Others can clarify, but it doesn’t have to be used for education. and they can also use it for your gradate school. But if it isn’t used for education, your parents will pay a penalty and taxes on the amount that isn’t used. Also, they could use the remainder for education for themselves or other family members.
529 money can be used for graduate school (including law school, medical school, veterinary school, etc…). We will be using some left over 529 money specifically for this purpose. It can also be used for a sibling, but I do not think that OP has a sibling if I read this thread correctly.
I am not sure what else you can use it for if you do not use it all up for a bachelor’s degree. This issue has not come up for us. If you have a budget of $25,000 / year, I doubt that the issue will come up for you either even if you are eligible for and stick with WUE schools.
If you are interested in foreign languages, I would definitely look at the availability for taking a semester abroad. Do not forget that “semester abroad” could optionally occur during the summer.
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I know it can be used for graduate school, at this point there should be enough for private school and graduate school, no siblings.
Yup, I’m an only child, so it’s only for me. Good to know I can use it for graduate school, I aspire to get a Masters (Sociology or International Studies)
Based on various ideas people have mentioned in various threads my school list looks like this:
My original ideas:
UNM
ZONA
ASU
OREGON
HAWAII
MARYLAND
TEMPLE
People’s suggestions
Occidental
American
Northern AZ
MONTANA
MONTANA STATE
The last 2 on the latter list my in-state 4 years.
Just Googled “Map of Montana”, and the Montana schools are in central Montana (I’m near the Dakota border)
IIRC, when I used that defunct engine, my other schools were:
OKLAHOMA
OSU
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
Look at Colleges that Change Lives.
Run the NPC on Whitman, Lewis&Clark, Willamette, St Olaf, Lawrence, Knox, Kalamazoo.
Yeah, something doesn’t add up there. 15k annually for 18 years should be about $440k, at a 5% interest rate (depending on the compounding specifics, contribution timing specifics, and performance above or below that 5%, it might vary quite a bit).
Also, 15k a year is A LOT for a working class family (as OP says they have been) to contribute to a 529. I doubt many upper class families even contribute that much to a single child’s 529.
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Could it be 15K total?
Or 1.5K per year?
I already conceded that the 15k was a number I just threw out BEFORE talking to my parents.
Also Clark in MA
Did basic search of suggested schools, here’s my findings:
Occidental is too small AND expensive
American is too expensive
The Montanas are too white (which I fully expected)
Oklahoma or NAU are definitely more on my radar than before.
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Occidental is small but is in a very interesting neighborhood in Los Angeles — it’s not like a tiny rural campus. It also provides merit — don’t look only at sticker price. It has a lot of the programs you are looking for, students live on campus or close by and is likely the vibe you are looking for.
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@Southoftheriver “interesting neighborhood” and “Los Angeles” is redundant. 
TY for advising me about merit. Hopefully 3.4-ish high enough for merit. But when I looked, Occidental wasn’t small, it was TINY compared to other schools I’m looking at.
Just checked on Clark. It’s the East Coast version of Occidental: small and expensive.
Got it. My D feels the same way but might consider Oxy because it’s in LA and lots to do. Think about why it is you are looking for big. Read a bit about it before completely discounting. You’ll find there will need to be some give and take because not all check the boxes. I also really encourage you to read about Clark.
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Also close to Boston, good financial aid, free MA in the fifth year and some amazing international programs.
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@Southoftheriver that MA in 5-year thing could DEFINITELY sway me!
@Southoftheriver the reason I want big (at least in my own mind) is because I equate “big” to “more diverse” and “more people to meet” and “more academic opportunities”.