<p>So glad that you got into W&M. </p>
<p>When you graduate, you’ll look back and be SOOOOOOO glad that you don’t have the additional debt that Purdue undergrad would have cost you.</p>
<p>Best to you!</p>
<p>Congrats. In state W&M is such a deal.</p>
<p>CONGRATS!!!:)</p>
<p>Do well on your pre-reqs and prep hard for the PCAT…Purdue may be a great place to finish your PharmD but, in the meantime, you and your folks can breathe easier!</p>
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<p>Checkers, I just wanted to say that most of us would love to have the average kid have a college fund and it IS possible for almost every kid/family to do at some level. My kids each had money saved from taking $5 a week to school in their little elementary days for the savings bond program, gifts as they were growing up, work as teenagers, selling unwanted sports equipment/games, etc. and they each had a modest college fund from me (enough to pay for most of the tuition at a state school) and we aren’t even “middle income”. It’s more a matter of prioritizing than anything else - I took almost every opportunity to save for them, from windfalls like small inheritances/tax refunds on down to the extra $50-100, and it does add up over the course of 18 years. Even the no-brainer Upromise thing was enough to pay for books for a few semesters and I’m pretty sure I only bought those name brands because they had great coupons/sales/bogos! It’s not a philosophy everyone shares though I’m willing to bet that many families actually could save enough to pay at least their 4-year publics with only Stafford loans if they sharpen their pencils and tighten their belts early on. Unfortunately, the myth of ample scholarships/FA misleads many into thinking they don’t really need to save or, worse, will be “penalized” for saving…that has simply got to change as it’s already later than they think!</p>
<p>My family was decidedly lower middle class in income with only one earner since my mom stayed at home. When we were kids, every bit of money we got went into the old piggy bank or towards savings bonds. When the bank got full, it went towards bonds as well. Parents also bought a bond every Christmas, birthday and special event. They added up in time as I started putting my own earnings towards it. This is something all families can do at some scale. </p>
<p>That’s what we did. So paying for college means kids’ savings, earnings, loans plus our savings, earnings, loans. And so it should be in most cases. Families don’t seem to do this anymore. There is this expectation of financial or merit aid with no idea of how the system works and how difficult it is for the average kid to get substantial aid.</p>
<p>thank you all!i will do my best!!! :)</p>