<p>It probably varies from school to school and scholarship to scholarship. My daughter has a full tuition waiver plus cash scholarship at a large State U and she had to start the fall following high school graduation or she would have lost it. Once she starts she can request for it to be put on hold under certain circumstances - such as study abroad (though for the study abroad she is planning which is a reciprocal agreement it stays in place), Illness, religious mission.</p>
<p>'rent of two >>>> So, is it the general thinking that Flagship State Univ honors colleges are going to get a much bigger number of applications this year, or that many more high achieving students may opt to enroll in them over private colleges? Or both? <<<</p>
<p>I have a sophomore in college and a senior in high school. When my college son was in high school, several kids were very vocal about only considering "elite schools". My older son accepted the full-ride to our flagship univ, while several of his classmates went on to the elites. Well, this year, a few of those kids are not returning to those pricey schools and are now attending the local university (not the flagship). Their parents can no longer afford the tuition at the elites. </p>
<p>The problem hasn't just been the stock market. Many families have been stretched for awhile with the high price of gas. Families that used to budget less than $200 a month for gas, are now spending upwards of $300-400. </p>
<p>When I bought my car in 2002, I could fill it up for about $34. Last week, it cost me about $70. Many people could do very little to reduce their driving without moving or changing jobs. The bottom line is families couldn't keep on absorbing all this extra cost w/o it having some affect on their overall financial health. Many people can do very little to reduce their driving without moving or changing jobs. My best friend recently confided in me that she and her husband had to "dip" into their daughter's college fund, because they just weren't making "ends meet" anymore. Their rising gasoline costs were causing their VISA balance to grow - which was shocking to them because they always used to pay it off each month. Her husband would like to get a job closer to their home (he works 40 miles away), but until then, they're paying over $500 a month in gas for JUST his car (plus another $250 for gas for her car). $750 per month for gasoline was never in their budget. </p>
<p>I doubt my best friend is alone with her crisis. Families made choices (home location vs job location) based on more reasonable gas prices. Families who never had credit card balances (or had very low ones) are shocked when they realize that they can't keep their cards paid off.</p>
<p>I got quite a bit "off topic." However, I do think "flagships" and local universities will be seeing more applications and more acceptances in the coming year(s).</p>
<p>JL50ish Your comments about those big money offers being only for freshmen sounds right to me. I wonder if there might be exceptions for certain majors, like engineering departments, that seem to always be seeking talent. Also, I wonder if the expensive private schools will see a higher-than-usual attrition rate in the soph and junior classes, and therefore offer more transfer-in spots than usual.</p>
<p>'rentof2: "So, is it the general thinking that Flagship State Univ honors colleges are going to get a much bigger number of applications this year, or that many more high achieving students may opt to enroll in them over private colleges? Or both?"</p>
<p>I don't know what the general thinking is, but my thinking is that both of those will happen. Further, privates other than the most elite privates will become less selective and good publics will become more so. Mommy and Daddy will be willing to sacrifice a lot to see Junior at Princeton, but not as much to see him at Kenyon, let alone Skidmore. If he gets accepted at an Ivy, fine, but if not, many parents will think Rutgers, SUNY or UMass is good enough.</p>
<p>Timely reminder: </p>
<p>Be careful when removing those rear widow elite college decals. You could damage the window defrosters and you would end up not being able to see what's behind you as well.</p>
<p>'rentof2:: "So, is it the general thinking that Flagship State Univ honors colleges are going to get a much bigger number of applications this year, or that many more high achieving students may opt to enroll in them over private colleges? Or both?"</p>
<p>Cardinal:: I don't know what the general thinking is, but my thinking is that both of those will happen. Further, privates other than the most elite privates will become less selective and good publics will become more so. Mommy and Daddy will be willing to sacrifice a lot to see Junior at Princeton, but not as much to see him at Kenyon, let alone Skidmore. If he gets accepted at an Ivy, fine, but if not, many parents will think Rutgers, SUNY or UMass is good enough.</p>
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<p>That will be a consideration. Afterall, there is no point in spending more money for a non-elite school, if just as good of an education can be had for less at the local state uni. </p>
<p>Afterall, the graduate of a good state school is going to be just as successful as a graduate of a pricier school that is not YPH. For instance, my H graduated from 2 "Big Ten" schools (both publics). He makes the same or even more money than colleagues with degrees from pricier privates. They had a lot of student loans to pay off when they graduated, while he did not.</p>
<p>Facing a shrinking retirement fund and a house plummeting in value, a lot of parents are going to start thinking like JL50ish.</p>
<p>Of course, the financial crisis is slamming states as well as parents, as tax revenues dry up. Public colleges and universities are already strapped. What will they cut back?</p>
<p>"What will they cut back?"</p>
<p>MA did cut back harshly on the state university system in the past. Given the magnitude of their problems, I can't see how they can possibly not cut. Governor Patrick is stating that cutting state aid to cities and towns is the last resort. Well that means that Universities aren't the last resort. I think that there will have to be cuts in aid.</p>
