I know this is going to sound like “oh, poor, me” and I don’t want it to. I am not asking for sympathy. But the situation is that I “made” my son apply to Columbia because of the Columbia /Juilliard program (he is a very good jazzer). He thought his chances were zip. Well, he got accepted and there are no merit awards and apparently, we make just enough money so that we are not eligible for financial need-based aid. In the meantime, he’s also gotten into other good schools with music dual degree programs (Oberlin, U Mich, Tufts/New England Conservatory), some with merit awards. But I think he is so surprised that he got into Columbia that he now really wants to go there. He feels like Columbia is the kind of college where if you get in, you go. He wants to take out as much in student loans as it will take rather than going to a less expensive school. I am feeling extremely stressed by the whole thing. Sure - I would love for him to go to Columbia. It’s in NYC where anyone who wants to play jazz eventually needs to go (or so they say) and he is extremely smart and wants to study other things besides just music. But is it really worth it?!? Even going to a 5 year dual degree program elsewhere would be far less than 4 years at Columbia. Would love to hear input. And, again - I know this is a good situation to be in and I’m not asking for any sympathy, but it is causing me a lot of stress and sleeplessness. I just want some perspective.
I can see why you feel stressed. I’d amend it to “Columbia is the knd of school where ifyou get in, you go, but only IF you can afford it”. Taking out large loans for an undergrad engineering degree is one thing, because engineers are likely to be earning enough to pay back those loans (or pay back their parents, since students can only borrow a fairly small amount on their own). No matter how talented and hard-working a jazz musician is, he will be lucky to be just barely self-supporting. Especially in NYC. Even though he wants to study something (hopefully marketable) in addition to music, I’d say take the offer with the lowest cost to you. If he graduates from one of the other schools and then wants to go to NYC to play jazz, you might have some money left to help him out. If you’ve maxed out already due to undergrad loans, you won’t have that option.
I suggest that you post this on the music forum, an excellent forum that you will find under “majors” here on CC. In fact, there is a parent on that forum whose son is a jazz musician and went to Columbia, who often responds. There is also a thread right now that is partially about Oberlin. I’ll PM you.