Is it worth taking a loan?

My son got accepted to Bucknell & we all love the school but received very little financial package. It is worth paying $240K to go to Bucknell? My spouse does not want to take a loan and feels that he can get the degree at a good state school.

I think bucknell is a fabulous school, but I’m not sure any school is worth that much debt.

No way! You will become familiar with terms such as delinquency, default, garnishment etc./ etc.

My son goes to Bucknell and while he has received a great education and research opportunities there, no way do I think it’s worth taking out $240K in loans to attend. Your son CAN attend a state school and get the same opportunities. He might just have to work a little harder to seek them out, depending on the size of the school.

It’s a very personal and fact-specific question. I wouldn’t pry, but the answer depends in part on how much of a loan you would have to take out, whether your retirement stays unaffected, whether there are more children in the pipeline, what is the next best school option, the nature of your child (will he succeed in a large state school, etc.). Education of our children is the best investment we can make, but I agree with others above that incurring $250K of debt would be a non-starter. Bucknell is a great school, but kids usually fall in love with the school they go to. If he got into Bucknell, he’s smart. He will likely succeed wherever he goes. Have faith. Good luck.