<p>If yes, where and from where? Why?</p>
<p>Maybe. UC Santa Cruz, OOS (instead of Univ. of Denver). He really wanted to go there, they have a good program in his major, it’s a little closer and more easily accessible (Hawaiian flies there). But mostly because he really wanted to go there, we both liked it a lot, but we just couldn’t swing the OOS cost.</p>
<p>No. Satisfied. Great match.
Well, one exception- the school DH and I attended for grad studies, which D1 would have loved. But it’s an OOS flagship. She didn’t apply- or even visit.</p>
<p>No. Only one choice fit the four criteria</p>
<ul>
<li>acceptable graduation rates (65% or higher) for engineering</li>
<li>very academically challenging environment</li>
<li>great undergraduate teaching</li>
<li>within six hour drive … which was mom’s request :)</li>
</ul>
<p>No. D ended up at the right school for her. We had the advantage of her knowing what she wanted to study, she had very well defined criteria and upon visiting it was the university that she felt most comfortable at. It was OOS however they offered her sufficient scholarship and financial aid for her to afford attending. </p>
<p>I would have, and it would have been a mistake, so I’m glad that money WAS a factor. The school that she attended gave her the best financial aid, but was not her first choice. and she was very disappointed. Hated it the first year. And then she made some wonderful friends and advanced to the health/medical courses and loved them, and was never unhappy again.</p>
<p>The school she had wanted to attend was larger and had a nice campus, and a football team - her biggest disappointment was losing out on football and playing in a pep band. </p>
<p>No. He got a FA package which exceeded our expectations - so if money was a non factor he would have chosen the same school - it just would have cost us a lot more. </p>
<p>We might have too, and it also might have been a bad choice. Three kids from our high school who started at “other school” left during the first year, all unhappy. That’s not to say my son would have been unhappy - but the place he ended up was truly fantastic for him.</p>
<p>Yes. My son wanted to go to Hopkins, but he would not have received any merit money and We could not pay 62K plus per year to send him there. He wound up at a great school for him, but if money were not a factor he would have gone to JHY (assuming he got in, which was fairly likely).</p>
<p>@1214mom, If your child happens to want to major in engineering, not attending a school like JHU would not give him any noticeable disadvantage. This is because most engineers are not from that kind of school. Heck, even attending a more engineering oriented school like CMU would give a person much edge. (I have seen how many graduates with an engineering major from such a school were treated by several silicon valley companies - not that different from the graduates from a big state university.)</p>
<p>For D1, she might have made a different choice if money hadn’t been a factor. Her choice (safety with merit money) could not have turned out better. She had fantastic campus and internship experiences, the study abroad experience she wanted, was Phi Beta Kappa, got a great job after graduation, and is still with her wonderful freshman year boyfriend 6 years later. 
So I am glad money was a bit of of a factor. For D2 I was in a better financial spot, and we have been close to full pay. Also glad we did that… completely worth it, the school is perfect for her.</p>
<p>Nope. Both were great fits for each.</p>
<p>Money wasn’t a factor.
If it had been, my parents would have sent me to Harvard. Say what you will about it, Harvard has great FA. I graduated from a different school this spring and my parents still complain.</p>
<p>Thanks in part to the generosity of my own parents (the kids’ grandparents) money was not a factor for either child. They attended the college they most wanted to attend among those they applied to. I’ve never heard any regrets afterwards about their choice of colleges. One of them went on to earn an MS and a professional degree (MBA).</p>
<p>I am confused by post #12. If you got into Harvard and got great FA, why didn’t you attend? What are your parents complaining about?</p>
<p>Money wasn’t a factor, son’s willingness to apply to schools was. Thank goodness for a top notch Honors program at a top flagship for younger gifted kid.</p>
<p>Not sure.</p>
<p>I would have been curious to see what schools he would have considered if money were no object. He knew from the beginning of the college search that he had a strict budget. He loves his school and has since he stepped on the campus as a sophomore in high school, but it would be interesting to see where an unlimited budget would have taken him. </p>
<p>One of my kids might have been better off at an easier school. There is so much energy towards getting in, and not a lot of consideration of the stress of the workload once you are there. </p>
<p>Yes, we would have.</p>