<p>I read that NH lost $800 million in their pension plan through September. The budget was already impossibly tight. Perhaps we can do some accounting smoke and mirrors to get through this but it will have to be paid at some point. Not sure if this means tuition hikes, larger class sizes or cutting back on offerings. But something has to give.</p>
<p>Cardinal >>> Facing a shrinking retirement fund and a house plummeting in value, a lot of parents are going to start thinking like JL50ish.</p>
<p>Of course, the financial crisis is slamming states as well as parents, as tax revenues dry up. Public colleges and universities are already strapped. What will they cut back? <<<</p>
<p>I have already seen parents take a different approach with younger children. At my second son's high school, parents with older college children are telling their younger children that they can't afford to sent their younger kids to the same pricey places their older sibs are attending. One mom, who has a d at Smith (and always bragged that her kids were going to go to elite schools), is now facing having to tell her younger d that she is going to have to go someplace cheaper and/or or someplace with good merit money.</p>
<p>The publics will have to implement some changes. Likely shrink less "important" departments, increase class size, use more TA's, cancel classes that don't reach a certain size, increase dorm costs, increase meal plans, increase "fees", increase parking fees, etc. They will get creative so that they don't have to increase the tuition so much that it will decrease applications.</p>
<p>.....and you will see more like this post, written by a distraught student:</p>
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<blockquote> <p>we will not apply to those expensive private schools, except HPYSM, again>></p> </blockquote>
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<p>A good strategy if you child has the competitive stats to be within the under 10% of applicants that get accepted to these schools. The very VAST majority of college applicants are not in this category. Bottom line...if you don't get accepted to HYPSM, it doesn't matter how rich their financial aid programs are...you won't get any benefit from them.</p>
<p>There are many ways to make college more affordable for families...but the discussion has to take place before the kids apply. The options of living at home, attending a CC for two years and transfering, going to the instate university for undergrad, looking at honors college programs instate, applying where you student might receive significant merit aid (and casting the "gotta go to a top 20 school" thing aside) are all ways to work it out.</p>
<p>Yes, thumper, agree about being in the upper percents of the applicant pool.
It is interesting that so many people are arguing the affordability of instate flagships. Here in Illinois, the U of I has very high tuition and virtually no merit aid available. Total COA is over $20,000. The real cost-cutters, as others have pointed out, is not "settling" for state flagship but going to a more regional state school, commuting from home, or doing two years at the community college (which many, many students have always done anyway, just not here on CC).</p>
<p>I graduated as an average student from HS during the 70s recession. The family finances were a disaster. I applied to the State Us as well as 2nd tier privates who we heard were generous with FinAid. It turned out to be less expensive to go to the private college I went to (it certainly wasn't a first choice- but it was free for me) than to any state school. It was an eye opener to see such wealth. I was the student cooking & serving hamburgers to these students in the cafeteria. I couldn't imagine what they thought of me. I was just happy to be in college away from the economic hardships going on at home. I am so glad I was lucky enough to be able to attend a private college. It was just a different perspective that I would have never seen in my life.</p>
<p>At this time I have two in Ivys. We pay full price. I have to say that I am tickled to send the check after being the recipient of a full financial aid award. I am so grateful.</p>
<p>^^^toblin, thanks for the laugh. We need all we can get.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>Timely reminder: Be careful when removing those rear widow elite college decals<<</p> </blockquote>
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<p>I hope that your warning isn't from personal experience...as a parent of a high school senior, our family still has time to make alternate plans as to future college costs. If my kid were half way through Expensive College XYZ, the choices would be painful.</p>
<p>Thanks, oreo45--heartwarming story. A scholarship or financial aid can change not only the life of the person receiving it, but also the life paths of all of the children, grandchildren, etc. to follow.</p>
<p>Count my family among those who have moved the in-state publics from "maybe apps" to "definite apps." And since I'm no fan of the University System of Maryland, that's sayin' something.</p>
<p>DougBetsy....Count my family among those who have moved the in-state publics from "maybe apps" to "definite apps." And since I'm no fan of the University System of Maryland, that's sayin' something.</p>
<p>Just asking.... what's wrong with the University of Maryland - College Park?</p>
<p>(I have no info regarding this Univ, except that it is rated well and the tuition is reasonable.)</p>
<p>Are your child(ren)'s stats high enough maybe to get some merit money elsewhere?</p>
<p>DH is grumbling about tuition costs at D3s LAC as compared to the flagship state schools of the siblings- I have to remind him every day that D3 did 2 years of community college to earn that privilege! I am glad it is only for two and not four years!</p>
<p>We are thanking our lucky stars that our student chose full tuition OOS scholarship at PITT.</p>