<p>I’ll trade you/your son. I grew up on an income probably lower than what you spend on private school. And I’m working two-three jobs to get through school even after fa and private merit scholarships. </p>
<p>If you think it’s a scam, don’t buy into it ;).</p>
<p>As a NC resident OP, you have a plethora of choices. Rivals the UC/Cal systems, expecially taking into consideration the differences in population.</p>
<p>The UNC system offers many unique and various college campuses. We moved here from CA expressely for the UNC system for undergrad and grad school. As a single mom with 5 high school aged kiddos it was a significant turning point in our lives, present and future.
The UCs were not really going to be an option for us and the cost of living was strangling us.</p>
<p>Moving 3000+ miles and transfering 5 kiddos was not easy, but very much worth it. The undergrad opportunities ranging from UNC Chapel Hill to NC State, UNC Asheville to NCA&T offer varying degrees, colleges within the univeristies, specialized and innovative programs and unbelievable affordable tuition. Room and board varies on each campus but again affordable.</p>
<p>Coupled with the community college system and the ease of attendance and transferability of credits from the CC to 4 year, and acceptance of APs, the cost of tuition is lowered even further.</p>
<p>UNC is considered a public “ivy” and really holds its own in grad school programs. Middle son attended an ivy for undergrad, and turned down the ivy med schools for UNC’s med school, yes they are that good. Their MPH is ranked #2 behind Johns Hopkins and ahead of Harvard’s. They offer an undergrad degree in business similar to Wharton’s.</p>
<p>UNC Asheville is a public LAC rivaling that of private LACs at a fraction of the cost, nestled in the mountains of Asheville. UNC Wilmington has a fantastic marine biology program located on the water, what a GEM! Nursing programs abound, PA and NP are also offered.</p>
<p>UNC Greensboro and NCA&T just opened a new school for nanoscience and nanoengineering, similar to Penn’s program…offering a BS, MS and Phd. beautiful new campus and facilities, and NCA&T engineering school has major funding.</p>
<p>NC State is now offering a major and minor in Genetics while other schools are fazing it out. NC State and UNC have a new joint degree in biomedical engineering. Pooling the best of both schools. NC State’s school of textiles and plastics is fantastic as is the school of architecture and design.</p>
<p>There are several HBCUs and 1 historically native american school within the system. The history and tradition within these schools have been preserved and are still reflected upon the campuses today. NCA&T has a great school for engineering and nursing while maintaining a very small classroom atmoshphere with less than 4000 undergrads and yet fielding some great sports teams. Best cafeteria and food out of all the campuses!</p>
<p>Again their tuition and room and board is less than what some states charge for community college and yet rival some of the very tippy top privates and for pennies on the dollar.</p>
<p>With high stats a NC resident would be eligible not just for low in-state tuition but in addition merit scholies from the various schools. Especially attractive if looking to grad school or professional schools.</p>
<p>Cost of attendance at some of son’s med school options were $85,000 per year versus UNC Chapel at $14,000 in tuition and maybe $5000 for living expenses. In addition he too was awarded a scholie for tuition+. Better than what the top med school offered.</p>
<p>Again we moved here from CA and the undergrad and grad school options are a huge gift. HUGE.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>+1 to Romani…</p>
<p>
Well, you could quit the job and then you might be poor enough…given the state of the economy, they could probably fill your position easily enough, so don’t worry about that </p>
<p>:rolleyes:</p>
<p>Really? This is what it has come down to? Who is poor enough to deserve an education? Sad. Trust me. Since my son will not receive merit or fa, he will have to work as many jobs to go to school. Perhap you would be willing to give him one of yours. My fustration is not a judgement on how much money people have or or have not. It is a statement about the craziness of the education system.</p>
<p>Again, you don’t have to partake in the educational system. And if your son has the stats, he can get merit money. Why are you so sure he can’t get merit money? </p>
<p>And no. I need my jobs. I don’t have parents that even have the choice to help me. If you’ve put your kid through private school, you at least have the choice.</p>
<p>I am reading all kinds of assumptions in your reply but that is okay. I am not going to argue because, again my fustration does not lie with those who make more or less than a particular number. Just as 50 years old looks very different depending on the person, 80k is not a one size fits all number either. Simply, there is a systemic problem here. My child will be okay even with him/us not being able to afford the college of his choice. I refuse to feel bad or quit any of my jobs just because it doesnt make my child poor enough for aid. That would be silly for what i regard as a serious situation. Those that work should not be put down or penalized. I am not downing anyone or any particular school - just a system. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>
The cost of higher education has risen outrageously. However, most of “the poor” go to community college, which your S could do as well, so he can get an education. Everyone agrees that there is a problem with the high cost of college and with the ramifications to everyone but the upper crust. Poverty envy is not the answer, nor is it particularly useful if you think about it.
