<p>The one that fits the best "his many interests. " and also his personality. As a bonus, it is great if it happens to be the chepest one (especially if Grad. School is in his plans). I would not go stricly with financial side, it should be whole package.</p>
<p>Thanks Everyone, I did not realize about the winter tuition situation - although my son did get the tuition exchange which is 30,500 a year and U Del’s OOS tuition is 24,000 - I wonder if his tuition exchange would cover the winter session?</p>
<p>“Delaware and Allegheny look like the clear choices here financially, and they’re academically/reputationally comparable to your S’s other choices. So if he wants big, diverse, and lively, he should go to Delaware, and if he wants small and intimate, he should go to Allegheny.”</p>
<p>Co-sign this.</p>
<p>Completely agree with #23 and its predecessors.</p>
<p>Thanks again everybody - the sentiment on this thread is clearly leaning towards U Del and Allegheny.</p>
<p>A funny thing happened today - I posted a question on #23 about whether tuition exchange would cover the winter session at U Del and two hours after I posted that - a letter arrived from U Del specifically stating that tuition exchange does Not cover winter session! I thought that was a very fast reply!</p>
<p>ShakespeareDad: I have a very happy DD at UDel (freshman). For her, it came down to UDel and American (we are OOS for UDel). As much as she would have loved to go to school in DC, UDel was a better fit all around, plus the $$ for AU was not worth it. She has no interest in politics or international relations and UDel won in terms of interesting majors. </p>
<p>As zoosermom said, not everyone takes classes winter session. This year, my DD came home, spent quality time with her friends first, then me, and also got in some days at her old job. She is applying for study abroad for next January. If you can work it out for freshman year, there are special scholarships just for freshmen.</p>
<p>If the weather is a factor, UD beats Syracuse, hands down.</p>
<p>Feel free to PM me anything re: UD - I’m glad to help tilt the decision in UD’s favor…</p>
<p>Thanks Linymom,</p>
<p>I am pulling for UD - I am glad your daughter likes it!</p>
<p>Who will be paying back the debt? The student or the parents???</p>
<p>And how easily will it be to pay all that back? </p>
<p>If the parents will be doing the paying back, will that affect any younger siblings and their college needs?</p>
<p>I would go with UDel.</p>
<p>ShakespeareDad, please let go of the guilt that you didn’t save enough for your son to attend any school he wanted or was admitted to. You will have more guilt if he is straddled with college loans after graduation. The best gift you can give him is a college education that is debt-free or very low unsub Strafford Loan sized. He will thank you in 4 years!</p>
<p>Thanks. O2B@C, and mom2collegekids. It is a difficult decision. i think a feel bad because I have some wealthy friends who can cover all of their kids tuition. We could conceivably help payback some of the loans but that would certainly affect retirement funds. We have one more S and we will definitely be looking at schools with lower tuition rates - but we will hopefully be getting tuition exchange again - so it would only be difficult for the two year overlap.</p>
<p>Why feel bad? Your son has great choices and parents who care…he is ahead of 99.99% of the rest of then kids in the world! Its all in your perspective.</p>
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<p>Well said! There will always be people who go on nicer vacations, wear more expensive clothes, drive more expensive cars and, yes, go to more expensive colleges. But having choices in life and parents who care = PRICELESS. Your DS is very rich in the most important ways. </p>
<p>** UD is a very happy place. Can’t wait to hear how it goes.</p>
<p>What kind of grades/SaT have gotten merit scholarship/ I am currently at 3.7 average and a 1810 SAT, hopefully my SAT will increase as this was my first time.
