I tell my kids that they can go to an in-state public. They are welcome to apply to any private and out-of-state schools, but they cannot go there unless merit and aid are able to bring the price down to that of our in-state Publics. There are absolutely out of state schools and privates who will do this. But obviously, not all of them and it depends on the stats of your kids

Anonymous wrote:A good college counselor will say as the first question: What is your budget? Even our public over-streched counselor did that. You are supposed to assess this first, then tell your kid what you cannot afford and they look only at affordable options. Always. Don't ever look at a school you cannot afford

And don’t let the school decide what you can afford! You decide that first.

A good college counselor will say as the first question: What is your budget? Even our public over-streched counselor did that. You are supposed to assess this first, then tell your kid what you cannot afford and they look only at affordable options. Always. Don't ever look at a school you cannot afford

Have you looked through the Common Market? Check if there are any available schools for your child.

It sounds like your child would be eligible for the full Pell Grant? If that is true, definitely look at meets need schools. Many private schools will be even lower than in state if you have true documented need.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're doing this backwards OP.
YOU decide what you can afford
then, college options are considered

THIS. "We can/will pay $××××× per year/semester. If estimated COA is in excess of this amount, better get merit and/non loan aid to make up the difference."

A very smart widowed friend told DD what was affordable to her. DD came back with an OOS private. So she took DD to the family financial counselor who presented the harsh truth - that the estate left prematurely by the father couldn't pay fir OOS private or public. DC went in-state VA with a partial scholarship and it all turned out very well and Mom wasn't blamed.

See if kid can amass enough credit through AP exams & dual-enrollment to be able to graduate in 3 years.

Lots of large famous fun non-coastal state universities that are cheap to begin with & even cheaper with automatic merit aid and/or out of state tuition waivers based on GPA and SAT/ACT.

if you don't have the money, then your options are in-state.

we told our kids we would pay this much - the price of in state university in our state. that was the limit. if they could meet that price going somewhere else with merit money, so be it.

no loans.

one got full tuition at out of state school and one went to in state school.

both are well employed and happy and have no debt.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your option is to take a loan or say no.

Are parent plus loans the best option? If so, what are the terms (best case)?

It is the only option, but a very bad option

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your option is to take a loan or say no.

Are parent plus loans the best option? If so, what are the terms (best case)?

we chose to refinance our home to get no 3 through

Parent plus loans are very expensive. Please don’t do this. It is not good debt.

Look at mid-tier Big Ten and SEC schools for merit.

Maybe you can get a better job. Or send wife back to work, work weekends.

Be careful, OP! Most loans these days require a parent to cosign. If something happens, you would be responsible for the payments.

I have a 68 year old and a 73 year old (unrelated) working for me because their kids promised to take over the student loans post graduation and then refused. They are unable to retire because their f these loans. Neither has a good relationship with their child either.

Anonymous wrote:You're doing this backwards OP.
YOU decide what you can afford
then, college options are considered

THIS. "We can/will pay $××××× per year/semester. If estimated COA is in excess of this amount, better get merit and/non loan aid to make up the difference."

ROTC