So many mistakes. So much disappointment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

Flagship ranking is around 150. She got a scholarship so cost is 5K tuition plus housing (10K). 15K total.

T10 school. She got 20K in financial aid which would bring tuition down to 50K. Housing is about 15K. 65K total.

Engineering major.

OP, let's be honest here. Top ten schools offer major financial aid to households under 200, sometimes even under 250k. What's going on that you can't afford to help her attend this amazing school? I think you should stretch to do it, assuming you don't have more than one other kid.

Also, getting into a state flagship is no easy accomplishment these days, so she should have some pride in that. If she doesn't go to the top ten, talk to her about studying abroad or doing a fun summer program abroad somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

Flagship ranking is around 150. She got a scholarship so cost is 5K tuition plus housing (10K). 15K total.

T10 school. She got 20K in financial aid which would bring tuition down to 50K. Housing is about 15K. 65K total.

Engineering major.

So you are talking 200k difference. About 170k if she takes out the full government student loan amounts per year. If she only got 20k in grants from a top ten school, then you guys should be able to afford to the extra 170k. I think you should try to make that happen for her. A top ten could offer life changing career opportunities.

Also, try to negotiate the aid.

[Anonymous]

What aid did she get at the top 50? Are you saying she was in the running for a full ride and it was all or nothing?

Are there any other school between 59 and 159?

[Anonymous]

NP Does anyone reading this think 250K is an insane amount to pay for an undergrad degree when you have a cheaper option??

[Anonymous]

That should have been 50 and 150

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I am not a troll.

The T10 school she applied EA so she’s known since December that she was accepted.

Interestingly enough the free flight/hotel offer was sent to her as “merit based” Even though the school awarded her no merit aid for tuition.

go out there, make a good impression, and try to get more aid.

she's a female engineering major and they want to fly her out. sounds like they want her.

you should try to make this happen for her.

[Anonymous]

Definitely a troll post. These schools don’t fly you out to visit for free unless you are really poor. (And even questionable is at all for admitted student day visits). 20k in need based aid at T10 is not poor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Definitely a troll post. These schools don’t fly you out to visit for free unless you are really poor. (And even questionable is at all for admitted student day visits). 20k in need based aid at T10 is not poor.

This is not true. They are called Fly In Programs and are often used to bring diversity to the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

Flagship ranking is around 150. She got a scholarship so cost is 5K tuition plus housing (10K). 15K total.

T10 school. She got 20K in financial aid which would bring tuition down to 50K. Housing is about 15K. 65K total.

Engineering major.

The difference is only 50k!

Of course she can work part time to pay for the difference. Waitress, tutoring, etc. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to earn 50k per year.

If you are willing to pay additional 10k, that really helps.

OP, I’m sorry you are getting weird belligerent responses like the one above.

Did she only apply to 3 schools? For engineering I would not take out $200k+ in loans.

Do your local school and then see about transferring. Or the one that puts a bad taste in your mouth, assuming you can afford it.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Definitely a troll post. These schools don’t fly you out to visit for free unless you are really poor. (And even questionable is at all for admitted student day visits). 20k in need based aid at T10 is not poor. [/quote]

This is not true. They are called Fly In Programs and are often used to bring diversity to the school. [/quote]

The only diversity at T10s who might fly for free are FLI and Questbridge kids. Their financial is 100%. Not $20k discount.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

Flagship ranking is around 150. She got a scholarship so cost is 5K tuition plus housing (10K). 15K total.

T10 school. She got 20K in financial aid which would bring tuition down to 50K. Housing is about 15K. 65K total.

Engineering major.

The difference is only 50k!

Of course she can work part time to pay for the difference. Waitress, tutoring, etc. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to earn 50k per year.

If you are willing to pay additional 10k, that really helps.

OP, I’m sorry you are getting weird belligerent responses like the one above.

Did she only apply to 3 schools? For engineering I would not take out $200k+ in loans.

Do your local school and then see about transferring. Or the one that puts a bad taste in your mouth, assuming you can afford it.

OP here. Thank you for your kind response. I agree that an engineering degree cannot justify 200K in loans.

I’ve talked to her about potentially transferring schools after two years. She wasn’t open to the idea. I think she just needs some time to be sad.

[Anonymous]

It means you take vacation locally for four years instead of Tahiti or Hawaii.

[Anonymous]

I have a kid in as a senior this year in Engineering at several schools, waiting to hear from several more. My sense the cost for Engineering is high with less merit because many programs have lots of qualified students with families willing to pay or take out loans, so they say they give good FA, but not sure they will. One school offered no FA and would not allow appeals based on job loss. OP, it is disappointing to our kids that while they have friends families who are able to pay these exhorbitant tuitions, many of us cannot. It is okay for them to be upset and disappointed. Sounds like you all knew the budget limitations. They can attend a school you can afford, the Engineering schools should be ABET certified, so how different can each school be? Hoping my kid is excited about wherever he ends up, but don't want him to start his 'life' later because we let him take on too much debt now.

[Anonymous]

ROTC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definitely a troll post. These schools don’t fly you out to visit for free unless you are really poor. (And even questionable is at all for admitted student day visits). 20k in need based aid at T10 is not poor.

This is not true. They are called Fly In Programs and are often used to bring diversity to the school.

Fly in programs are for people looking at the school before even applying, not for admitted student days.