<p>OP, it is what it is. There are countless threads here on CC in which it is revealed to students and parents that they will have to pay a lot more than they thought they would for the kid to go to college.</p>
<p>I do have one more tip, should you be admitted to a college you really want to attend, and need more bucks than your Pell grant and direct loan: if your mom applies for a ParentPlus loan and is turned down, you can borrow more money than the amounts mom2collegekids listed on page one of this thread. It’s an additional $4k freshman and sophomore year, and an additional $6k junior and senior year. Plus the interest on direct student loans is considerably lower than on ParentPlus loans.</p>
<p>Thank you oldmom4896, I agree. This forum kind of brings out the worst in everyone because it reveals how limited opportunities are (despite the myth of meritocracy and whatnot). I’m not even a considerably talented student, without QuestBridge I wouldn’t have applied out of state.</p>
<p>I’ll go check out those loans, again, thank you.</p>
<p>Look at the percentage of kids on fin aid at various schools, including the most selective ones. It’s not like full pay make up the vast majority of the student population. Also, it’s not as though every private schools is better than every public. In a number of states the best schools are the publics. Really, when it comes to true career advantages (and even that is seriously debated and studies have refuted this), it’s only a short list of schools that are going to hold them, and only in certain positions. The state flagship is often the best deal and best school for most students. My son who will be looking at college soon is more interested in state schools , the big flagships (sigh,all OOS) than most of the privates. </p>
<p>I do not agree that this forum brings out the worst in everyone, Brings out good things in a lot of posters who are bringing their experiences and expertise to help out many who are going through this for the first time and have questions A lot of good advice and considerations here. People do vent, yes, and there are some who are very unhappy with the way college admissions work, many in a selfish sense tin that the only issue they have is what affects them and theirs. But that’s the way a lot of things work.</p>