Why let your kids take out loans when you could full pay at another school?

[Anonymous]

People have different priorities than you. DH and I graduated from a SLAC, and feel very strongly about the living on campus for 4 years with a cohort, small classes, undergrad focused, communication and writing centered SLAC experience. We want our kids’ first 4 years of adulthood and independence to be that type of smaller, more personal environment, with peer on a similar trajectory. That’s really the time in their lives when it can all come together for them— or go seriously off track. Their environment matters.

DH started his company based on research he did with a professor undergrad. I got a prestigious federal clerkship based on who my undergrad roommate was. We both had siblings who went to large public colleges and didn’t begin to have the opportunities we did.

Our kids share a used Honda. They did K-12 at a good DMV public, not private. We bought less house than we could afford. But, we’ll find a way to give our kids the college education we got.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD wants (needs?) a school that makes it easier to connect with students and professors. At a lot of state schools (and even some Ivies) no one notices or cares if you stop showing up for classes. She fears feeling lost in a huge crowd.

Our problem is that we can’t afford the “good” SLACs that don’t give merit aid so I feel like she’ll have to drop down a few tiers in prestige to avoid going to a huge “good” school we afford.

Understandable. Try smaller, lesser known privates. And a small state school. Maryland and VA have small state schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People have different priorities than you. DH and I graduated from a SLAC, and feel very strongly about the living on campus for 4 years with a cohort, small classes, undergrad focused, communication and writing centered SLAC experience. We want our kids’ first 4 years of adulthood and independence to be that type of smaller, more personal environment, with peer on a similar trajectory. That’s really the time in their lives when it can all come together for them— or go seriously off track. Their environment matters.

DH started his company based on research he did with a professor undergrad. I got a prestigious federal clerkship based on who my undergrad roommate was. We both had siblings who went to large public colleges and didn’t begin to have the opportunities we did.

Our kids share a used Honda. They did K-12 at a good DMV public, not private. We bought less house than we could afford. But, we’ll find a way to give our kids the college education we got.

+1