<p>PatN thank you so much. I thought this thread was dead and then you write such a great reply that speaks so directly to all of my concerns.</p>
<p>Expecting admission to a top school is already a tough chance, getting a scholarship is probably too much of a stretch to count on. Not in the flute world where competition is so high even compared to other music degrees.</p>
<p>That brings in two problems. One is it worth it to go so far in debt to graduate from a top school, when even that is not likely to get her a well paying orchesstra job. Two how deep in debt do we end up and how do we pay it off as retirement looms.</p>
<p>I think others dismiss the problem of getting the acceptance letter from the school of her dreams to study with a great teacher and then having to say no because it would likely cost us our home. Also the cost involved of visiting and investigating and applying to schools that even if she did win the audition we could not afford.</p>
<p>If I do the FSFA Calculator that figures out how much aid they think we need, do I assume that is the figure I need to finance privately? And the difference between that number and the total college cost they will help set up the financing? Isn't this just having loans in two different places? Whether the loan is in her name or ours it matters little, it still has to be paid and with either graduate school or a low paying job to follow school for her repaying it is a big issue. Or is there reason to think some funds will be provided that do not need to be repaid other than scholarship for her abilities? I understand Pell grants are not a possibility.</p>
<p>Is your daughter at NW studying with Walter Kujala? Please let me know how she is enjoying it? Yes it does seem almost all the teachers worth studying with are at very expensive schools.</p>