<p>UNC is a great large school. Be careful about assumptions with the aid, however. Both of my kids were offered (instate) loans (and that is considered aid), did not qualify for work study. One was given a 1K a year scholarship. Housing is incredibly expensive once you are out of the on campus underclassmen options (600-1000 per month depending on where one lives and then you have to sublet or pay rent for the summer). Food is expensive. The restaurants are not cheap (I live hear and know firsthand). The estimates UNC makes on its website of it costing about 20K for an instate student is fairly realistic (but a little on the low side-usually a couple of K more). Concerts and the big time sports events are not free. Both of my kids ended up at LACs (D’s is highly ranked) that ended up costing less per year in terms of overall expense. UNC does support a lot of first generation students, community college transfers and brilliant, top students (from in and out of state) and makes provisions for the low income (read Pell eligible) to graduate debt free. When you think of your own kid’s stats, keep in mind that they are one of many highly qualified candidates. Read about UNC’s Morehead and Roberson scholars. Those kids go well beyond the typical high achieving student. For those in the middle, the story is not the same. Loans are the usual offering.</p>
<p>I still don’t understand why a few colleges feel a need to have some students graduate loan free. Everyone should pay a share of the costs. It is certainly important to keep the debt levels manageable, but there is no need for a college graduate to avoid any debt so they can buy a new car.</p>
<p>Have any of you actually seen a budget for your state’s public universities? I’d be very curious to look over a true line item budget to see just where all this money has been going.</p>
<p>You might be able to find it just by googling. I found Ohio State’s that way. They don’t make it easy to get through.</p>
<p>I think the reasoning behind the debt free provision is to give students from very poor backgrounds a start with no debt is the assumption that those of more means will have family support to help out (I know that is not true in all cases, but most middle class kids can come home and live after graduating, may have family help with things such as cars, insurance, deposits on the first apartment after graduation, etc.) I teach at a community college. My students that transfer via the debt free programs really have nothing-their families do not own homes, everyone in the family works multiple low wage jobs, most share their rooms with younger siblings and very few of these kids even have health insurance. When they have been accepted into C-Step, some have literally wept in my office. Personally, I think it is fair to offer those young people the support. These students are expected to have work-study jobs and to work in the summer so it is not a free ride.</p>
<p>I once sat on an advisory board for one of our state’s public universities. My work experience has trained me to follow paper trails and analyze budgets. I didn’t last long on this board because the information was so muddied. This fairly inconsequential team was just a drop in the university bucket. Clearly some state’s may do a better job, but I was not impressed.</p>
<p>Not saying I wouldn’t send one of our kids to in state, but it seems terribly unreasonable to charge $13K for a dorm a kid uses 8.5 months out of the year.</p>
<p>For that much it should be a very nice dorm with very good food. Some areas have much higher costs too for labor, utilities, etc.</p>