<p>I wanted to post this on the financial aid section but I didn’t think those who have to do the stinking forms would appreciate my excitement.</p>
<p>This is the first year since 2003 that we haven’t had to complete at least one FAFSA and Profile. WOO HOO!!! We can do our taxes on April 14th this year. We don’t have to worry about when to have money in the bank…or not. We don’t have to fret about the monthly payment plan this coming school year. </p>
<p>WE ARE DONE with college tuition this year!!! Can you tell I’m excited?? </p>
<p>Parents of college seniors…who are the LAST college kids…let’s cheer together!!</p>
<p>Congratulations!!! We still have 12 payments for D1, 2 more years of private high school for D2, then 40(4 years of 10 payments a year)for D2, but who is counting.</p>
<p>Time for that new kitchen, thumper1. I am dreaming about a sports car (I could afford 2 a year without tuition payment), a plastic surgery, or maybe just be a lady of leisure.</p>
<p>You got it Oldfort…new kitchen counters. I actually LIKE the rest of my kitchen. I think we only have two more monthly payments (Feb and March) but we may have April too…depends on how much is in that Bursar’s account. I guess I should call!!</p>
<p>DS graduating a year early-Thank you God and AP/Community college in High School. Now how should I spend that 25 thousand??? oh yeah, on his sister’s sophomore year tuition.<br>
My day will come but it will be three years from now.</p>
<p>I was thinking the same thing this morning Thumper, no more FAFSA!! But then I remembered that we just have a year off. Number three will be applying to colleges in the fall!</p>
<p>thumper, congratulations! I remember you and I posting the same time about admissions - these years have just flown by. We’re in the same position as you. This January is our last tuition payment. We have a bottle of champagne waiting just for the occasion.</p>
<p>Now we just need to re-do the basement for when the kids move back in when they can’t find a job . . . . . .</p>
<p>I am about to start my last FAFSA. I agree that it will be fabulous not to have to do this any more, but I do have to say that all that goes along with it, namely my baby is 'bout all growed up… is making me just a bit wistful… But-- good idea to focus on the positive side. Congrats, thumper!</p>
<p>I can only imagine what a good feeling that must be. I was pretty excited to send in second semester payment for D’s first year and know we were done for year one. 3 more for DD and all 4 for DS. The year they overlap will be brutal I suspect. Congratulations!</p>
<p>Happy for you!
We do not pay UG tuition because of Merit Scholarships. We file FASFA every year though since D’s school strongly suggest it to get full range of Merit package, so far it has been working - D. has more than 10 scholarships. FASFA takes just few minutes, H. never complains. However, if everything goes as planned, then Med. School tuition is coming, and this one is huge, even in-state.</p>
<p>I only did the FAFSA once and that was 5 years ago. My D got some merit money, but we did not qualify for need based money. Of course, that was kind of an empty victory, since we have to pay close to full costs for a 5 year double degree program. D got the music performance degree last year. The second, academic degree will be this year. That is it. We are done. She plans on going to school part time next year to finish up a masters degree. She has to figure out how to earn the money and/or get scholarships. </p>
<p>Now that we are getting close to the end, I expected to be trying to save some money to replenish the retirement funds. Forget that. With the downturn in the stock markets, my 401k suffered badly. It is just time to retire and move from the NE to a part of the country with reasonable costs. I hope to have the house on the market by Spring.</p>
<p>After 12 of them…(and as many dreaded Profiles) and help to nieces and nephews…I thought I was finished. Not. Son-in-law has returned to school and daughter asked for help. Oh well, this time I am only helping and at least I don’t have to fill in any more parent information.</p>
<p>We began FAFSA in 2001 using 2000 taxes and with 3 kids, I’ve gotten to be quite expert at it.</p>
<p>Just paid our last undergrad tuition bill, but D2s school wants parent info for grad school (MD) so it looks like at least 4 more years of FAFSA, plus with one already in PhD and another anticipating it, I think my FAFSA expertise will be on demand for the next decade too!</p>
<p>How would you like to have to file a FAFSA every year to prove that you don’t qualify for anything? That’s what we have to do in order to get our merit money. Apparently the school would prefer you use other types of aid first, before using their merit money.</p>
<p>We also do the file for merit and to prove no need, but that also gets them the unsub. Stafford, which is a parent requirement in our household.</p>
<p>Merit $ isn’t available at our college, but we do it for son(s) to get unsub loans, and, ever the optimists, on the off-chance we might actually receive some aid. Hasn’t happened yet.</p>
But-- good idea to focus on the positive side. Congrats, thumper!</p>