<p>Disappointed, nearly 50,000 of debt at end of 4 years to make this happen. I think I was wildly overly optimistic about the size of their endowment/our modest income/my son's academic profile. Unfortunately, it did not add up for him.</p>
<p>Did they give reduce your son’s award part way through for merit or need or both?</p>
<p>The way I read it the OP’s aid offer left $12.5K uncovered per year, which sounds a great deal like a full tuition scholarship… Hard to believe that’s not workable, but there may be better offers on the table.</p>
<p>Yeah, I guess I was just curious why the OP couldn’t have predicted this outcome reasonably closely. We’re in this with eyes pretty much open to what it costs, for better or for worse (Sounding a little like marriage vows. 
)</p>
<p>18,000 scholarship, plus some grant money. I find $50,000 in debt at the conclusion of 4 years quite formidable. And, as I alluded, our income is extremely modest, but not quite “Pell grant” modest.</p>
<p>$18K would be the Founders Scholarship. Is any of the offer work study? If not the Grant offer has to be close to the scholarship amount.</p>
<p>Our yardstick has been a state university education. Net of the Founders Scholarship ous S received, it is very close from a cost perspective, and the quality of the educational experience at Denison carries the day. </p>
<p>I’m not sure when it became de rigueur that students graduate with no debt, but I can assure you, their lives will not end if that is the case. I was one of 7, and graduating with student loans WAS de rigueur. This was of course, more than a few semesters ago, and the outreach we have now did not exist at that time. It took me almost 10 years to repay those loans, and I have never regretted it for a moment. I still have the loan file, with the carbon copies of the promissory notes.</p>
<p>^^^
I definitely think that the LAC education has a higher lifetime value than the state U for most students. Not necessarily in raw economic terms but in the aspect of really learning and satisfying intellectual curiosity, it’s a hands down victory.<br>
Denison is very generous for those of us whose children are not “Pell” eligible but have displayed reasonable ability in their HS academic career. That Founders Scholarship was a pretty strong statement for us. We told our son that unless there were tremendously compelling reasons to attend another less generous LAC, this looked like the place.
As mentioned in an earlier post, we are now just gunning for him to make sure he remains fully eligible for the whole thing.</p>
<p>Does anyone know what the chances are you will get a job with your work study? I know it is not a guarantee. In our case we qualify for no grants and would have to come up with close to $25K a year with $18K College Founder with D still having her own loans $5500 this year. That is still quite a bit of money even compared to our close second LAC by $4K per year. However, we were offered a generous work study to help offset some costs. Is it true $8.10 an hour is the rate and what are actual chances of getting a job?</p>
<p>Yes I believe that is the hourly rate.</p>
<p>Our son got his work-study campus job the first week of school his freshman year – and it was the job he wanted. He simply emailed the person he wanted to work for, asked about openings, received an interview, went with his resume, and was hired. (Lesson: the early and prepared bird gets the worm 
And his work experience has been far more valuable than just the money he makes – almost like another major in terms of the additional education he has received. Plus he loves it!</p>
<p>It was my understanding that anyone who wants a job and has a work study component to their fin aid pkg can and will get a job on campus. So I thought it was “guaranteed” if it’s in your pkg.</p>
<p>Is it common for students to working on campus?</p>
<p>How much can you expect to earn through work study?</p>
<p>Yes. MANY students work. Like Esquette’s experience, our dd had a sport in fall, but as soon as she was free, landed a job. She’s now a supervisor, and gets some benefit from that. Not huge $$, but sure helps.</p>
<p>Several in our fam said same thing …why not Penn State? Big name, big school, and lower cost.</p>
<p>Not the NET! In fact, even w/ a scholarship to Schreyer Honors College, we’d have had a heftier bill. MUCHO!</p>
<p>Now, for people from GA, FL and a few other states …they can get unbelievable bargains. Check out the in-state tuition @ UF! It’ll blow your mind. And since the vast numbers of UF undergrads are Bright Day Scholars (or whatever they call that program) …it’s pocket change to go there if you’re a reasonably good in-state student.</p>
<p>So there are anomalies. And not many. California …at least until bankruptcy …was another place higher education was seen as a ward of the state.</p>
<p>What always blows my mind? Why ANYONE would pay out-of-state tuition at a mega U. </p>
<p>Classes for the masses @ private school prices. Mostly egoes and adolescent notions run amuck, imo. </p>
<p>There are a number of dynamics at work in all this including:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Demographics. These 2-3 years are the hump in the baby-boomer rebound. More students than places, at least in the highly selective institutions.</p></li>
<li><p>$$$ - Most people must flinch at the sticker price of a Denison. $250K gross …give or take? Beyond my financial capacity or good judgement, especially absent of hard evidence defining additional, marginal value.</p></li>
<li><p>This drives the masses to the public, exacerbating the problem of both on-campus experiences, admissions, and being able to register for and successfully pass all necessary classes in a traditional 4 year time frame. Wonder why most kids are now taking 5 -7 years?</p></li>
<li><p>And virtually NO FA at publics. They don’t really care about the individual students. Undergrads are the cash cows of the operations.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I know this risks offending many who think of their ol’ State U alma mater as a wonderful experience. And for many it was and is. But that’s not the point. btw, I’ve a peck of paper from the publics.</p>