Any thoughts?</p>
<p>I was cured of keeping up with the Jones at age 12. One of our neighbors was a deputy and he served warrants for nonpayment. He had some amazing tales – lots of folks who outwardly look like they are living the high life are doing so by juggling furiously. Once one ball is dropped, the whole shebang falls. </p>
<p>It would be horribly unfair to S2 to overextend with S1 (who has affordable options). Also, you’re doing both guys a big favor if you take care of your own old age and show them that living well doesn’t have to mean living beyond one’s means. Good luck!</p>
<p>jfilmnj, my son received a tuition exchange scholarship, not a merit scholarship so I don’t know about what U Del offers. Your grades are great, and your SAT is fine, retake it if you want to and keep on taking practice tests. My son had a 2180 on his SAT and 32 on his ACT.</p>
<p>Thanks Olymom, rhumbob, and linymom -for your great advice and opinions - I really appreciate it!</p>
<p>i think a feel bad because I have some wealthy friends who can cover all of their kids tuition. We could conceivably help payback some of the loans but that would certainly affect retirement funds. We have one more S and we will definitely be looking at schools with lower tuition rates</p>
<p>Everyone has “wealthy friends” who can afford many nicer things. We all have friends with nicer homes, cars, vacations, clothes, etc. If we fret each time we’re faced with the limits of our incomes, we’ll never be happy. </p>
<p>It’s too late for this son to apply to schools that give better merit scholarships for those stats, but keep that in mind for your younger son.</p>
<p>And, I agree with Olymom: *It would be horribly unfair to S2 to overextend with S1 (who has affordable options). Also, you’re doing both guys a big favor if you take care of your own old age and show them that living well doesn’t have to mean living beyond one’s means. Good luck! *</p>
<p>The above happens too often. Parents borrow to satisfy the wants of Child #1, and then that debt is still outstanding when Child #2 goes to college. Therefore, parents are much less able to contribute for Child #2, since a chunk of current income is going to satisfy monthly loan payments. You mention “feeling bad” that you can’t afford </p>
<p>*We could conceivably help payback some of the loans but that would certainly affect retirement funds. </p>
<p>Syracuse University $23,290
Skidmore College $25,900
Allegheny College $14,100
Lafayette College $21,470
University of Delaware $11,082</p>
<p>I would really appreciate any feedback. We could probably afford 12,000 a year and have to take out loans for the rest.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>So, if child went to Skidmore, you will pay about $12k, and your CHILD would be borrowing (with you co-signing) about $16k per year? That is toooo much debt for an undergrad. At most, your child should only borrow about $5-6k per year…about $27k total for all 4 years. </p>
<p>Since it seems like you’re unsure about affording the $12k per year, that sounds rather iffy…meaning that there could be months that you won’t have an extra $1000 to put towards college. </p>
<p>I would have my child go to UDel and have him take out a student loan each year for $2k-5k or earn some of that with a summer job. That would reduce “family contribution” to $6k-9k which you may find to be more realistic/manageable. This would leave you in a better situation when you have 2 in college.</p>
<p>I know it hurts when your child wants something and it is something like education, and the money is in the way. I made the mistake of paying full freight for our oldest and am still paying for the mistake that affects us everyday. It does limit other choices for 10-14 years while paying back that PLUS, in our case.</p>
<p>I happen to think UD is a great school. It was my son’s second or third choice. I don’t think anyone is losing out going to that school.</p>
<p>And don’t forget Shakespeardad, that in addition to tuition and fees there are living expenses. Even though my D has a on-campus job (10-12 hrs/week cashiering) we still pay for her cell phone and give her $100 every two weeks. She uses this money to pay her math tutor (even though she took Calculus as a HS Jr, and AP Stats) - college math is hard! She also uses this allowance to buy the weekend meals not covered living in the sorority house (she is a sophomore). </p>
<p>Speaking of which, if you son joins a fraternity, that will be an additional expense. My daughter’s first year in a sorority was nearly $2,000 - and this was the ‘live out’ expense!</p>
<p>Textbooks! my daughter has had to buy books that cost $200 to $300 each! It is crazy.</p>
<p>Your son has great choices to chose from. Encourage him to go the most economical route.</p>
<p>Shakespearedad, we are in the exact same boat. My D’s choices were:
Rutgers - In state but she wanted no part of it
Towson - received 12,000/year merit
U Del - received 6,000/ year merit
UMD - received 0
Penn State - received 0</p>
<p>Her heart was set on going to UMD. She even wrote them a gut-wrenching letter with the other offers but they would not budge on money. She too has very wealthy friends whose parents are giving away scholarship money to send their Ds to schools where they received nothing. One of her best friends is actually considering UMD.</p>
<p>We are pretty sure she will be going to U Del. We explained to her that if she goes to UMD we will be tapped out. That means she will have to get a job starting sophomore year and she could forget about study abroad. She also wants to join a sorority which we know is an added expense.</p>
<p>My only concern with U Del is that she is very into sports and wanted a real rah-rah school. As a parent it breaks your heart not to give your child everything they want, but I try to convince myself that she must learn that you can not always get whatever you want, no matter how much you cry.</p>
<p>My impression is that UDel is pretty rah-rah when it comes to sports. She should check out Admitted Students Day on Saturday if you can get down there.</p>