<p>Two of my children told me today that they have friends who question whether they will be back at school next year. Their college funds are drastically down, parents have lost jobs or simply just can't stretch as they could last year.</p>
<p>How can this not have a dramatic impact? Can even the largest endowment colleges meet the new need? Can any government effort take hold fast enough to stop the carnage?</p>
<p>Look for a larger percentage of internationals paying full fare at many of the top schools.</p>
<p>No, and if something is not done, 4 year colleges will be for the wealthy only, IMO. My gosh, our instate publics are now costing over 21k/year! </p>
<p>Some article that I read recently spoke about empty beds and seats mid-semester! Colleges were counting on that tuition, but some students could/cannot pay to finish out the year!</p>
<p>Colleges will put seats up for bid on priceline? That'll fill those empty beds.</p>
<p>Seriously, maybe colleges will keep the waitlists open much longer than usual, like all the way up to the start of school or take more full pay mid-year transfer students.</p>
<p>LOL, well it sort of is like the airlines. Every seat/bed pays a different price!</p>
<p>ellemenope, I am sure that you right.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>Every seat/bed pays a different price!<<</p> </blockquote>
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<p>Why does it bother me more when it's an airline ticket rather than college costs, I wonder?</p>
<p>Perhaps it is because you'd like to see that more citizens than only those from wealthy families have an opportunity to get a college education.</p>
<p>No, that's not it... :-)</p>
<p>Actually, I wouldn't have been able to afford college when I went if I hadn't had a scholarship and lived at home. With that leg up, our family has been able to pay for our kids to go to college without help. </p>
<p>This generation's scholarship/financial aid kids will be the next generation's full pay parents, through planning and some luck!</p>
<p>Huh? Just ask DadII, every family deserves a Caribbean vacation!</p>
<p>On a serious note, my kids are quite shaken. This seems to be bursting a lot of college bubbles and making kids not searching for jobs come face to face with the reality out there.</p>
<p>will result in a lot of kids working part time to get through college. My son is moving off campus to save money and offset expected 8% increase in out of state tuition increase.</p>
<p>Freshman S2 was closed out of a class he needed for this semester. His advisor told him to check the registration site on Jan. 4 which was the final date for Spring tuition payment. Non-payment resulted in schedule being dropped. S2 was amazed when he logged on and found dozens of empty spaces in various classes that had been full.</p>
<p>Oh, ye of little faith. Where is your confidence in our new President's and Democratic Congress' economic stimulus plan? That should certainly turn things around.</p>
<p>^Sarcasm and partisan politics is unwelcome here. I believe there is a separate forum for that, Mr. Berry.</p>
<p>one of my daughter's friends is talking about joining ROTC because his family can no longer contribute to his education</p>
<p>Do you think existing scholarships will continue for current students, as long as they meet the criteria? H wants to ask for more money after S received stellar grades first semester. I told him I thought that was greedy, in light of current economic conditions.</p>
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Freshman S2 was closed out of a class he needed for this semester. His advisor told him to check the registration site on Jan. 4 which was the final date for Spring tuition payment. Non-payment resulted in schedule being dropped. S2 was amazed when he logged on and found dozens of empty spaces in various classes that had been full.
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<p>Sadly, one of my daughter's friends found himself in this situation, and he has to take the semester off for financial reasons. She's going to try to find out what happened, but there are so many possibilities: loans drying up, home equity evaporating, parent losing job.</p>
<p>toledo: that sounds similar to q's asked on other boards: "what happens to scholarship $ if students chose to attend a different school?" The answer there is probably the same as the one your H would get....it goes back into the pool; not re-allocated.....Your S may be able to apply for different $$, but I don't think they would increase or re-allocate someone else's $$......</p>
<p>At the end of freshman year, my D (who knew that some students had received more merit aid than her initially (but not with better test scores or grades) ) wrote a letter to her school's FinAid office tooting the success of her first year of school - spelling out not only her 4.0 but school involvement, honors, awards of first year and asked to be considered for more $$$. While it wasn't monumental, they offered her an additional $1000 in merit aid. </p>
<p>She was thrilled that she succeeded! My pocketbook was happy too!!!</p>
<p>On the local TV last night: Bowdoin just announced yesterday that they are taking steps to adjust to endowment losses, including planning to add 50 more students. (I'm assuming it is 50 students per class.) They are also talking about deferring building and renovation projects.</p>
<p>Downturn at expensive restaurants ('Table</a> for None') is to upturn at McDonald's ([url=]'Hungry times, and McDonald's is lovin' it') as Private Colleges are to Community Colleges.</p>
<p>Nice thing about our country/economy is that we have so many options...the glass is not 3/4 empty, it's 1/4 full.</p>