calculations.</p>