@Music2023 guitar
@GoForth You 100% correct. It is really just the beginning…is there a Part II Journey thread once the kids begin college or do we just jump back here periodically for updates and new questions, concerns, and celebrations?
@AmyIzzy I was always bothered that the threads ended at the point where the student goes off to college - there was no follow-through about how it all worked out. I am keeping my thread going every couple or so months with a status update. But I don’t know how a post-entry journey thread would look. Maybe a neat idea. Maybe a mess. Not sure.
Some people go to their school-specific facebook groups to experience the “did your child’s gift package arrive yet” thread, and then it seems to die off.
I vote for keeping this thread going! I’m not letting you all go that easily 
and the Pirate Queen cracks the whip…
I second @akapiratequeen’s motion to keep the thread going. The journey goes on after college starts, as should this thread!
Yeah, it would kind of feel like filing for divorce when you have a perfect marriage. How could we not stay faithful to this wonderful place? As long as there are no rules on endless posts, it works for me!
I will be impressed.
@fluffpuff123 wrote:
“As for Carnegie Mellon, my sons financial aid package was very confusing to me. On the top corner we have a box saying we have a financial need of 40,138. Does this mean we have to pay 40,138? We also have a box saying our projected remaining cost which is 35,703 but minus the gift aid/loans. It’s all very confusing to us, would appreciate if anyone could explain our situation.”
It can be very confusing but my understanding is:
Financial need of $40,138 is what the college will help you with (financial aid, grants, merit award)
*There should be a section that says Net Price-this is your COA (cost of attendance)
The part that says “projected remaining cost” should be your COA minus any grants, merit, financial aid AND federal loans. So the $35,703 is what comes out of your pocket if you take the stafford loans.
*The important part is Net Price because loans have to be re-paid so I don’t count that as lowering the price.
If I am incorrect, the more experienced folks can chime in. If I am correct, I hope it makes sense.
@fluffpuff123 here is my personal example from one of our colleges:
Total Costs $48,654 (this includes tuition, room and board, books and supplies, and estimated “other” expenses)
Total Aid $12,500 (merit scholarships, grants, financial aid)
Net Price $36,154
Federal Loans $5,500
Estimated Remaining Cost $30,654
So do you see why I go by the net price (which includes the amount of loan we have to repay) to tell me what we are actually paying?
We must keep this thread going … until we all migrate to the “Class of 2027 Undergrad/Class of 2025 Grad” journey! 
Like others have stated, this group has been a godsend for me. Most of kid’s friends are ivy league material academically and do music for ‘fun’ (or to build their college portfolio, to be honest) so we are definitely an outlier. His school guidance counselor has 600+ other students to take care of, so he was only good for getting the transcripts out to the appropriate place in time (a scramble as music programs had earlier deadlines!). His private teacher had to move back to her home country as her visa had expired (a political rant could be inserted here) and there was very little advice to be had. Thank goodness for some sleuthing and an old band teacher who recommended a few schools we hadn’t heard of.
My only regret is that I didn’t find you all a year ago. Would have helped a ton…but glad to have been able to share the trials and tribulations of the polar vortex, travel hell and prescreen nightmares. Onward to success for all our kids!
I have a question for you all. Are any of you considering schools that DON’T make sense financially? The 2019 threads etc are pretty black and white about ‘go for the cheapest option’ etc - but I don’t think that is AS true when it comes to artistic ‘fit’ etc. What are your thoughts on spending unnecessary (and possibly unavailable) money on something because it seems perfect for your child?
@Britmom5 I am making that decision right now…I know she will thrive at the more costly choice. My D NEEDS to be the small fish in a big pond and I know that about her. In a smaller place where she is the best, she will stagnate. So we are going for the more expensive one
A penthouse with a heliport would be perfect for me.
Also, the enemy of art is the absence of limitations.
@GoForth. Can you explain the last one?
Britmom5——— I don’t believe that lowest cost of undergrad music school is what we should choose. But I do believe that less debt is much better. Age between 18-25 should be everyone’s “golden years”. As a parent, I am willing to take some debts so my son can grow as a good musician and citizen at a place where he can thrive without stress / depression. I just can’t send my son to a school because it would be “debt-free” or “lowest-cost” or “best-deal”.
@Britmom5 - Yes.
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/05/24/art-limit/
I think the idea is that when you have some inflexible parameters, you must be creative to get at what you want.
@GoForth very profound and true.
Perhaps the limitations of:
Affordable and stress-free or
Debt limit of $XXXX and style fit of 95%
Remember the 40% rule.