<p>Giterdone, please don’t be embarrassed. There are many, many, many families making this decision based on money. Plenty of people that most would consider pretty comfortable are just saying no to the incredible costs of college. We are so proud of our daughter who followed the money to a top fifty research university rather than letting us pick up the whole bill at Chicago or Georgetown. She likes saying that she pays her own tuition.</p>
<p>I am pretty anxious about FA too. Other than the 7% acceptance rate Ivy with super FA, the other 8 school D applied to had about a 10k range (based on calculators) for EFC. I am really hoping we hit the schools in the lower range. Coming up with an extra 10K a year will be tough.</p>
<p>giterdone-most people I know will say “it depends on who gives us the best FA”. We have said that all along, the kids applied to whatever schools and followed that up with “it will come down to who gives us the best package”. Around here most people would think you were off your rocker to pay $50K/year when you could have gone somewhere for nothing no matter what the name is on the sweatshirt. We have some good friends who are multi-millionaires (retired president/CEO of a major fortune 500 company) who refused to pay full price for school when their DD got into Notre Dame and she is attending a smaller LAC with 1/2 of it paid by merit aid. </p>
<p>I also think that a lot of people that haven’t gone through the college process for many years don’t realize that so many colleges have an April notification date. In the past we have just told people that we won’t know anything until May and that stops most of the questions. It does get annoying. Heck, we are getting those questions for our juniors right now–“where are they going”–um, no idea, they haven’t applied anywhere yet :). Now, “what schools are they looking at” is an ok question and I don’t mind that one because usually someone will say “oh, if they like X school, they should look at Y school too”.</p>
<p>The question about where my son is going to college doesn’t concern me because it just shows that they are interested. And many kids have already gotten in because of rolling admissions. So I just let them know that he has gotten into a few safeties, but we are waiting until April to hear from the others, AND that financial aid is critical to our decision.</p>
<p>^I feel that way, too. I just tell them where my kid applied and that we don’t know where she will get in if at all and she will go where she is accepted.</p>
<p>Sometimes, when people ask where DS is going next year, I just say: college.</p>
<p>giterdone, right with you. Thankfully S got his first FA package and it’s a great one, so we’re feeling relief that he has a place to go that we can afford. But one of his very top choices is coming soon - we got an email saying they’re sending a password, etc so he can log in and see it - and that one is really important to him. Hopefully in the next day or two he has that offer and it’s enough…if so, the pressure will REALLY be off.</p>
<p>^^^^^That’s a good one. :)</p>
<p>Hello Everyone - I am a compulsive lurker, but do not post much in order to honor my DD’s specific request for internet privacy. These last few weeks of waiting, however, are getting to me. She has a good EA option, but still . . . . Yoga Breathing . . . . Yoga Breathing . . . . Thank you for listening. </p>
<p>BTW, I am attempting to implement something I read on CC last year. I am trying very hard to remember to be the person who asks kids and other parents “what are you/[s]he doing next year,” rather than “where are you/[s]he going to college”. So many kids take different paths at this point for so many reasons.</p>
<p>I do feel fortunate that we have a good “safety” with an excellent FA package in our hip pocket. As most say; this will be far in the rear view mirror when school starts in the fall and D will be happy no matter where she ends up.</p>
<p>I just wish I had known the FA packages could be soo different. I had received 2 similar ones from “safeties” and 1 decent one from a mid-reach. It was just a jolt to see something so different from the EA reach. Oh well.</p>
<p>Looking at threads like this makes me feel so lucky to live in Michigan and to have the University of Michigan, along with its in-state tuition, a 5 minute car ride away.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you, parents, and to your kids!</p>
<p>The U of MI isn’t all that much less for tuition only than any other state flagship. Plus, I wouldn’t want our kids going to a school that is 5 minutes away from home. I would gladly pay extra for them to go farther away. I think that is as important as what you learn in the books in college personally.</p>
<p>University of Iowa is only 7,700 for in-state :)</p>
<p>UMich is a great school but I guaranty you, if it were only 5 minutes from home? D would find something wrong with it ;)</p>
<p>giterdone–our’s too–that would be “it’s too close to home”. They haven’t even considered our flagship school, nor any of the top rated schools near us for that reason alone.</p>
<p>D’s school has 100% matriculation to four year university, so I often ask where kids are going. But whenever I do ask, I always say “Which school has Suzie decided on?”</p>
<p>@SteveMA - I think the allure of “going off to college” has been a bit romanticized. But it’s easy to understand how something in your own backyard can be taken for granted. The UM-Twin Cities is only 20 minutes from us, but it never received serious consideration from D. She is considering some nice instate options that are in the “< 2 hour’ish” drive time window. Which would make Mom extremely happy.</p>
<p>giterdone-the 2 hour drive time is kind of a target our kids have had too–more is ok, less, not so much. A couple schools they have considered are about 1 hour 45 minutes and that is ok. DD knows that she would want to run home for ‘stuff’ happening too much with friends that are in the grades behind her and being too close would make that too easy. She was hesitant to go anywhere farther than about 5 hours until we discussed airplanes :). That 4-6 hour drive is HARD. Our oldest was a little over 4 hours away and a there and back trip in one day was a LOT.</p>
<p>Yea. Fortunately I rack up the FF miles that make airplanes a viable option for the out of state schools on her radar. I would NOT be a fan of the 4 hour, one way drive.</p>
<p>We find half an hour away to be another world most of the time but on occasion just perfect to get together for dinner. S loves it too.</p>
<p>One of S’ top choices is 45 minutes away, I admit i like it. One other top choice is 2 mins away, not so sure about that one.</p>