Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I honestly have no idea how anyone can afford college these days. We have saved up enough for about 2 years of an instate school, and will hopefully be able to scrape up the rest, but we can't even consider private. It's just absurd.

State college and lifestyle choices.

This is such bullsh--. We've made PLENTY of "lifestyle choices", which implies we've done something wrong, and will not be albe to necessarily fund 4 years of out of state if our kid doesn't get in to our state schools. STOP with the BS that puts the blame on families instead of the out of control spikes in costs of college tuition.

THere is ZERO reason for these schools to cost $40, $50, -----$80K per year. AND to boot, increasing the number of OOS students making it less likely the instate kids will get in.

Yes, there is when you realize what students & their families expect colleges to provide compared to 20 years ago.

Let’s start with the expectation of having free & secure WiFi in every single room on campus. That’s very new, and very expensive to maintain. But so many other things. Tutoring, shuttle buses (v. kids walking, biking, carpooling or taking any available public transit in the past), mental health services (!!!!!!!), 4-years of on-campus housing, campus-wide minimum wages, two or fewer kids to a dorm room and private v. communal bathroom.

Schools have had shuttle busses for many years. That's not new. They've also had a form of internet/phone, and many of the other things you state.

Not pp but the size of the mental health services & tutoring programs offered are very different from in the past.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly have no idea how anyone can afford college these days. We have saved up enough for about 2 years of an instate school, and will hopefully be able to scrape up the rest, but we can't even consider private. It's just absurd.

State college and lifestyle choices.

This is such bullsh--. We've made PLENTY of "lifestyle choices", which implies we've done something wrong, and will not be albe to necessarily fund 4 years of out of state if our kid doesn't get in to our state schools. STOP with the BS that puts the blame on families instead of the out of control spikes in costs of college tuition.

THere is ZERO reason for these schools to cost $40, $50, -----$80K per year. AND to boot, increasing the number of OOS students making it less likely the instate kids will get in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly have no idea how anyone can afford college these days. We have saved up enough for about 2 years of an instate school, and will hopefully be able to scrape up the rest, but we can't even consider private. It's just absurd.

State college and lifestyle choices.

This is such bullsh--. We've made PLENTY of "lifestyle choices", which implies we've done something wrong, and will not be albe to necessarily fund 4 years of out of state if our kid doesn't get in to our state schools. STOP with the BS that puts the blame on families instead of the out of control spikes in costs of college tuition.

THere is ZERO reason for these schools to cost $40, $50, -----$80K per year. AND to boot, increasing the number of OOS students making it less likely the instate kids will get in.

Yes, there is when you realize what students & their families expect colleges to provide compared to 20 years ago.

Let’s start with the expectation of having free & secure WiFi in every single room on campus. That’s very new, and very expensive to maintain. But so many other things. Tutoring, shuttle buses (v. kids walking, biking, carpooling or taking any available public transit in the past), mental health services (!!!!!!!), 4-years of on-campus housing, campus-wide minimum wages, two or fewer kids to a dorm room and private v. communal bathroom.

Schools have had shuttle busses for many years. That's not new. They've also had a form of internet/phone, and many of the other things you state.

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Anonymous wrote:It already is. In theory, we could "afford" to send our kids anywhere. In practice, DC1 chose to stay instate (where we get a tuition break on top of lower tuition anyway, due to one parent's job). Total for DC1 for 4 years should be around $100K, which is about what it was for me to go to an expensive private college back in the early 90's.

It's truly hard to imagine how it would be "worth" $300K more for an undergraduate education. We're already seeing more and more great students choosing public colleges and universities, and that helps to make those schools better. I think the tipping point will eventually be that if costs of private keep rising, the best students will be choosing public, and then the whole system will implode.

There will always be wealthy smart students who can afford the elite schools. Just look at the elite HS in NYC where people pay $50K+/year. Same for all the elite boarding schools in the Northeast. People paying $75 k+ for a year of HS will have the money for college

Yes, there are rich people with smart kids, but my point is, if the smart but less rich kids are all choosing public universities, eventually, the "name brand" private colleges will be diluted with rich but less smart kids, and then what advantage will that name have? I mean, I don't see this happening soon, but as another PP pointed out, back in our day, UMD was an easy, guaranteed admit, and now it's coveted. Plus, Gen Z is just a lot smarter about not leaving college in debt.

You just described Harvard/Yale/Princeton for 300 years of their existence. They will be fine educating smart (but not the smartest) rich kids

Sorry to burst your bubble, but HYP offer the most generous financial aid of any elite private schools. If your kid can get in, they can go because HYP will make it happen. Poor and middle class kids go to HYP because HYP gives them money. Not the other elite private schools. None is so generous with FA.

Donut hole families (DMV) will get zero need based aid at HYP. Trust me on that. They have to be making less than $150k.

We’re at $180K annual income, with $50,000 in college savings and no other non-retirement assets. My son didn’t get into Princeton, but the calculator gave us an EFC of $18,000, and Harvard was at about $30,000.

Income doesn't tell the entire story, as others note. And $180K is really not that much above $150K.

I think you are misinterpreting what PP saying…at Princeton they would be receiving around $67,000 in need-based aid at $180k of HHI, and only have to pay $18,000 per year.

The folks who keep yelling “donut hole” either are complaining about need aware schools like a Tulane or make in excess of $300k per year (which most would not say is donut hole).

Many "donut holes" families are just upset they didn't save and see people $100K/less than them getting some aid. Fact is majority (not all, some have special circumstances) of families making $300K can afford to save for college, they just chose not to (and most of the time it's for a want not a need). If you lived at $150K 10 years ago, then you could choose to save 50-75% of your pay increases along the way. Some do that and have decent amount saved for college, others choose to add to their lifestyle and complain when they get no aid for college.

The donut hole goes at least 100k below 300k.

You are missing the point. Even at $200K, if they lives at the $150K mark and saved most of the rest they would have a good amount saved. Instead many are just upset at those making $100K who get good FA at top schools. Most would not trade places and live with only $100K.

It's life, in life there will always be someone making more than you. But most making $200K can afford to save for college---they make choices of what they "need". But given that plenty live on $100K or less they could choose to live more frugally and save more, if it's truly a desire.

Fact is nobody is entitled to an elite college education for free. Many in the Donut hole range do find ways to save and good for them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly have no idea how anyone can afford college these days. We have saved up enough for about 2 years of an instate school, and will hopefully be able to scrape up the rest, but we can't even consider private. It's just absurd.

State college and lifestyle choices.

This is such bullsh--. We've made PLENTY of "lifestyle choices", which implies we've done something wrong, and will not be albe to necessarily fund 4 years of out of state if our kid doesn't get in to our state schools. STOP with the BS that puts the blame on families instead of the out of control spikes in costs of college tuition.

THere is ZERO reason for these schools to cost $40, $50, -----$80K per year. AND to boot, increasing the number of OOS students making it less likely the instate kids will get in.

Yes, there is when you realize what students & their families expect colleges to provide compared to 20 years ago.

Let’s start with the expectation of having free & secure WiFi in every single room on campus. That’s very new, and very expensive to maintain. But so many other things. Tutoring, shuttle buses (v. kids walking, biking, carpooling or taking any available public transit in the past), mental health services (!!!!!!!), 4-years of on-campus housing, campus-wide minimum wages, two or fewer kids to a dorm room and private v. communal bathroom.