My kid is in 11th and has special needs. I am also overwhelmed with looking at schools. But since your issues are financial, I think you need to take a deep breathe. Look ant your state schools and schools that provide merit. I assume you aren’t in Virginia? Most kids have 3 schools on their list right there. UVA, W&M, JMU, Tech, Mary Washington.

I don't understand this. Tell your kid what their limit is and what colleges or majors you won't pay for if there are any restrictions. Find out what schools they are interested and get a checklist for these and then just try to help your kid stay on top of the deadlines. This is more than most parents do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do people do all this? I have been researching so many colleges in between work tasks and it is too complicated and overwhelming. I feel like I am not equipped for this, that a wrong decision could have devastating consequences, financially, emotionally...

Your kid should be doing this, not you.

I'm paying for it so I need to be involved. If I could afford full pay 90k/year I wouldn't be stressing out.

You are spending some money, but your kid is spend 4 years of their life. Let them take the lead. Then you can review their choices and make sure that they make sense.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do people do all this? I have been researching so many colleges in between work tasks and it is too complicated and overwhelming. I feel like I am not equipped for this, that a wrong decision could have devastating consequences, financially, emotionally...

Your kid should be doing this, not you.

I'm paying for it so I need to be involved. If I could afford full pay 90k/year I wouldn't be stressing out.

It’s your job to serve as your kid’s consultant in the college process, not to ‘research so many colleges between your work tasks.’

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are putting too much into this. Calm down. Talk about some parameters with your kid, look them up in Naviance and see if GPA/SAT matches with the school and budget.

I have. Favorites are very expensive. We don't qualify for financial aid. Yes, we have savings. We can afford to pay "some" money, but not 90k a year. And even less seems foolish because it will impact our ability to help dcs as adults.

State school if stats for merit aid aren’t there and you can’t throw money at it.

Anonymous wrote:Boy, wait till you get to the actual application process. I was super stressed out by the fact that DC was applying to very expensive schools which I would pay for if they got into a T10.

DC was rejected, but aint gonna lie, I was kinda relieved. They are at the state flagship with merit.

That's what we are doing now.

Boy, wait till you get to the actual application process. I was super stressed out by the fact that DC was applying to very expensive schools which I would pay for if they got into a T10.

DC was rejected, but aint gonna lie, I was kinda relieved. They are at the state flagship with merit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do people do all this? I have been researching so many colleges in between work tasks and it is too complicated and overwhelming. I feel like I am not equipped for this, that a wrong decision could have devastating consequences, financially, emotionally...

Your kid should be doing this, not you.

I'm paying for it so I need to be involved. If I could afford full pay 90k/year I wouldn't be stressing out.

If you are unwilling to let go and let your kid do the heavy lifting (which they can do even if you're not full pay, just let them know that there are finanical constraints and what they are), then you get to have a nervous breakdown. Those are your choices.

Anonymous wrote:You are putting too much into this. Calm down. Talk about some parameters with your kid, look them up in Naviance and see if GPA/SAT matches with the school and budget.

I have. Favorites are very expensive. We don't qualify for financial aid. Yes, we have savings. We can afford to pay "some" money, but not 90k a year. And even less seems foolish because it will impact our ability to help dcs as adults.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do people do all this? I have been researching so many colleges in between work tasks and it is too complicated and overwhelming. I feel like I am not equipped for this, that a wrong decision could have devastating consequences, financially, emotionally...

Your kid should be doing this, not you.

I'm paying for it so I need to be involved. If I could afford full pay 90k/year I wouldn't be stressing out.

100% that birdie needs to fly and become and transition into doing their own things.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do people do all this? I have been researching so many colleges in between work tasks and it is too complicated and overwhelming. I feel like I am not equipped for this, that a wrong decision could have devastating consequences, financially, emotionally...

Your kid should be doing this, not you.

Anonymous wrote:How do people do all this? I have been researching so many colleges in between work tasks and it is too complicated and overwhelming. I feel like I am not equipped for this, that a wrong decision could have devastating consequences, financially, emotionally...

Your kid should be doing this, not you.

Have your student do this.

You are putting too much into this. Calm down. Talk about some parameters with your kid, look them up in Naviance and see if GPA/SAT matches with the school and budget.

How do people do all this? I have been researching so many colleges in between work tasks and it is too complicated and overwhelming. I feel like I am not equipped for this, that a wrong decision could have devastating consequences, financially, emotionally...