Anonymous
Post 03/13/2026 00:04     Subject: Affording College
Take out student loans and do work study. Also work Sumners.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 23:22     Subject: Affording College
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Thanks for those of you providing some actual suggestions and commiserating; I appreciate hearing that I am not making this up in my mind. We do make above 200K but literally just above it effective two years ago. When C1 was born, our HHI was 65K. My annoyance is that 200K in Fairfax is not equivalent to 200K in Richmond, and I know that FAFSA doesn't take that into account at all.

C2 isn't my worry--I am positive we can play the LAC game of merit with them.

The older one wants to do engineering--specifically mechatronics. The schools I am seeing that actually have that program are seemingly unattainable. Engineering admissions programs are recommending to do STEM camps over the summer just to be admitted. We don't have the extra money to drop on those programs, and C1 is going to be working for the next two summers to save for college. Mason has an engineering program (and is C1's safety school currently), but it really isn't the nuanced area they want to student. Test scores are just above average, though rigor will be the highest possible (will have IB diploma, DE math credit).


He’s going to need grad school anyway. Find an affordable school with a strong but less specialized engineering program for undergrad and save the specialization for grad school.


I agree with PP just above. For that specialty, DC will need grad school anyway.

Further, most STEM grad school programs will both discount tuition and pay their full-time students -- often via Teaching Assistant or Research Assistant work. So affording grad school is not likely to be the same issue as undergrad.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 21:19     Subject: Affording College
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:That’s not middle class. We save since birth. Small low cost not fancy area with top schools. DIY house, clean and yard work ourselves, drive cars till they die. Rarely take vacations.


"Low cost" and "top schools" are not things that go together in the greater DC area. Best I could afford is "average schools."


Average schools are fine and the best is where your child si,, be happy at and thrive.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 21:08     Subject: Affording College
Anonymous wrote:That’s not middle class. We save since birth. Small low cost not fancy area with top schools. DIY house, clean and yard work ourselves, drive cars till they die. Rarely take vacations.


"Low cost" and "top schools" are not things that go together in the greater DC area. Best I could afford is "average schools."
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 20:22     Subject: Affording College
Middle class is a huge tent and is deceiving… HHs earning anywhere between ~85 k to 400k
presume they are one. The number must be adjusted for COL .. besides even if 100 k was decent for Biloxi, Mississippi, the savings from that smallish income is likely to be small





Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 19:00     Subject: Affording College
Anonymous wrote:That’s not middle class. We save since birth. Small low cost not fancy area with top schools. DIY house, clean and yard work ourselves, drive cars till they die. Rarely take vacations.


++++1
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 18:59     Subject: Affording College
Anonymous wrote:Thanks for those of you providing some actual suggestions and commiserating; I appreciate hearing that I am not making this up in my mind. We do make above 200K but literally just above it effective two years ago. When C1 was born, our HHI was 65K. My annoyance is that 200K in Fairfax is not equivalent to 200K in Richmond, and I know that FAFSA doesn't take that into account at all.

C2 isn't my worry--I am positive we can play the LAC game of merit with them.

The older one wants to do engineering--specifically mechatronics. The schools I am seeing that actually have that program are seemingly unattainable. Engineering admissions programs are recommending to do STEM camps over the summer just to be admitted. We don't have the extra money to drop on those programs, and C1 is going to be working for the next two summers to save for college. Mason has an engineering program (and is C1's safety school currently), but it really isn't the nuanced area they want to student. Test scores are just above average, though rigor will be the highest possible (will have IB diploma, DE math credit).



With average he is not going to get in anywhere better than Mason for Engineering, if he gets in there. You can easily afford Mason or similar schools at 38-45k all in on your 200k assuming your mortgage is 5k or so, which implies well above average house even in fairfax co.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 18:51     Subject: Affording College
Anonymous wrote:Thanks for those of you providing some actual suggestions and commiserating; I appreciate hearing that I am not making this up in my mind. We do make above 200K but literally just above it effective two years ago. When C1 was born, our HHI was 65K. My annoyance is that 200K in Fairfax is not equivalent to 200K in Richmond, and I know that FAFSA doesn't take that into account at all.

C2 isn't my worry--I am positive we can play the LAC game of merit with them.

The older one wants to do engineering--specifically mechatronics. The schools I am seeing that actually have that program are seemingly unattainable. Engineering admissions programs are recommending to do STEM camps over the summer just to be admitted. We don't have the extra money to drop on those programs, and C1 is going to be working for the next two summers to save for college. Mason has an engineering program (and is C1's safety school currently), but it really isn't the nuanced area they want to student. Test scores are just above average, though rigor will be the highest possible (will have IB diploma, DE math credit).



That’s not middle class. You save more, kids work summers and pay as you go.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 18:49     Subject: Affording College
That’s not middle class. We save since birth. Small low cost not fancy area with top schools. DIY house, clean and yard work ourselves, drive cars till they die. Rarely take vacations.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 18:47     Subject: Affording College
Anonymous wrote:My child got into very strong engineering programs without doing a single “camp”… you do not need to invest in summer programs which, increasingly, college admissions sees as a wealthy family move not a learning move. If your kid wants special camp experiences, fine; they are fun. But not needed for college apps and might even hurt some college apps.


