<p>Our plans changed markedly. We thought we'd be able to contribute about $20k per year for each of the two girls between cash and a small amount of debt, with them taking the Stafford loans. Unfortunately, when ZG became ill and returned home to the CUNY, money became less of an issue for D2.</p>
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Grad schools (whether they be law, medicine, graduate school, etc.) will delve into why an applicant took community college courses which may or may not hurt the applicant.
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<p><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Hogwash>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>></a></p>
<p>that's pretty sad. well, if she insists on going to the private school, perhaps she could split parts of the expense with you so that you could pay maybe a third and she could take on a job and then some loans for whatever else she needs.</p>
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How are others handling second-child issues of this type, now that the economy is in such a mess?
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<p>If I'm forced to retire early than I'll file a 1040EZ. My second child will have an EFC of 0.</p>
<p>Grad schools (whether they be law, medicine, graduate school, etc.) will delve into why an applicant took community college courses which may or may not hurt the applicant. </p>
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<p>Thats funny..none of the law schools I applied and was accepted to asked me one single thing about my degree from a community college...</p>
<p>MomfromPA- Sounds like you've both done your best and now have certain cards to play. It will be fine...</p>
<p>D and I were talking about the bad economy and college choice today. YOu know, just over lunch...I told her that I know that older sis got to go to private school and we have plans on giving her the same deal as her sister. But if something bad happened, like her dad lost his job, we'd need her to go to College XYZ. Could she handle that? She said yes. </p>
<p>Let's hope nothing bad happens, but at least now the topic has been introduced.</p>
<p>i'm applying to college this year</p>
<p>i got a good enough SAT score to be highly optimistic...that's what all my friends tell me anyway =/</p>
<p>i just dont know what to do with it all.. i KNOW my parents dont have enough money ... cuz we just immigrated to the USA a month ago... and the dollar is worth 80 units of my currency... we had a few assets, but nothing that i'd want my parents to get rid of to put me through college....</p>
<p>it's just that relatives and friends keep joking about how awesome it'll be when i'm in a top college.. but i know it wont happen, cuz even if i DO get accepted, it's highly unlikely that i'll be able to meet financial requirements...</p>
<p>as per your own problem: it's an everyday story i guess... people get into dream colleges, dont have enough money, end up going to a less-than-dreamy college.... I guess at the end of the day all you can do is smile and believe that whatever's happening is happening for the best... it's a good way to maintain sanity =)</p>
<p>phatmomi--I'd apply to wherever you think you'd like to go & have a shot (look at the admis stats). Then see what the $$ looks like once fin aid forms are submitted. I wouldn't shut yourself out of certain schools prematurely.</p>
<p>Phatmomi,
You can get excellent advice on this forum if you start your own thread. To do so, go back to the Parents Forum opening page where you can see all of the threads. Go to the bottom of the page and click new thread.</p>
<p>happened to me; i got over it.</p>
<p>i wanted to go to wellesley but ended up at UNC because it was a lot more economically responsible. now i wouldn't change that decision for the world, even if money were no object.</p>
<p>Its happened to me as well.
I'm 50,000 short to pay for my Columbia education.</p>
<p>But even so, Im going to the University of Sydney and can expect to be 60,000 in debt by the time I finish. (which is different because its HECS debt).</p>
<p>I think the thing is, most people can't afford it. They find a way.</p>
<p>For me, being an in international student, I think its amazing how a students parents are expected to pay for their University education.</p>
<p>The entitlement attitude of a lot of students is pretty astounding.</p>
<p>My mother went back to school at night in her mid-40s to get her business degree - while she was working full-time in admin assistant-type jobs to support our family. She sacrificed a lot - much more than I'll ever know, probably. There were some pretty lean years in there... but I know the power of education first-hand, because she's now making close to six figures as a budget auditor, living comfortably and enjoying life. </p>
<p>My parents, bless them, want me to succeed in college and offer me significant financial support - as my mom put it, "I want to give you what I didn't have." But I never, ever take that for granted, and every chance I get, I thank them for every penny.</p>
<p>Remember that there's no law which says your parents have to spend a dime - and many don't.</p>
<p>our plan is to foot 1/2 the bill, kids take loans for the other half and work and save for spending money. When they get out, we help pay off loans. May not be the best of plans but that's what we have to work with. Oh, and they will probably live at home until they're 30!
Happy Thanksgiving all!!</p>
<p>My parents told me they won't pay more than a few grand a year (sub 10k for sure) and I never questioned that. Either I can take out a loan, get a full scholarship, or go to my state school. I ended up only applying to schools that will give full financial aid (harvard, yale, upenn etc) and my state schools leaving out the middle schools entirely. Sure i'd love to apply to duke, emory, chicago adn the like but its not an option and theres no use complaining about it.</p>
<p>/<strong>How are people affording these 40 K a year schools? My D got into one of her top choices >and even with the 11K per year grant from the school tuition is still another 20K and room >and board another 10K..She wont qualify for any other aid but loans and I cant afford 30K a >year,,How the heck do people afford this? I dont get it...I dont know how to break it to her >she may have to go to a state school...We visited one today and she liked it but wants to >go >to the expensive private school...I dont know what to do about this...</strong>/</p>
<p>I like to tell you my opinion about that so called top schools. Dont waste your money for undergraduate studies their. Send her to a good public school and if she want going for MSc or PhD and performed there well, she will have all chance to get into a top school.</p>
<p>It happened to me and I'm glad I didn't decide to put myself and my family in massive debt just to feel prestigious. And I ended up specializing in something my big state school is much better at than the small LACs I liked, so that worked out too. Looking at the way the economy is going, I really dodged a bullet.</p>
<p>Good for you, kelseyg. This is not the time to be loaded down with massive amounts of debt--student or parent.</p>
<p>Don't believe there ever is a GOOD time to be loaded down with debt, as it really limits options and is a huge burden to all concerned.</p>
<p>I can't believe you'd take away the most precious thing your child can have in her life because you don't want to pay for it.</p>
<p>Why don't you ask her if she'd be willing to take out loans for half the tuition or something? Reason with her. Don't force her to go to a cheap school so you can have a nicer retirement.</p>