Decision Time

Paying for College
1

<p>Have a daughter, National Merit Scholar, top-10 in her class, etc. Wants to eventually become an attorney. Our choice is:</p>

<p>University of Texas at Austin - Honors College of Liberal Arts, or Duke University.</p>

<p>Duke will run my wife and I another $6K for her freshman year, plus $5K in loans to her. My salary can fluctuate, not downward, but sometimes upward in a good year, which could increase the spread between UT-Honors and Duke for dear old Mom & Dad to pay or for additional loans. Also have another daughter who graduates in a couple of years who is a top student and might very well want to follow sis to Duke.</p>

<p>What say you on this issue. Is it worth it to go for the Duke degree, or should we save the cash and go without debt?</p>

2

<p>Clearly your call. If the $6K a year more for Duke is substantially painful for your family, then that might be what you need to focus on.</p>

<p>If it it inconvenient, but not substantially painful, I’d probably go for Duke. (That is, if you’re able to fund the rest of her college expenses without loans or mortgaging your future heavily.)</p>

3

<p>Duke. I guess I need more characters to post, so Duke.</p>