We just made a visit to BOCO. The price tag is daunting.
I am wondering what people are really receiving for financial aid from BOCO?
How much was your scholarship? I heard various things from students there this weekend.
Especially interested in hearing from parents who don’t qualify for typical financial aid was their scholarship enough to make it reasonable?
If your child is taking out loans do you feel like it will be worth it in the end?
My understanding is that competition for scholarship money is intense, that many don’t receive anything, and that scholarships awarded are normally in the range of $5,000-15,000 per year. It is also my understanding, and our experience, that they do not look at need, except to award work-study aid (maximum $2,000). The loan question is one that you have to answer for yourself, as well as the question of whether BoCo is worth the price tag. We have heard anecdotally of students who borrow the full amount, and of students who have received full scholarships, but those each seem to be the exceptions. For what it’s worth, I’m thrilled with the experience my MT student is having, and I think he is getting a college experience that will set him up well for a career in the area he wants to be in. And that’s what ultimately influenced his decision to attend - that this program was the best match for him.
Through a college savings fund, scholarships, and my D working various jobs throughout her four years there, we were able to make it through junior year without taking out loans. D had an excellent scholarship offer from another school that would have allowed her to graduate debt free, but to this day (she just graduated last weekend), she and I both believe that the training, connections and opportunities she received at BoCo far surpassed what would have been available to her at this other school. Will this lead to more jobs, higher pay or a more successful career in MT? Who knows, only time will tell. But she’ll have a $250/month loan payment for the next 10 years, so hopefully in the end she’ll think it was worth it!
The scholarships offered by BoCo vary greatly, as do overall acceptances for MT kids. You almost have to take a “cross that bridge” attitude to see where things stand next spring (assuming your child is a rising senior). Once you see where you land with acceptances, finances, as well as personal feelings about the program, you can make decisions from there.