<p>In sum: </p>
<p>It is quite common for students to work.</p>
<p>Unless one gets an RA type slot, the $$$ is about $2500/year max, I think. 10/hrs. week max, so figure it out. $81/week gross X 14 weeks/semester X 2 semesters.</p>
<p>But there is one more important message …unless you’re very poor or very wealthy or very fast or very tall or very talented in some specific, institution-based interest or VERY smart (make that VERY) …there are VERY few free lunches. </p>
<p>One more caveat: If this is one of THE major issues in your household, community colleges can get people close w/ a modest amount of pain. Or at least less.</p>
<p>Let me offer a few thoughts and calculations about this. Please know I pretend not to know or define anyone else’s finances nor what anyone else should do. </p>
<p>And for the most part, let’s assume we’re talking among ourselves, those of us lost in the big dark MIDDLE …not poor, not wealthy.</p>
<p>That said …the fundamental issue is this: College education or not. Let’s assume there is no argument, at least on this forum. College education. The numbers are in and overwhelming …for much chance, barring Billy Gates syndrome, most today require higher education, at least a bachelor’s degree. Economically, socially, and more …can make a huge diff in lifestyle and outcomes.</p>
<p>So …Tuffy, if you’ll not mind, I’ll use your scenario. Looking @ Denison dimly w/ some nice FA, but generally you’re seeing the glass “half empty.” $50K in debt following 4 years.</p>
<p>That’s about $12.5K/year. Now I figure my student’s room, board costs are easily 200-300/ month. So …for 10 mos. (more or less, ours has been gone 12 mos both years) we’re looking @ a “savings” of $2,500 min. per year. Now you’re looking @ a $10K/year bill for the value of education. So @ let’s say …36 credit hours/year that’s about $280/credit. </p>
<p>Conversely, and I’ll use my local PA comm college rates …that requires about half that …or $5K+ to take an equal number of credits there.</p>
<p>So put another way …and this is not unique to DU …one can get a Denison education for about $5K/year from what is virtually inescapable. That, in my mind, is the bargain of the century …</p>
<p>And remember, those rates are only available for year 1 & 2. Then they go up, even @ Slippery Rock or Bloomsburgh or Shippensburg or …</p>
<p>Again, some places might have some other “bargain” available but not here. So, we feel really blessed that our child is able to receive a top-shelf education at this kind of rate. Is it “free?” No way, in fact it’s painfully painful every semester when I write out the check …</p>
<p>But you know, and here’s where economics and value meld into philosophy and some would add quickly, bs, but there is nothing else more important we might invest in beyond Him.</p>
<p>Here’s an interesting “change” that many seem to be finding helpful and liveable …</p>
<p>[Transfers</a> a hot commodity for colleges](<a href=“http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10087/1046224-298.stm]Transfers”>http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10087/1046224-298.stm)</p>
<p>One more thought on bigcheese’s work question …and I think this is so often ignored, overlooked, misunderstood. I did! :(</p>
<p>Work seems to HELP our student…in most every way. And as I think back, it did me too. Helps on time managment, growing genuine independence on some expenses, lending a sense of contribution and being more than just a recipient-beneficiary (and this can cut both ways in discussion …“Hey, I’m earning some $$.” Which is right and true, and we are happy she’s realizing the value of work and of money BEYOND being productive in the classroom.). </p>
<p>Sometimes it pinches on papers and other responsibilities, but not much. Our observation has been ALL positive, literally no negatives!</p>
<p>And btw, ours is not in the kind of really super-dooper work assignment Esquette’s lad has …working, wages, and worthwhile learning …all in the form of an on-campus, conveniently located, and attractively interesting work-study job.</p>
<p>Beats serving up green eggs in the men’s cafeteria @ 6:30 a.m. :eek: Memries …like the yokes in my cold eggs …Can STILL smell that burnt bacon of my undergrad days. Did land me a job offer from the food service, but not much attraction when one intends to be an astronaut …or actuary …or accountant…or actor 
One of these days, I’ll know, and when I do? Look out cruel world! 
</p>
<p>Haha – we think you have a nice career as a blogger, WP!</p>
<p>I couldn’t agree more that working improves both academic performance and overall college experience. Not to mention the fact that every young adult should learn to appreciate how much effort it takes to earn the money that buys those Brews hot wings and Whit’s custards. Nothing like spending the money you earned to teach the value of your work and good spending/saving decisions. </p>
<p>Honestly, there are VERY few, if any, college students who cannot whittle down the wasted time to squeeze in 8-10 hrs of work in a week. Esp since the benefits are far more than financial. </p>
<p>Back in the day (ok, decades ago really), I learned things as a prof’s ofc asst and as a b-school library worker that I still use nearly every day in my career – basics like how to prepare documents with a particular audience in mind, how to use research digests, how to FILE (yes, this really is sthg you need to know in life). There is simply no substitute for these on-the-job learning opportunities! </p>
<p>As for my son’s most excellent DU job – really it was just a matter of asking himself what he might find interesting/valuable, contacting the person in that dept to ask about jobs, setting up an interview, then showing up prepared. Some of it has been rather glamorous while some of it has been, quite literally, “paper pushing.” But that’s also sthg he needs to learn how to do! It’s being present to experience all aspects of the dept’s work that has been such an education.</p>