<p>How about, “We have run the Net Price Calculators for each school, and we are comfortable with the affordability of her list. How is little Johnny’s college search going?”. They don’t have to know that the NPC showed you are full pay…</p>
<p>I think intparent has a great idea. It not only may encourage other families to use the NPCs, it changes the focus of the conversation from OP’s child to the friend’s child.</p>
<p>It’s too bad OP is put into uncomfortable situations. But… isn’t anybody impressed that there are families discussing financial safeties… now,early in the game? </p>
<p>About 10 years ago )pre-NPC) it seemed like GC were saying… apply to a variety of schools, fill out FAFSA, and see what happens. </p>
<p>^^They are still telling parents that, and it somewhat leads people to think “it’ll all work out.” Sometimes it does, with lots of loans. </p>
<p>I think OP and the other parents are just talking about the things we all talk about when our kids are picking schools - academics, cost, location, cost, atmosphere, cost. I was pretty shocked at the school one of my daughter’s friend pick. Huge, public, not the top flagship or even the second flagship in our state. This kid won a lot of awards, money was not an issue to her family, but wanted to live rather close, so picked a school she knew she’d be happy with. But it was a shock, and I’m sure they got a lot of ‘Really?’ comments. Luckily, when I heard I wasn’t standing in front of them, so my “really?!” wasn’t to them, just to my daughter.</p>
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<p>Lots of GCs still say this… they don’t all seem to have caught onto the NPC shift. They give the same advice they did 10 years ago…</p>