Can you negotiate college tuition?

[NHdisneylover]

That is wonderful that the school is willing to switch her to regular admission.

OK, this may sound nutty, but if your DD is looking to experience somewhere totally different from where she has grown up and to spread her wings but is totally lost as t what she wants to do--I think in your shoes I might suggest she take a gap year and get a small apartment with roommates and work in a location she'd like to be. Let her do the spreading her wings stuff for a year without going into debt and then start at university somewhere more affordable.

 

[Kimberlyann11]

DD applied ED to Pomona. While I have a few misgivings, Pomona is an excellent school and she certainly did her homework. It hits all her "must haves" and the only drawback is the distance. I did the online calculator and if their offer is remotely close, we should be okay. If it is off by much, I will be on the phone to the financial aid and admissions offices. They are extremely selective so there is a big chance she won't get accepted anyway, although they set her up with an alumni interview for early next week. She interviews very well, so we'll see what happens. Her grade point average isn't all that, and her ACT is good but not Pomona college good.

Before she had decided to appy to Pomona, she applied to three public state universities and already has acceptances at all three. She is undecided between two of them, so we'll see what happens. It's a little nerve wracking to not know where your only child will be a year from now. Might be 45 minutes away, might be 2 and a half hours away or might be all the way across the country.

 

[zoemurr]

I'm not sure it can be a "good school" if she doesn't know what she is studying? everyone will agree that MIT is a great school.. But if you decide on a BA in English then not so much. An inexpensive school in a warm climate might be a better idea. Then when she finds her passion she can transfer to a school that is well known for that program. I'm not sure there is any school that excels in every program they offer. Some are better than others.

I agree a year working, volunteering, and traveling might help point her in the right direction. DD is a senior. She is interested in computer science so has only applied to science heavy schools. She did quite a few EA, but we didn't allow ED even though I do think it would have given her an advantage.

 

[okeydokey]

I agree!!
MY BIL teaches at UNF in Tallahassee-about a 20min drive to beach-cool school

I thought UNF was in Jacksonville.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Is your daughter willing to be in massive amounts of debt for years (maybe even decades) for 4 years of the college experience? I get that she wants to spread her wings, but she could be greatly limiting her future experiences to fund 4 years at this school. I don't think she realizes that if she pursues this option she may have a majority of her future pay checks going to student loans for a long time, and may have to miss or postpone other life events that require money to pay those loans.

 

[tzolkin]

I'm actually surprised that you have an ED acceptance already. Again, may depend on school, but I thought most of them send out ED decisions in December.

I think there might be more of a push to get acceptances out earlier? Or maybe it is just the schools?

My DD received two acceptances and one major merit-based scholarship weeks ago (within two weeks of applying). These were two different types of schools (one a private women's and the other a state univ.) and she did not apply ED to either.

When I was applying to colleges the applications weren't due until Jan 15th and I don't think you were notified until March. I believe most of the schools sent a letter with the aid package included (so it had to be after FAFSA was due).

OP, the school threw you a bone by giving the option to switch to RD.
TAKE IT!!!!!

Yes, the only advantage of the ED is if you don't think she has a chance of getting in RD based on her academics. But at this point if you can't afford it with what they already offered you it's a "no" anyway.

 

[spima3]

My daughter was accepted to a small, private college in Florida for the fall of 2016. She received a very poor scholarship offer of only $1,500 per year which makes this school too expensive for us. She applied to another private college and received $12,000 scholarship per year, but it isn't her first choice.

If you only need $2-$5K more, then maybe you will see that w/ the "additional" scholarships they told you to chase down, but even those are very difficult to get. College is so expensive, lots of kids are chasing after them. Also, happens after her first year?

Far too many unknowns. Take the offer for regular decision and consider yourself lucky.

 

[Art 1]

I thought UNF was in Jacksonville.

Yea, Jax.

 

[MomofKatie]

I think there might be more of a push to get acceptances out earlier? Or maybe it is just the schools?

