Clearly, this OP has $300,000 that he “could”spend on his daughter’s college education.
This is a family decision…and really nothing we say here can determine if THIS family really should spend that amount of money…or not.
We can’t prdict college acceptances either. We can’t predict competitive merit aid.
I have not seen any responses that indicate that this poster and kiddo are willing to look at places like Iniversity if Alabama, or University of New Mexico where this kiddo would get merit aid. I haven’t really even seen a sincere comment about their own flagship other than a passing mention that it could be in the mix.
I am not sure what this poster wants us to say. At all.
So…I will give the Thumper family plan. We were in the position to be able to fund college for our kids. Both applied to and got accepted to a variety of colleges…with varying costs and levels of merit aid. We were not eligible for need based aid.
BEFORE the applications were sent, we agreed with the choices, and were willing to find any school the kids got accepted to from their application list. If that had not been possible, we would have jettisoned schools before the applications were sent.
We did not insist that our kids take the school with the lowest net cost…and neither one did.
This poster has the resources to pay the bills. It’s HIS choice whether he chooses to…or not.
I would strongly suggest…again…that this kid choose one or two safety schools ASAP…NOW…and get those applications done. Make sure they are affordable.
Oh…and also make sure the rest of your family finances are in order…because life happens. You never know when you might NOT have the resources to pay for a $300,000 college education.
DH got laid off from his job two months after our first kid started college. Luckily we had our emergency fund set up…and I had my job. Luckily, he found another job quickly. BUT it migh not have turned out that way. So…just saying…look at your full financial picture.