No one is penalizing you. That’s where you need to change the thinking.</p>
<p>Yes, at this point community college is the reality. It is what it is. He will make the most of it. His best friend is applying to the harvard free or reduced tuition program because they qualify. My neighbors son, who has a sat of 1450 is being actively pursued by princeton because of his athletic ability. Clearly there is no love, at least on this board, for the working poor but i truly believe america could and should do better to level the playing field for ANY student who proves the academic ability.</p>
<p>If you make 80k, you qualify for reduced tuition at Harvard.</p>
<p>$80K is not the working poor. If your son’s friend makes it into Harvard he will be at the school that is the most generous in the US for financial aid. They offer aid up to $250K of income. If your son made it into Harvard you would be the beneficiary of that as well. What’s stopping him? The US has the most even playing field of a college system I’ve seen - anyone can attend. Community College is the great leveler.</p>
<p>Welcome to CC. The great thing about the US is that there are schools at every price point and enyone who desires to get a college education can obtain one. </p>
<p>Instead of the woe is me and how unfair things are, iF you want, there are people who can help you to put schools on your radar where your child may be in a position to receive merit $.</p>
<p>Your child can attend stanford for just the cost of room board and fees because families making less than 100k pay no tuition.</p>
<p>[The</a> Parent Contribution : Stanford University](<a href=“Financial Aid : Stanford University”>Financial Aid : Stanford University)
you can also start here</p>
<p>[Project</a> on Student Debt: Summary of Pledges: Eligibilty Guidelines and Basic Provisions](<a href=“http://projectonstudentdebt.org/Type_and_Coverage.vp.html]Project”>http://projectonstudentdebt.org/Type_and_Coverage.vp.html)</p>
<p>Harvard and Princeton are private institutions, they are free to recruit or pursue anyone they choose…they can afford to do so.</p>
<p>Maybe your definition of the “working poor” is not in line with what financial aid policy and guidelines mandate. There is institutional aid and policies and then there is federal guidelines and aid.</p>
<p>There is a set limit federally of how much you can make and size of family that makes everyone eligible if you fall below those guidelines regardless of your location, cost of living. Institutionally each school is allowed to determine how much aid they give, it’s THEIR money.</p>
<p>Once you become educated on the policies and determine your family’s EFC you will be in a better position to advise your son.</p>
<p>I chose to relocate my family to a more affordable area and choose to send my kiddos to public school because that was what we could afford. The children decided for themselves how much they were willing to invest in their own educations that would determine what and how much they would be eligible for, whether is was for academic merit, athletic scholies or a combination of community college + state schools.</p>
<p>We were defined as the “working poor” or rather low income and did also qualify for financial aid. However, there are very few schools that guarantee to meet aid 100% and those schools are extremely competitive in order to gain acceptance.</p>
<p>So there were no SAT prep courses, no tutoring, no private schools…just a public with a very high percentage of free and reduced lunch. And yet they knew what they wanted and what they would need to achieve. They as in my children. Not me.</p>
<p>So between a combination of community college, public in-state with scholies, OOS publics with academic merit scholie, D1 athletic scholarships, service academies appts. (6 between 2 sons) and ivy financial aid, all were able to attend and complete college.</p>
<p>It can be done, albeit it is much easier if you are not moaning and belly-aching the whole way. Bitter is a nasty pill. So very ugly. And doesn’t get you far at all.</p>
<p>Take a deep breath and re-group and re-consider. This site has so many wonderful insights, suggestions and advice on the multitude of schools in the US. Sometimes being put in a situation that requires you to think outside the box will result in many wonderful and surprising choices.</p>
<p>Good luck and welcome to CC Justmakinit!</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>Justmakinit, where are you located? There are some good choices that might give your kids good options. Also, what can you afford to contribute? With your contribution, direct loans from the schools, and student contributions, some schools can become very affordable, like SUNYs or some state schools. Don’t despair! There is great advice on CC and you never know what you might be able to work out. THere are also merit aid possibilities if you apply well.</p>