My DD received two acceptances and one major merit-based scholarship weeks ago (within two weeks of applying). These were two different types of schools (one a private women's and the other a state univ.) and she did not apply ED to either.

When I was applying to colleges the applications weren't due until Jan 15th and I don't think you were notified until March. I believe most of the schools sent a letter with the aid package included (so it had to be after FAFSA was due).

It all depends on the school. Some have "rolling" admissions, where they assess and accept/decline applications as they arrive. DD got accepted at an out of state public university and got a significant merit award within a few weeks of sending in the Common App.

Other schools have Early Action or Early Decision applications, and students might hear within weeks or at a set time. DD has 3 EA applications in that were due by October 15th to November 1st and will hear from them by 12/15.

Regular Decision applications are usually due by January 1st- 15th, and the applicant won't hear until March.

Financial aid based on income award notifications usually occur in March. Merit aid is sometimes awarded with the acceptance letter, or can be awarded later, depending on the scholarships applied for.

 

[Jaya]

The only "negotiation" I ever came across was a man who had triplets. He contacted numerous colleges and asked for a 3-for-the-price-of-two deal and offered all rights of publicity to the college. The triplets got several good offers out of that and finally decided on a small northern college that was delighted to have the three of them and made a big deal out of it. It ended up costing about the amount to send one.

 

[kamik86]

I'm not sure it can be a "good school" if she doesn't know what she is studying? everyone will agree that MIT is a great school.. But if you decide on a BA in English then not so much. An inexpensive school in a warm climate might be a better idea. Then when she finds her passion she can transfer to a school that is well known for that program. I'm not sure there is any school that excels in every program they offer. Some are better than others.

I agree a year working, volunteering, and traveling might help point her in the right direction. DD is a senior. She is interested in computer science so has only applied to science heavy schools. She did quite a few EA, but we didn't allow ED even though I do think it would have given her an advantage.

I agree with this.

I knew some people that went to my school that had no idea what the wanted to study.
1) Decided he wanted to be a math major. Left the school because although we had a strong math department he could study math many other places which were MUCH cheaper. (Some schools charge tuition based on major, my school did a flat rate for any credits. which meant the math and english majors were subsidizing the Software engineering and computer science departments new computers, the expensive equipment the bio chem and some of the other engineering majors needed etc)

2) Decided she wanted a liberal arts degree. Also left the school because the liberal arts in an engineering school is really more there to get us engineers the few liberal arts classes we need for an accredited degree, no one really WANTED to take most of those classes. After being frustrated about how dumbed down some of those classes were she finally transferred to another school, which also was cheaper.

3) Floundered for 3 years not having any idea what he wanted to do. Then disappeared. No idea what he did.

My school was an amazing school if you wanted to go for an engineering or computer based major. A few of the fine arts departments were also really well known, especially the more computer based ones (computer animation etc). However not a good choice for anyone that wanted something outside of that.

 

[cabanafrau]

She just wants the out of state experience....on/near a beach. It is a top rated college in a safe area. My other daughter is at Arizona State because she also wanted to be someplace warm and to spread her wings and fly so to speak. I know it is a ridiculous reason to attend a college, but both my girls have absolutely no idea what they want to do when they grow up. They just want to have a life enriching experience in a place that is new to them. We have always lived in a small suburban town. I don't blame them for wanting to see the world.

OMG, my friend's DD picked it to be near the beach and for the gorgeous campus -- without any idea what the school's academic strengths were, nor what she wanted to study. I'm waiting to see what her declared major will be now that she's in her second year.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I can absolutely understand freshmen not being sure of a major (or changing majors part way through)--but I simply cannot imagine going in with that to anything other than a very low cost situation with a decent number of majors in various areas to settle into. Investing a whole lot of money for the primary purpose of getting away from home and at the beach is what seems so off to me in the situation---that isn't about getting an education or a career at all, so why spend so much to do it when you could accomplish the same thing without the debt.

