Colleen27
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2007
One of mine will, one won't. DS is set because he chose a very low-cost path. He's starting a 2 year, dual-degree program in the skilled trades at the local community college in the fall. We can easily cover that OOP. In fact, the car and insurance (because we're rural and there's no way to commute without a car) may add up to more than the actual college costs.
DD, on the other hand, will be needing some big scholarships/grants to attend any of her top choice schools without unmanageable debt. We're a lower-middle income family and it has become a running joke that one of her criteria for a school is that it costs more than we make in a year. However, the elite private universities are very generous with their need-based aid so it isn't academic scholarships that we're hoping for - she's a stellar student, but so is everyone who gets into the schools she's looking at. I will forever be grateful to the college counselor at her school for directing us towards the net price calculators because a 70k price tag may have scared me off of taking her for a tour or encouraging her to apply, even though that school may be cheaper in the end than the 25k state school where need-based aid is all loans and academic awards are scarce and small.
DD, on the other hand, will be needing some big scholarships/grants to attend any of her top choice schools without unmanageable debt. We're a lower-middle income family and it has become a running joke that one of her criteria for a school is that it costs more than we make in a year. However, the elite private universities are very generous with their need-based aid so it isn't academic scholarships that we're hoping for - she's a stellar student, but so is everyone who gets into the schools she's looking at. I will forever be grateful to the college counselor at her school for directing us towards the net price calculators because a 70k price tag may have scared me off of taking her for a tour or encouraging her to apply, even though that school may be cheaper in the end than the 25k state school where need-based aid is all loans and academic awards are scarce and small.