Anonymous wrote:47. My parents said they could pay for in-state only.

I got into UVA and W&M as a Monroe Scholar. I hustled for scholarships, but the only ones I could find were $200-500 one time only types, with essays. I wrote a bunch of essays (on top of application essays - and remember we had to use typewriters for all our applications? None of this common app stuff), and I managed to earn almost $2000, but that wasn't nearly enough to pay for a private school.

I really would have loved to have gone out of state. I've only ever lived in Virginia (fell in love with a lawyer who can't relocate easily).

Same here. 42. Later went to Penn for grad school w/ a full scholarship.

Anonymous wrote:When you were applying to undergrad, if you got into a top school and didn't attend, or didn't apply in the first place because you knew your family couldn't afford it or could only afford it by taking out big loans, how old are you?

50

47. My parents said they could pay for in-state only.

I got into UVA and W&M as a Monroe Scholar. I hustled for scholarships, but the only ones I could find were $200-500 one time only types, with essays. I wrote a bunch of essays (on top of application essays - and remember we had to use typewriters for all our applications? None of this common app stuff), and I managed to earn almost $2000, but that wasn't nearly enough to pay for a private school.

I really would have loved to have gone out of state. I've only ever lived in Virginia (fell in love with a lawyer who can't relocate easily).

42, could not pay for Georgetown, went to AU with significant scholarship

I'm upper 40s. I wasn't actually allowed to apply to the fancy schools I lusted over because paying for them would have used up the limited college support saved both for me and for my younger siblings. We all ultimately gained big scholarships (merit, not need) at slightly less fancy schools that taught us extremely well, and all of my graduate work was completed on fellowship based on the great background I had from undergrad. My parents used what was left of that much-debated college fund to pay for my wedding. My parents were totally right.

But it should also be noted that my parents were totally right in a very different economic environment. Merit aid now is not what it used to be, some fancy schools claim/try to meet all of EFC in certain income brackets, and the sticker price of any traditional college education has outpaced inflation at a dizzying rate. The calculations and planning are much more complicated and challenging than they were when I went to college.

I'm 35. I got into all 4 schools I applied to (3 privates, 1 top public). I had a full ride to the top public and the others were 55k... it was a no brainer that I went to the public. My parents gave me the money as a downpayment on a house at 22. It was a win all around.

Age - 48 - I got into a top school for my chosen major but knew I would be taking out some loans to attend. Breadwinner parent lost their job first semester freshman year, school would not adjust Financial Aid package so I had to leave after first semester and attend an in state university paying my own way 100% thru loans and multiple jobs while a full time student.

Got into Northwestern, attended Illinois. Northwestern was out of the budget and I didn't want to take loans outside of what my parents could afford. I didn't even attempt to apply to other schools in the upper stratosphere though I might have been qualified. Who knows? They were non-starters. I'm 40, and it's all worked out.

I'm 35. My parents had saved $80k (the cost of 4 years instate). I got into several ivies and similar that cost $40-45k/year, and turned them down because we thought I would get aid and didn't. Ended up graduating early from in state, so my college fund was able to supplement my siblings.

My brother got into Brown in 1985 with 1/2 FA.

We could not afford the rest.

He went to UMCP engineering school.

Anonymous wrote:Me! I'm 52. My sister is a year older. She got into Penn with no aid other than loans and my parents didn't think it was worth going into debt for it. So, I didn't even bother to apply. I did apply to some colleges that said they had National Merit scholarships but none of those ended up being big enough. But I also had in-state options I liked and was happy where I ended up. I knew the budget going into the process so I knew the long shots were just that. I think it was a bit more disappointing for my sister since she was first through the process and the finances were more of a surprise.

Also, my sister is a nurse and that's what she wanted to study when applying to undergrad. She now teaches nursing and thinks my parents were absolutely right. No reason to go into debt for a nursing degree when there is an affordable option.

Anonymous wrote:Not exactly what u were asking but…

We budgeted $40K/year.

My son got into a school that costs $80k.

I told him we would pay for 1 year and he would need a scholarship to stay.

He got a scholarship after 1 year so he stayed.

If he didn’t he would have transferred to another school… probably in state.

No, this is about how long ago that situation existed. Everyone knows it exists now.

Me! I'm 52. My sister is a year older. She got into Penn with no aid other than loans and my parents didn't think it was worth going into debt for it. So, I didn't even bother to apply. I did apply to some colleges that said they had National Merit scholarships but none of those ended up being big enough. But I also had in-state options I liked and was happy where I ended up. I knew the budget going into the process so I knew the long shots were just that. I think it was a bit more disappointing for my sister since she was first through the process and the finances were more of a surprise.

Not exactly what u were asking but…

We budgeted $40K/year.

My son got into a school that costs $80k.

I told him we would pay for 1 year and he would need a scholarship to stay.

He got a scholarship after 1 year so he stayed.

If he didn’t he would have transferred to another school… probably in state.

When you were applying to undergrad, if you got into a top school and didn't attend, or didn't apply in the first place because you knew your family couldn't afford it or could only afford it by taking out big loans, how old are you?