Correct. Ous is at an ivy, engineering, and in at more than one other top school. Free competitive entry summer program was all they did and that was arts not in STEM. The stem ECs were also free.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 18:42     Subject: Affording College
Anonymous wrote:How does the middle class in our area afford college? We are solid middle class in Fairfax (based on the Pew Research tool), which absolutely puts us out of the running for the schools with free tuition and any need-based grants. The same jobs (education and non-profit) in SW VA would likely qualify us for those opportunities because they would have a lower incomes (and we'd have a bigger house).

We will have about $50-60K in our 504 when our oldest is ready to start college. We are trying to save for retirement too. Our kiddos are academically strong with great EC, but anything more than $20 year would literally break us financially.

Is the only option community college for two years?



Newsflash: you are not middle class. Partial need based aid goes up to 250k at the top schools with best aid(HYP Penn Stanford MIT).
If you+spouse make around 225k, which might get some aid, might not, that is 12.6k after taxes each month salary. Average home value is 720k, even if you have a higher than average home, 900k, your mortage should be around 4600-5k. You should easily be able to live off of 12.6k monthly salary and a 5k mortgage plus have 2-3k per month to save, 4k if you are thrifty.
I have had a mortgage that size since 2006, initially on far less than 225k total, and yet somehow managed to pay for private k-12, payback law loans and save to put two kids into ivies.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 18:38     Subject: Affording College
Also, "enroll your child in specialized summer camps while only having one car for two working parents" is not realistic advice for middle class people either! We have so far gotten away with only one car because my spouse works a mile from home, but it is starting to get limiting in terms of what the kids can do even in elementary. Can't take them to 4 PM robotics class half an hour away on a weekday. Can't sign up for a 9-4 educationally camp that's too far to bike, but not near enough to my work for me to do both drop off and pick up, so they go to camp at the rec center near home. I think we may need a second car when they're older to make sure they can pursue their interests beyond walking distance, and would be a bit horrified if people thought we were irresponsible parents because of that.

Also, not everyone can save $1000/month per kid. Wow. Y'all are out of touch with what middle class means.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 18:18     Subject: Affording College
My child got into very strong engineering programs without doing a single “camp”… you do not need to invest in summer programs which, increasingly, college admissions sees as a wealthy family move not a learning move. If your kid wants special camp experiences, fine; they are fun. But not needed for college apps and might even hurt some college apps.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 18:08     Subject: Affording College
Anonymous wrote:Thanks for those of you providing some actual suggestions and commiserating; I appreciate hearing that I am not making this up in my mind. We do make above 200K but literally just above it effective two years ago. When C1 was born, our HHI was 65K. My annoyance is that 200K in Fairfax is not equivalent to 200K in Richmond, and I know that FAFSA doesn't take that into account at all.

C2 isn't my worry--I am positive we can play the LAC game of merit with them.

The older one wants to do engineering--specifically mechatronics. The schools I am seeing that actually have that program are seemingly unattainable. Engineering admissions programs are recommending to do STEM camps over the summer just to be admitted. We don't have the extra money to drop on those programs, and C1 is going to be working for the next two summers to save for college. Mason has an engineering program (and is C1's safety school currently), but it really isn't the nuanced area they want to student. Test scores are just above average, though rigor will be the highest possible (will have IB diploma, DE math credit).



Do you mean financially unattainable?

Because the ABET site on BS Mechatronics & Robotics certs list schools like Kennesaw State and Middle Tennessee State. I have no clue on their scholarship offerings but I cannot imagine that they are requiring prestigious summer STEM programs to be accepted.

Unclear if he’s a senior but if not, look at ABET’s site for offerings that might be easier admit & financial bets
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 17:43     Subject: Affording College
Anonymous wrote:Thanks for those of you providing some actual suggestions and commiserating; I appreciate hearing that I am not making this up in my mind. We do make above 200K but literally just above it effective two years ago. When C1 was born, our HHI was 65K. My annoyance is that 200K in Fairfax is not equivalent to 200K in Richmond, and I know that FAFSA doesn't take that into account at all.

C2 isn't my worry--I am positive we can play the LAC game of merit with them.

The older one wants to do engineering--specifically mechatronics. The schools I am seeing that actually have that program are seemingly unattainable. Engineering admissions programs are recommending to do STEM camps over the summer just to be admitted. We don't have the extra money to drop on those programs, and C1 is going to be working for the next two summers to save for college. Mason has an engineering program (and is C1's safety school currently), but it really isn't the nuanced area they want to student. Test scores are just above average, though rigor will be the highest possible (will have IB diploma, DE math credit).


He’s going to need grad school anyway. Find an affordable school with a strong but less specialized engineering program for undergrad and save the specialization for grad school.