<p>My daughter has been accepted at several good colleges and the final short list is Earlham and Mount Holyoke (MHC). Earlham, because the financial aid package is the best and Mount Holyoke, because though the cost here will be about 35% more than Earlham, it was originally the first choice college. My daughter and her friends feel that the college that gives you the best package, wants you the most, and therefore should be the one you should go to. I am not fully convinced with the idea. the cost is a factor for me also and going to MHC will mean raising some amount in loan but if MHC is worth that much more I am open to it. I feel Earlham is very good but MHC seems to offer a very different experience. Her interests as of now are health, therapy and writing.</p>
<p>The question is is mount holyoke doable?</p>
<p>Not comfortable but doable</p>
<p>I think that MoHo is better for your D’s interests, but Earlham wouldn’t be a bad choice.</p>
<p>Whose loans? Hers, or yours? If hers, would it be within the limits of the Stafford Loans ($5,500 freshman year, $6,500 sophomore year, $7,500 junior year, $7,500 senior year)? If yours, what is your plan to get them paid of in such a way as to not negatively affect your ability to respond to any financial crises (job loss/change, new roof/furnace/car, massive dental/medical expenses, etc.)? In either case, what will she need to forego (unpaid internship, summer program expense, etc.) in order to make the MHC education possible?</p>
<p>Earlham is a fine educational institution, if she prefers it, it is OK to choose it over MHC. If the truth is that your family can scrape together the pennies and make MHC work, and she’d really rather go there, then do let her know it remains an option.</p>
<p>Our loans. However, most of the posts I have read on this forum say that it’s worth stretching a little for MHC?</p>
<p>MHC is just an amazing place. My nephew went to Earlham and it was very nice, but MHC is way beyond.</p>
<p>MHC is amazing. However different families define stretch in different ways. Only you can determine whether the stretch you are considering will be bigger that you can truly justify even for a place that qualifies as “amazing”. That you are asking this question makes me think that you may be trying to convince yourself that this particular stretch is less big than it really would be.</p>
<p>Thanks to all of you for clearing the fog for us. We re-looked at our finances and feel we will be able to give D the option of joining MHC, if she still wants to consider it.</p>
<p>Have you contacted MHC’s financial aid office to let them know that she would love to go there, but that she received a better package at another school? Seems to work for some…</p>