 

[cabanafrau]

I can absolutely understand freshmen not being sure of a major (or changing majors part way through)--but I simply cannot imagine going in with that to anything other than a very low cost situation with a decent number of majors in various areas to settle into. Investing a whole lot of money for the primary purpose of getting away from home and at the beach is what seems so off to me in the situation---that isn't about getting an education or a career at all, so why spend so much to do it when you could accomplish the same thing without the debt.

My friend was a nervous wreck as her DD plunged ahead into the early decision process without her approval -- to a school she wasn't sure she could afford to send her no less. I wound up in a discussion with her DD and pressed the issue of why she was so certain she wanted to go there when she was saying in the same conversation that she thought she was heading into engineering. When I pointed out that was going to be particularly challenging when the school was liberal arts she was less than pleased to hear it, only insisting that's where she was going.

She got her way and it's worked out so far, but I'm wondering how it's going to work out financially in the aftermath -- and I'm dying to hear what major she's declaring this year.

 

[pryncess527]

I'm not sure it can be a "good school" if she doesn't know what she is studying? everyone will agree that MIT is a great school.. But if you decide on a BA in English then not so much. An inexpensive school in a warm climate might be a better idea. Then when she finds her passion she can transfer to a school that is well known for that program. I'm not sure there is any school that excels in every program they offer. Some are better than others.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[mnrose]

Since I already know we will qualify for ZERO needs based aid from ANY school, my kids have had it drilled into them what the budget is for college. And, that applying to schools beyond that range is pointless UNLESS they want to take out big loans. They are both practical enough to know that would be plain old silly since their dad and I will 100% pay for college at a modest priced university, of which there are plenty out there. You really DO NOT need to go into major debt or go to a "big name" school to get a good education, especially when you are not 100% certain of what you want to do. Heck, even if you DO "know" what you want to do, there is a high likelihood you will change your mind at least once while in college. To me, the best way to go is a liberal arts school where changing your major is relatively painless, even up to the end.

 

[NHdisneylover]

and even if you do know what you want to do and you do not change your mind, you can most likely still get a good education and what you need out of a lower priced school.

 

[cabanafrau]

Problem being that in today's college stampede kids and parents are being told repeatedly the expectation is all about the "name". It's not acceptable or notable to be attending just any state or private school. I think it's partially to do with social media that college acceptance is only noteworthy if it has the appropriate pedigree or brand to splash around.

 

[wilkeliza]

Since I already know we will qualify for ZERO needs based aid from ANY school, my kids have had it drilled into them what the budget is for college. And, that applying to schools beyond that range is pointless UNLESS they want to take out big loans. They are both practical enough to know that would be plain old silly since their dad and I will 100% pay for college at a modest priced university, of which there are plenty out there. You really DO NOT need to go into major debt or go to a "big name" school to get a good education, especially when you are not 100% certain of what you want to do. Heck, even if you DO "know" what you want to do, there is a high likelihood you will change your mind at least once while in college. To me, the best way to go is a liberal arts school where changing your major is relatively painless, even up to the end.

Yep went to 2 different liberal arts schools and I practically double majored by the end of the second one since I was so interested in religion I took most of my extra electives in that. I started as a pre-med major and then ended in theatrical lightening design. I should have stuck with med for the money alone but I realized pretty quickly that I get way too emotionally evolved for the field I wanted to do and I'm the type that if I couldn't do that then I didn't want to do it at all.

 

[wilkeliza]

Problem being that in today's college stampede kids and parents are being told repeatedly the expectation is all about the "name". It's not acceptable or notable to be attending just any state or private school. I think it's partially to do with social media that college acceptance is only noteworthy if it has the appropriate pedigree or brand to splash around.

I can tell you none of my employers cared where I went to college just that I went. People who went to Ivy Leagues have no real jump on the rest of us as long as you are applying yourself in school and have a decent resume coming out you'll be fine. I only know of 3 people in my circle who went to an Ivy League and 2 of them are my future sister in laws. One is a doctor and the other is now a stay at home mom. I don't think the one who is a doctor really had any big difference from her base college education because most of the stuff she is doing came out of her med school studies and residency.