Choosing a college?

Question

Do I tell my son to consider only colleges I can afford or those and colleges outside my budget?

Answer 1

Here's my advice:

Let your son know that he is welcome to apply to any college to which he thinks he can gain admission.

But also let him know that when he receives financial aid packages from each college, some may be ruled out because they are not affordable for your family.

I would feel badly if your son neglected to apply to some schools (particularly his aspirational schools) because he assumed they would be unaffordable. Oftentimes, elite schools have huge endowments, and are thus able to offer better financial support to admitted students than less selective schools.

Well, that's my two cents, anyway.
Best wishes to you and to your son.

Answer 2

I think that the question here would be...What does he want? You know there is always free money out there for good students who are willing to work hard for them or at least try to find them. Some students want a public university close to home that will not cost as much, others a small private university...it all depends. You should just find out which schools have the major that he is interested in and give him information about those schools. Another option would be if he likes a school or more, you should really go visit a couple with him and take a tour because there is nothing like actually being there. Hope this helps!

Answer 3

College cost is one of the major issues when choosing a college for most of america. There are many options for you and your son to choose from.

If your son is in the upper 10% of his class and has any particular strength, such as music or a sport, there is a good chance colleges will give him scholarships. Also, student loan and financial aid is avaliable, especially if your family is struggling to pay for college.

Also, you can list all the postive qualities for your son @ a state school such as the campus life and academic strengths.

These are subtle ways and options to ease the tension of college cost.

Answer 4

My parents faced the same dilemma when they were sending me to school. I fell in love with Northwestern University when I visited and its out of my parents "affordability bracket" but we found a way to pay for it. I'm really grateful to my parents for letting me choose somewhere that I really wanted to go to and, while I recognize that may not be possible for everyone, it's worth a shot with your son. If nothing else, you could work out a deal where he goes to two years at a college that you can afford and then transfers to finish up his last two years at the college he really loves.

Answer 5

Let him decide, show him in state schools and others. There are so many ways to pay now. look at federal programs, like the fafsa, and look into different scholarships run through the schools or outside that will give you money. Do research and school can become more affordable.