Anonymous
Post 03/16/2026 23:21     Subject: Re:Affording College
If you live in a state with a good flagship and can DC can get in, go there. Some OOS flagships give good merit aid and have relatively low OOS tuition rates. U Minnesota, for example. Accept that your DC will have to take loans. Use net price calculators before DC applies. Most importantly, have an honest conversation with your DC before DC applies to colleges. Do not have them apply to a school you cannot afford.
Anonymous
Post 03/16/2026 23:09     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.



"FAFSA" isn't going to be giving you any money anyhow. FAFSA is what is used for Pell grants, but Pell grants are for very poor families, and the maximum Pell grant is $7,395 per year I think. It's not enough to help you if you need help paying $60,000 tuition room and board - its a drop in the bucket.

Where you may get aid is applying to private schools that use the CSS Profile for determining financial aid. And the CSS does take into account cost of living in your geographical location or if it doesn't individual private schools each have their own way of assessing financial need.

Anonymous
Post 03/16/2026 23:03     Subject: Affording College
Anonymous wrote:^^^^
Curious what this HHI is for this budget?


I'm the poster who posted the budget you are asking about.

Our HHI is $120,000.
Anonymous
Post 03/13/2026 08:04     Subject: Affording College
Anonymous wrote:
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.


This!!!
Anonymous
Post 03/13/2026 07:50     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.

[b]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).



Your older one will be fine as long as they are willing to look at the trade off between prestige, cost, location, and direct admit into desired major - which is really what most kids have to do to some extent. If studying that exact program at a cost you can afford is their most important criteria, Virginia tech or looking at the Academic Common Market (ACM) at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) or the MSTU Regional scholars program are likely the best affordable paths. For Virginia Tech in-state, both competitiveness and cost, might need to look at transfer path and/or being able to graduate early along with student and jobs to make it work. The other options might be to consider VCU or GMU in mechanical engineering and try to take additional classes gain experiences in the other aspects and maybe get a grad degree down the line in the exact field. They can still also apply to other OOS programs that offer a decent amount of merit to OOS if have the kind of stats that would put them at the top of the applicant pool and if the average OOS merit amounts could get you within budget.
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.