<p>liv, I also want to give you another suggestion: Look into Michigan’s study abroad semesters. And double-check the AP credit situation. If you can get out a semester or year early, your dad may be willing to give you the additional $ to study abroad.</p>
<p>It’s natural to feel disappointed. And I had my D apply to a couple ‘dream schools’, knowing it probably wouldn’t work out financially, but hoping it might. As it happened–she got into the dream schools and they offered no need-based aid (though on FAFSA we were well under their cost of attendance, we own a small tiny business and that sunk any chance of aid, even at super-expensive schools). Well, they did offer 20k in parent plus loans, I think. Not happening!</p>
<p>There are some fine schools you could afford with your budget. Once you get over the sting of probably not affording the ‘dream’–look at your reality! Much, much brighter than many who will go tens of thousands into debt for their state school…or can’t afford to finish…</p>
<p>A lot of schools have FA estimators. You may find that having two in college at the same time at full need private schools will result in little or no more additional expense than two full pays at Michigan. But that depends on data about the family finances in more detail than would be wise to post on the internet.</p>
<p>I have known families making $200K who have been eligible for aid with two in college, going to private schools. But what it often comes to is that the cost is comparable with aid to in state. My friend had 3 in college for awhile. Twins and a singleton; but with one going to an in state public, the other to an OOS public, the one who went private didn’t get anything. I think they got some Stafford subsidization and that was it.</p>
<p>I think the right repsonse to a parent who tell you he can afford to pay for your schooling is, "Thanks, Dad. "</p>
<p>I would be amazed if you got financial aid. You certainly would not at the schools I’m familiar with - HYP. They will not view 175k per year in retirement in the same way as working and making 175k nor should they. Your father either has a tremendous retirement package or a huge amount of assets that are generating that kind of income. If it is the latter, then he has plenty to be able to pay for your education and the paperwork that you will have to supply will clearly show this.</p>
<p>Agreed that private schools are NOT the only way to go; there are some stellar publics–the UCs, UVA, Univ. of Michigan, Univ. of Washington, UNC @ Chapel Hill, Univ. of Texas @ Austin, and the list goes on and on.</p>
<p>My understanding is that Tulane, Washington University in St. Louis, Rice, Emory, and others offer substantial merit scholarships and that the Ivy league, I have heard, steps up to offering more FA than most.</p>
<p>Do some research and stop being so name-brand conscience. Private schools are not some sort of panacea–some privates have cultures that would be totally anathema to you I am sure, while some publics are heaven on earth for some students.</p>
<p>N.B. It’s a little presumptuous, as well, for the other self-assigned MBAs on this thread to determine if the poster’s family can live on 75k, after paying 100k in two tuitions. 75,000 isn’t going to be a lot to live on factoring in health insurance, mortgages, property taxes, car payments, food, clothing, esp. if the family lives in NYC or the San Francisco Bay area, for example.</p>
<p>Antidramaqueen, I guess you didn’t read the thread. The poster lives outside Detroit, Michigan. Her instate option is U-Michigan. Her parents are willing to pay for that. To most of us, it sounds like a pretty great plan but she’s still adjusting to the idea. We have also mentioned that she might be able to find schools where she would be awarded merit.</p>
<p>I can’t be awarded merit; the only other schools I want to go to are need-based. </p>
<p>My friend, who just visited NU and attended an info session on Monday, said the staff member said the average co-op intern earns $70,000 per year! If that’s legitimate, that would be great for me!</p>
<p>
That doesn’t even pass the common sense test, which tells me you have NO CLUE on the the value of money and how much $70K in earnings actually is. Fact is maybe some coops might make $7K in a 4-6 month coop term.</p>
<p>THE NU INFO SESSION GUIDE SAID IT! I didn’t make it up or something.</p>
<p>liv, Why can’t you be awarded merit? Honestly, if you are just trying to figure out how to afford NU, that may not happen. If you want to broaden your choices beyond UMichigan, you could look for schools that give merit.</p>
<p>Sorry, the $70K doesn’t pass my smell test either. Do you realize that the average adult worker in the US does not earn that, even though they may have 20 years of experience?</p>
<p>Tell you what: email the admissions office, tell them what your friend said, and ask them for documentation.</p>
<p>The average American worker didn’t
go to Northwestern.</p>
<p>The average co-op intern might earn $70,000 per year AFTER they graduate. BIG difference. Nobody earns $70k in a 4-month internship.</p>
<p>It’s clear you don’t want to listen to the good advice here. Fine, borrow $150,000 so you can go to NU. Just don’t come back here in 5 years talking about how you can’t pay your student loans off and how you now have horrible credit, can’t buy a house and have federal default warnings in your mailbox.</p>
<p>liv–Oh be realistic! The highest paid co-op jobs are usually in things like comp sci/ business. If one is lucky to get $25 per hour job (usually the highest pay), then multiply that by 40 hours per week for 6 months = $26,000. IF ONE IS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET AN INTERNSHIP LIKE THAT.</p>
<p>The guide was probably talking about possible salaries for GRADUATES, not interns.</p>
<p>Liv, that’s not the way the world of work operates. The college from which you graduate does NOT determine how much of a salary people you will earn. That has more to do with career field, experience, place of employment, hard work and even luck.</p>
<p>True the college doesn’t determine your salary after graduation,but on average top school graduates will outearn most state schools, and definitely outearn secondary and tertiary state schools grads…the biggest crime is people thinking they can attend lousy U and think that will lead to a good salary…most secondary and tertiary grads can likley earn similar salaries without attending this schools</p>
<p>qdogpa do you have the statistics to back up your statements? I’d love to see them because I think you’re way off the mark.</p>
<p>Some information from the website for 2009:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p><a href=“http://ug-finaid.northwestern.edu/docs/graduateinformation2009.pdf[/url]”>http://ug-finaid.northwestern.edu/docs/graduateinformation2009.pdf</a></p>
<p>We have one kid in a deluxe private college. He loves it (fortunately the college was also very generous to families in our considerably under $175K price range). </p>
<p>We have another kid in a happy state college (not the flagship either). He’s having a blast and learning tons. </p>
<p>My point being that a well rounded citizen can get a great education at more than one place. If the path opens up for an excellent private college, then, by all means explore that option. But please, please, please don’t have a snobby or “burdened” air about having to attend a state college. </p>
<p>True story: I lived overseas in an area where there were garment factories. Enslaved women sewed clothes seven days a week for shipment to the U.S. Sometimes they would have a stack of jackets and one seamstress would sew in the label for a top U.S. department store (think tippy top price wise). The seamstress next to her would have the identical jacket and she’d be sewing in labels for a mainstream department store. One jacket would sell for $800 and the other for $40. Same jacket. </p>
<p>So you think there are some differences between a well known private college and a well known public? Yeah, you’re right – probably better carpet in the dorm rooms, more parking and some cool stuff like a 24 hour ice cream bar. But better professors? Not necessarily. Better job opportunities after the degree? Depends on the degree and the economy. </p>
<p>I wish you’d learn to spot quality (like being able to see when two jackets are the same) instead of associating quality with price. There is great joy in seeing when something is of great quality and is a steal, price wise. It’s also shrewd business, whatever the college the buyer matriculated from. </p>
<p>Please do know that NW marketing will sense your interest and will throw plenty of colorful brochures your way. This is good. It’s nice to be courted. But please see beyond the brochure and learn to dig out what’s not being said. For instance, the tour guide mentioned an intern that did well. So, was that one student out of every two or one student out of last year’s two thousand?</p>
<p>Good luck. It sounds like you will get to college – and I’m glad you are figuring out your price range well before the admissions letters arrive.</p>