<p>You’re a good kid to ask! We paid full freight for DD but that was specialized degree. Not a whole lot of options. Now, we’re looking at DS admissions in a new economic environment…state schools are looking real good! New plan is save for graduate school. We’ve realized that many undergraduate schools provide great opportunities that shouldn’t be overlooked.</p>
<p>One poster up thread mentioned a gap year and reapplying. What about deferring for a year. Do UCs allow that? If so, the acceptance would still be there, but you would probably have to reapply for FA.</p>
<p>Like many others here, we began saving from day 1. When time came to have the financial talk, we sat the kids down and showed them the numbers, and also let them know what we would also be able to contribute OOP. Mostly that set them on their own to pursue what they would do. Each got enough scholarship money from nice schools, and finished (one not until May) with no debt and money left over as “seed” money. Not having debt was really important to them. Both were accepted at top schools, but w/o merit and of course no FA, those were out.</p>