<p>Good luck with your acceptances. Hopefully you have a choice that works out. </p>
<p>A very dear friend of mine was a student for years raising her 8 kids (yours, mine, ours situation) in the backdrop of a major university. The cultural offerings, the events, the university specials in that student “ghetto” made for an outstanding quality of life. She was well in her 40s before getting her master’s and finding the job that she wanted and some of her kids were going to college then. All are doing ever so well, and went on to higher education.</p>