<p>Make sure she understands your loans will go up in a specified pattern, totaling about $20K. Someone here has posted the amounts year by year. </p>
<p>Other than that, if your circumstances don’t change, it shouldn’t be a case of bait-and-switch.</p>
<p>Note: I assume your parents’ income is salaried. You do get into some year-to-year gray areas with substantial self-employed income and deductions. But unlike me, most folks aren’t in that category.</p>
<p>Smith is not some fly by night operation - you do not have to worry about bait and switch tactics. If your family suddenly becomes much wealthier, they will have to pay more, if financial disaster strikes, you can negotiate to pay less. That said, as parents, they do exercise some control where you go to college - afterall they are paying. In our case, we try in the end to do what’s right for our kids, but honestly, I did limit my kids to an east coast school with only the option to consider nothing further west than Chicago. All west coast schools were off the table no matter how much one of them wheedled.</p>
<p>It’s great that your mom is starting to come around! I would encourage her to call and speak to the school again, maybe the two of you could call together, or else does your family know any accountants or do they have a financial planner that they work with for taxes and other issues?</p>
<p>Treefingers, we haven’t heard from you in a while. We’d love to know the outcome of your phone call to Smith and how things are going.</p>
<p>I just came here to tell you exactly that, CarolynB. After many hours of discussion and talking to different people at SFS, I am very pleased to inform all of you that I sent my enrollment deposit to Smith yesterday! Thank you all for all of your advice and support!</p>
<p>not to take anything away from anyone else, but… HUZZAH!!!</p>
<p>That’s terrific. May you have a wonderful experience at Smith.
(And may your mother learn to cope with your absences.)</p>
<p>HOORAY!!! Oh, Treefingers, you really did it! Thank you so much for telling us so we can celebrate your accomplishment with you. I’m so very happy for you! I wish you four glorious, fulfilling years at Smith and beyond.</p>
<p>Congratulations. Way to see it through to the end.</p>
<p>Whoo-hooo! </p>
<p>(Okay, now I’ll go back to my more quiet self.)</p>
<p>Treefingers! Smile and know this part of the world smiles with you at your great news! Smith will certainly benefit from your contribution! BIG sigh!</p>