<p>mommypain - i would be in the same boat had i not gotten into pton. my parents and i determined that only princeton and yale (the top of my list) was worth the 40k a year. if i hadnt gotten into either, but gotten into penn or wustl (my other choices) i would have stayed instate and gone to u of a for free...</p>
<p>MusicMom.</p>
<p>It was refreshing to hear someone else say "does Fafsa take zip code into account". </p>
<p>I personally am sick and tired of the government thinking that we have money. We are a family of five, my husband is a state employee who just recently retired. Yes, we are collecting his pension, but he left the house for his job the last 25 years and we never knew if he would come home alive.</p>
<p>The cost of living in the NY mero area is ridiculous, but as you stated, and as a defense to those who would say, "why don't you move", it is our home. Even after all three kids are off to college, I will have to maintain a home here for at least a few years while they get settled. I just can't pack up and move to a retirement village and leave them high and dry.</p>
<p>$100,000 here in the NY Metro area is not the same value as $100,000 in other parts of the country. I'm sure people in California and the Boston and Chicago areas, along with cities here and there can feel our pain, but I don't think other people in other parts of the country feel our pain.</p>
<p>When I go on <a href="http://www.realtor.com%5B/url%5D">www.realtor.com</a> and plug in other zip codes, the price of a house that would cost over $750,000 in NJ with a tax rate of about $16,000 a year, might only cost about say, $350,000 in Ohio. If any one thinks I am exaggerating, try some test runs yourself.</p>
<p>Oh...............someone should just put me in a coma until the "letters" arrive in April.</p>
<p>Best of luck to all of you "Moms" out there on pins and needles.</p>
<p>Shrekk:</p>
<p>I thought you were deferred at Pton. did you really get in? Or did I misread your post? I hope you did get in, you sound like such a nice kid.</p>
<p>MommyPain, have you seen the table on this page, showing income and amounts of aid? <a href="http://www.princeton.edu/pr/aid/stats.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.princeton.edu/pr/aid/stats.html</a></p>
<p>No, but I am going to check it out. I may be happy, I may be suicidal. Actually, if d gets in, I won't care anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!1</p>
<p>OK, d better start learning how to speak three languages, or contact a member of Jimmy Stewarts' family.</p>