<p>Justmakinit…</p>
<p>Do you realize that most kids (poor/middle-class) have to commute to their local CCs and/or state school? Yes, most kids do NOT get to go to the college of their choice. that’s life. Most people also don’t get the car or house or other luxury item of their choice. Going to the “college of your choice” is a luxury. Going away to college is a luxury. The gov’t can’t afford to pay for kids’ dorm experiences…nor should it. </p>
<p>$80k per year is not “working poor”…by any stretch of the imagination. </p>
<p>If your child doesn’t have the stats for merit (as you say), and you can’t afford to send him where he wants to go, then why should tax-payers (or anyone other than YOU) be paying for his dream college experience? Seriously? There are millions of high school seniors out there. Imagine if they all expected everyone else to pay for their “go away college experience”??? Oh my.</p>
<p>We have paid for schooling - like most in my county. It just comes with the territory. Private schools cost as much as or more than some colleges. My son does not attend one of those schools. I am ****ed.</p>
<hr>
<p>I am curious … why would you pay for K-12 (guaranteed free), yet expect college to be paid for (not guaranteed free)? I don’t get it. You “can” send your kids to K-12 for free, but you chose not to do so. Why would you feel that your choice should be a factor in college financial aid?</p>
<p>By the way, I understand how easy it is to compare yourself to those around you. However, life isn’t fair. Look around … there are MANY who are not as fortunate as you.</p>
<p>Goodness knows, I’m beating a dead horse here . . .</p>
<p>But if Justmakinit’s kid doesn’t have the stat’s to get merit aid, then it’s darned sure that having a lower income would NOT help things. The “poor” kids that get the great deals at Harvard, Princeton, etc. are the ones who EARNED their places there. The lower-income kid with poor stat’s has NO options other than community college.</p>
<p>Yes, if you have money, that gives you advantages . . . but having no money only works for the kid who’s really willing to work his or her tail off.</p>
<p>For the middle-income kid who is willing to work that hard, though, I suspect there are far more options than Justmakinit realizes. No, it won’t necessarily be the “big name” schools . . . but there are plenty of lesser known schools with plenty of merit aid for students willing to put in the effort to go after it.</p>
<p>Well it is off to work i go. Probably should not have been doing this anyway. Should have been doing dishes. 
I still dont believe anyone has the right to “judge” my situation but i will take the helpful advice and seek further help. Good luck to all.</p>
<p>My son has a 3.75. 1850 sat and aced the subject test. He is a good kid that works hard. May not be harvard level but is no less deserving. Going to work now. My kid and i will be fine.</p>
<p>Justmakinit -</p>
<p>Despite the popular notions about where students go for college/university in the US, the simple fact remains that more students live at home and commute than attend an institution that is far enough away from their family home to necessitate living at/near the college/university. Since you live in the DC Metro area, your children have access to some of the very best community colleges in the nation. The public universities that are within commuting distance aren’t bad either. You are blessed.</p>
<p>Happykid graduated from a MoCo “Newsweek Top-100” high school. Every single year that she was there, more graduates chose Montgomery College than any other college or university. The number two on the list was UM-CP. Every year the difference between those two sets of numbers has increased. I bet if you ask your kids’ high school guidance counselor about the numbers of graduates that elect their own counties’ community colleges, that you will find similar results there. Where kids say they will apply to college, where they do apply to college, and where they actually end up attending can be three very different things.</p>
<p>Take a deep breath. Count your pennies. See what your family can truly afford. Then take the kids on a tour to visit the affordable commuting distance options. You may be surprised. If you can’t like anything that you see, spend some time reading through the threads on merit-based aid in this forum. Your kids might qualify if they dig deep enough.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>