Before you ask which colleges to apply to, please consider

Dunboyne
Tue, 14 Oct 2014 12:49:10 +0000

I like the suggestion by @BeanTownGirl. A template with the relevant data would go a long way to solving the problem. Respondents could then just point out the location of this template, instead of asking for all of the data that @ucbalumnus suggests, each and every time. Maybe after a couple of years the template could become so common that posters wouldn’t even respond without seeing it. Step in the right direction.

You can always count on ucbalumnus (and others) to ask these questions, especially in point #1. Someone has to do it! There is nothing more important than a family’s financial situation when searching for colleges, and as @mom2collegekids suggests, it’s amazing how many students treat this process like a wish list, instead of one that is absolutely rooted in affordability. Have a look at how many of these college search threads go on for two or more pages with suggestions, without any consideration for finances. It’s not even uncommon for students to apply to schools without understanding affordability, after spending countless hours on school research and writing supplements, only to have their dreams crushed when the price tag arrives.

What bugs me is that even when ucb or others ask for this data, many students just ignore it and carry on with building their fantasy world. The financial illiteracy that exists out there is astounding. A template, that is reasonably enforced, might help students and parents realize that the college search process really can’t begin without first attending to a list like ucb’s.