Got rejected from all schools except my dream school?

Not sure why the sarcasm in #29. You would like us to think you have a good head on your shoulders. Experienced posters are helping you with a glimpse of reality- about life and about NYU.

If you think this is as simple as going to law school after, you first have to qualify, then pay for that-- and the harsh reality is most recent law grads are not walking into cushy jobs. You’d have to qualify for a tippy top law program and do well. And you’d be saddled with that debt. as well. So, as austinmshauri wrote, (make this) “a business decision.”

Many kids so set on NYU are really set on NYC. As now said, you can save your money, take a nice vacation there, and not send your parents into financial insecurity. Or go to Union, if it’s affordable, and visit NYC, get an internship there, love it. Or aim for law or grad school in the city.

This isn’t about you not wanting to quit, “just like everyone else does.” There’s no magic well of money. It’s about having the wisdom to face the facts and make a mature choice.

Enjoy the admit. Congrats. But think wisely.

NYU won’t be affordable affordable. On top of high tuition, I’d say everything is 3x as expensive than in most areas.

Union also sounds a bit too expensive.

Will Mills be affordable?

That appears to be the case with this OP who states:

@austinmshauri Please explain how if parents can afford $30,000 then they can afford $40,000? That’s the type logic that causes folks to take on too much debt in houses and cars. He’s given income and stated parents are in Bay area. If they stop contributing to 401k during college, I can see where you can cash flow $30,000 but a jump to $40k is a 25% jump and $40,000 over four years. That may not seem significant but it is. I expect that $30,000 is a drastic change in lifestyle, not pocket change.

I didn’t say the parents could afford ~$40k.

The parents can only afford $30k.

The student can borrow the federal student loan (~$5500/year). She can work part-time and during the summer and earn another ~$4k.

$30k + $5500 + $4k = $39,500

Reality is I probably won’t go without some sort or financial miracle. But I made this post in the first place to show people that they shouldn’t sell themselves short and there’s always some hope, even after a dozen rejection letters

@kashkat: I’m not sure why you were asked to defend a position you never really took, especially based on your opening post. Btw, by listing it somewhat incidentally, you may have under-regarded the difficulty of getting into Union. Good luck moving forward.

Can you list where you got in and their net price* ?
We can give value estimate (ie., this is worth a bit more, this isn’t, etc.) + advantages/disadvantages for each

**net price = (tuition+room+board+fees) - (grants+scholarships)

1.5 million dollar house on 120,000 - 140,000 dollar income, something isn’t adding up to me.

@Vikingboy11 It is quite possible the house was not worth anywhere near that much when purchased. Housing prices have soared in the Silicon Valley area. A house purchased years ago for a reasonable amount can be worth many times that value now.
Congratulations OP on getting into your dream school. Even though it may be ultimately unaffordable it is still an accomplishment. And you have other very good acceptances. Good luck in college!

Great job on getting into the school of your dreams!! You could also take up dog walking if you have free time? :o3

In that case, anyone with those kind of assets can afford college for their kid, it just depends if they want to. This isn’t a woe is them for the parents scenario that many people are painting.

@JMTmama you would be correct about the house

@SantiagoAlverez thanks!!

^are you suggesting they sell their house and go rent a small place?
(The cost of housing in the Bay Area is insane. 1.5 Million value could be a house that’d be valued at 300K elsewhere.
Article from 2 years ago:
http://www.siliconbeat.com/2014/04/03/1-million-for-that-you-dont-get-much-in-the-bay-area-for-1-million-says-trulia/
One million got your about 1,400 sq.feet in the Bay area. Today, it’s between 900 and 1,100 sq.feet.)

No but they could get a HELOC.

But they’d have to be able to pay back the HELOC. And on 120k, that may be a challenge.

What net prices did you get at each of these schools?

How much can your parents contribute without draining retirement funds or preventing them from contributing a similar amount for any younger siblings?

Were you eligible statewide or in local context to get the UC consolation prize (admission to UC Merced if you get shut out of all UCs that you applied to)?

Not all of the bay area houses cost that much. There are many houses that cost several hundred thousand dollars less.