<p>D2 was admitted this week to Penn State-University Park. She's seriously considering enrolling in the Fall. However, she has pending decisions with some impressive reach schools, some of which she has yet to visit. We had planned a trip in two weeks to Wesleyan, Brown and Amherst. I can't decide whether to advise her to call it a day right now and accept admission to a very impressive and affordable university or proceed with the trip. Her chances of admission are very small but not impossible. She still wants to go on the trip even though she's been grinning from ear to ear all week about her acceptance. Personally, I no longer see the point. What if she does get into one of her reach schools? (she has also applied to Swarthmore and Cornell) I can't afford it and the FAFSA EFC is not favorable to us. Someone who squeaks in is not going to get merit aid. I no longer see the point to wait on these other schools much less spend time and money visiting them. </p>
<p>You could postpone the trip until she gets her decisions. Why waste the time and money if her chances of gaining acceptance are slim? Have you made it known to her that you can't really afford the other schools? </p>
<p>In the meantime, why don't you send in the deposit to Penn State-University Park. The sooner she sends in the housing deposit, the better her chances of getting one of her top housing requests. Usually deposits are refundable if you change your mind by May 1st (check the paperwork from the specific college).</p>
<p>I happen to think your daughter has a really good chance at those schools. They are SO different from Penn State that I would go visit so she can see them. I know you visited Ursinus, but these schools are different.</p>
<p>If you can't afford other schools or won't pay for them, I think now is the time to tell her, not April. I was just on a Cornell thread where a kid got accepted to Cornell ED, but then found out his parents couldn't afford it (or doesn't want to pay for it), and he is not qualified for much FA. For many of those schools, it's not that important to show love. You could visit them in April after acceptance.</p>
<p>I have to agree. If you can't afford them, you need to have "the talk." And if you still plan to visit, I would wait until acceptances. But be very careful. You will be in a real pickle if your D falls in love with an unaffordable school.</p>
<p>If you are not loaded with cash, I don't see the point of visit any school now. Wait until the "yes" letter is in hand, then visit them during the admitted week. </p>
<p>The first thing you do on campus is to make an appointment with FA office. Let them know your situation and see if they give you additional 6 ~10K a year aid. </p>
<p>Visiting campus before application has two main purposes - to let your child see if they would like to apply to that school and to show your love to that school. IMHO.</p>
<p>These colleges don't do merit money, do they? I'd wait until acceptances are in hand and then compare the financial aid packages. However, make sure she understands now your family's financial situation so she doesn't get her heart set on one of the acceptances before analyzing the awards.</p>
<p>Some of those colleges may pay the transportation costs for her to visit in April after she is accepted. Several colleges offered to fly my daughter in.</p>
<p>From what I remember of Plainsman's prior posts, I totally agree with MOWC. Let her send in that housing deposit, and wait to see what happens with the other schools.</p>
<p>Since she has already applied, I do not see the point in visiting until acceptance/financial aid is known. </p>
<p>For example, Amherst is such a great town. It seems mean to take a kid there who may get accepted but whose paretns may not be able to afford it.</p>
<p>"I can't afford it and the FAFSA EFC is not favorable to us. Someone who squeaks in is not going to get merit aid. "</p>
<p>I believe the only reach school on your D's list that gives merit aid is Swarthmore, and a student who just squeaks in isn't going to get merit aid.</p>
<p>If you know you can't afford to send your D to those schools, have her withdraw her applications now. It would be unfair to have her visit schools and get accepted to them and fall in love with them only to learn that she can't go due to finances.</p>
<p>Every year, we see students posting on CC whose parents have pulled the rug out from under them after they get their acceptances.</p>
<p>Be fair to your D: If you know you can't afford some colleges that she applied to, have her withdraw her applications. Don't let her keep those applications viable only to see if she'll get in. That will just lead to heartbreak if she gets acceptances and can't go.</p>
<p>S will be applying to a number of schools that we cannot afford without merit aid. He'll be competitive for merit money but that's no guarentee he'll get it. We've been honest and upfront with him about finances from the beginning. </p>
<p>The only school we've visited so far is his saftey (both academically and financially.) He loves it. I have no problem with him reaching for these other schools. But we won't be visiting them until interviews or acceptance if he can interview locally. We were considering a spring break trip to check a few out but have decided against it.</p>
<p>I'm a student but DO NOT take your child to a "reach trip" before acceptances. Especially if she likes her safety, you can afford it, etc. If she a) doesn't get in or b) can't pay for it, which sound like very possible outcomes, this trip can only be bad.</p>
<p>If you are accepted to a college you cannot afford, I wonder if you gain greater FA leverage prior to or after matriculation? Let us suppose you get an FA package that you cannot afford for four years, but could swing for one. Your D completes Freshman year. Then, for Sophomore year you tell the college that you'll have to take your D out, as you can't afford it. The freshman retention and graduation rate is a big part of college ratings, e.g. US</a> News and World Report. The colleges may be much more motivated to enhance FA to retain your D in a year than they are to attract her now. Maybe someone can comment on whether this theory works out in practice.</p>
<p>JW, I can tell you that we are not taking that approach. As we are all being reminded again this year, colleges budgets can and do get slashed from time to time.</p>
<p>"If you are accepted to a college you cannot afford, I wonder if you gain greater FA leverage prior to or after matriculation? Let us suppose you get an FA package that you cannot afford for four years, but could swing for one. Your D completes Freshman year. Then, for Sophomore year you tell the college that you'll have to take your D out, as you can't afford it. "</p>
<p>I doubt that this would work. What's much more likely to happen is that the pressure of a heartbroken beloved student causes the parents to take out loans and do whatever else they need to do to keep their student in school.</p>
<p>If the app is done which it certainly is by now, makes more sense to visit schools after she's accepted. I have to say it - all I hear is about your pocket book. "I can't afford it and the FAFSA family EFC is not favorable to us". Those 2 statements seem contradictory. You'd have a high family EFC if you have high disposable income. But you declared the first chance you get that you can't afford it. Remember it's only 4 years and its her first and most important decision to-date.</p>
<p>Congrats on your D getting into Penn State.</p>
<p>Have you run your numbers based on having 2 children in college? Your EFC should not be radically different. IF you are swinging the EFC for D1 to be in college, your EFC will most likely remain the same, just split between 2 kids.</p>
<p>At this stage of the game, I think that you should wait until you have an acceptance in hand. Keep in mind that the reach schools on your list also use the CSS profile to distribute institutional aid so your EFC may end up being higher than your FAFSA EFC. I think that you should also read up on the FA policies at each school. Do you know if you fall with in the income thresholds for no loans for free tuition?</p>
<p>There is no merit aid at Brown, Wes and Amherst. My info is old but Brown and Wesleyan being 2 schools who do not care what another school has offered. I remember hearing the FA officers at these 2 schools state there has to be some major extenuating circumstances in order to get a financial review from them. Keep in mind that schools that only give need based FA, do not care what you have received from another school in merit aid or in-state tuition.</p>
<p>Pay the room deposit at Penn State, which is refundable should she decide not to attend. If she is accepted to Brown and/Amherst, they will probably assist in underwriting the cost to their admitted student's day.</p>
<p>Sethcolby - it could be that they own a business but shouldn't pull money out of it. It may be earmarked for salaries, new equipment, cushion against not getting paid by clients in a timely manner.</p>