2025 & 2026 donut hole families

[Anonymous]

What's the latest HS class of '25?
What do you predict will happen for this group for next year (2026)?

[Anonymous]

I anticipate tuition will go up and merit scholarships ("discounts") will go down. My kids are 2027 and 2029, so I'm not feeling good about the situation! Our state university system is poorly funded by the state already and is looking at a 30% state cut (we're far from DC).

[Anonymous]

Nearly everyone we know is staying in state. The few who are not are going to TX, TN, Alabama flagships.

[Anonymous]

Yep! I think in state acceptance rates will continue to go down. We have great schools here in VA for decent in state prices.

[Anonymous]

We didn’t get any merit. State flagship it is (UF)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's the latest HS class of '25?
What do you predict will happen for this group for next year (2026)?

Same as most years.

You apply to schools you can afford, and maybe a few where you hope for decent merit to make it affordable.

So you look at what you have saved/can afford to contribute per year without delaying retirement, and you let your kid know that is how much you can pay. Then you help them figure out that they can contribute $10K/year if they work summers and 8-10 hours per week (and during breaks), and take ~$5.5K/year in fed loans. Then you have your number.

Then apply to targets and safeties that give merit and wait for results to compare.

[Anonymous]

For donut hole families themselves, it seems very likely they just keep gravitating toward in-state or OOS with significant merit. I don’t think much changes from where the trend has been, though beaten down 529s and a cloudy economic outlook might accelerate it a bit.

[Anonymous]

What is a donut hole family? High income nut no savings?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is a donut hole family? High income nut no savings?

Too rich to get aid. But not rich enough to easily pay $90k a year, especially with multiple kids. Usually live in high cost of living areas.

[Anonymous]

Donut hole family (HHI $215k) results with a current senior:

Accepted to Brown and Cornell, cost in the 60s

Accepted to Amherst, Bowdoin and Vassar, cost in the 40s

Accepted to UMD, UConn, UVM, Binghamton, cost in the 30s with merit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We didn’t get any merit. State flagship it is (UF)

We would LOVE for our class of '26 kid to get into UF. It's #1 on our list right now. Congrats!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Donut hole family (HHI $215k) results with a current senior:

Accepted to Brown and Cornell, cost in the 60s

Accepted to Amherst, Bowdoin and Vassar, cost in the 40s

Accepted to UMD, UConn, UVM, Binghamton, cost in the 30s with merit

Congrats! Where is your DC leaning?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is a donut hole family? High income nut no savings?

Too rich to get aid. But not rich enough to easily pay $90k a year, especially with multiple kids. Usually live in high cost of living areas.

Many of us have lower incomes and in high cost of living areas. It’s lifestyle choices. It’s insane someone in a million dollar house making what many do feel entitled to aid when the rest of us live poorly to save.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For donut hole families themselves, it seems very likely they just keep gravitating toward in-state or OOS with significant merit. I don’t think much changes from where the trend has been, though beaten down 529s and a cloudy economic outlook might accelerate it a bit.

Thats probably the reason it may be different for HS seniors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is a donut hole family? High income nut no savings?

Too rich to get aid. But not rich enough to easily pay $90k a year, especially with multiple kids. Usually live in high cost of living areas.

Many of us have lower incomes and in high cost of living areas. It’s lifestyle choices. It’s insane someone in a million dollar house making what many do feel entitled to aid when the rest of us live poorly to save.

Where did PP say they felt entitled to aid? Nowhere. They just explained to another poster what the term meant. But don’t miss a chance to try to feel superior.