<p>Okay, so my situation has just gotten more complicated. </p>
<p>I received one of the $10,000 scholarships from University of Chicago. I realize this is nothing compared to a full ride in Colorado, but it does bring me a step closer to my “dream.” </p>
<p>If I do go to Chicago, I figure this scholarship would cover about a fourth of expenses, and my parents and I could split the rest. I will be talking about this with them soon. </p>
<p>Since I’ve last posted on this thread, I’ve become a lot more open-minded about my choices and feel positive about Colorado College. However, this new scholarship does open up the door and widen my opportunities a bit more and I just thought I’d update! </p>
<p>blindkite – congrats on the scholarship! It’s nice to have a little breathing room, eh? Remember that even if you and your parents split the $40,000 remaining amount, that is still $20,000/yr. on your part, and that is a BIG amount by the end of four years.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, the deliberations will keep you busy for the next month!</p>
<p>Yeah, I have to sit down with my parents and discuss the financial part before knowing how realistic this REALLY is. My dad has never made it clear just how much he’d pay, but I think it might be more than he lets on. They want me to wait and get final financial aid offers and admissions decisions from my other schools before we seriously talk about everything. Sounds good to me. </p>
<p>I really can’t thank everyone enough for their support through this thread!</p>
<p>I am about to make the last tuition payment for my D at the UofC. She graduates in June. Never would I have imagined we could send her for 4 years without needing to go into debt, but we did. We were willing to do so, figuring that we would just pay for college over 8 to 10 years rather than 4.</p>
<p>My point is: Do not underestimate your parents. Let them decide what they are willing to spend. They are adults and should be used to such decisions. And, you never know what else they have up their sleeves.</p>
<p>Good luck. You’ve already mastered one of the secrets to life success - have choices!</p>
<p>Well, I’m leaning toward Chicago, though my decision has definitely not been made. Yale is also in the mix now… which makes it a little harder. But after letting the sparkle of the “Yale” name die down in the past few days, Chicago has once again risen to the top. (okay… this changes every twenty minutes, but I think in the long run…)</p>
<p>I figured it out and with the scholarship and some money my grandma has saved for me, my share of the cost of Chicago would end up being about $68,000 (this isn’t including how much tuition increases every year…) at the end of four years. I think it might be worth it. </p>
<p>Now I’m wondering if it’s worth it to be both psychologically and financially in debt to my parents for the rest of my life. </p>
<p>I just thought I’d update. It helps me think just to type all of this out. Thanks for listening!</p>
<p>we shelled out 6 figures for my d to go to UofC. We do not consider her to be indebted to us for life. And we are not wealthy. We will probably downscale markedly for retirement.</p>
<p>Again, please, let your parents make their own decisions regarding money.</p>
<p>"Now I’m wondering if it’s worth it to be both psychologically and financially in debt to my parents for the rest of my life. "</p>
<p>blindkite,
I get these little inklings of what your dad must be like from your posts … and how very, very, proud he must be of you. Not only for your accomplishments in school, but for who you are, and that you think of their well-being in your decision as well. It is stretch for most of us to make that tuition payment, but for us, at least it is worth it.</p>
<p>If this gift of a great education is freely offered, I think that you can take it in the spirit that it is given.</p>
<p>And Yale did not offer any financial aid, though the woman we are currently communicating with is extremely helpful and sounds like she’s willing to try anything to get us at least a little money.</p>
<p>Curmudgeon’s D can give you truck driving lessons… ;)</p>
<p>OK, so now you have Colorado College for free, Chicago w/merit money, and Yale for full pay. </p>
<p>I don’t want my S to feel guilty or indebted to us. I just want him to be able to take advantage of the opportunities he’s earned. He will be helping to pay the freight via Staffords, working and the scholarships he has won. Our expectation, however, is that if we sacrificing for him to attend a great shool, he needs to take the academics seriously. Otherwise, he should pay serious attention to the free ride that’s sitting on the kitchen table, where he can still get a great education without the debt. We don’t have money for a six-year plan.</p>
<p>one thing you might consider is to what degree you will take advantage of things chicago offers that colcol does not. This will to some degree depend on your interests. For example, I would dare to say chicago offers more to a science major, given all the research opportunities, than to a humanities major. Even in the humanities, however, some undergrads have taken advantage of opportunities to work with faculty helping in research. </p>
<p>Many chicago kids (dare I say most?) never take advantage of the opportunities to interact with research faculty. They’re content to take the core as it comes, seek life/work/education balance and so forth. For these, I would say the benefits of chicago are less. And please don’t take my comments regarding balance as negative. Having a balanced life is important to some folks, less so to others. It is personal, and influences career choice but hardly life success.</p>
<p>Those contact opportunities with research faculty abound. S1 has had many “unsolicited” invitations, including one that involved foreign travel. They can indeed add materially to the college experience.</p>
<p>Chicago financial aid has been, in recent years, absolutely terrible. The odds of your appeal going through are probably very small. If I had gotten a full ride to state school I would have taken it in a second. Now, sadly, I pay 50k.</p>
<p>So you think it’s definitely not worth it? </p>
<p>Yeah, 40K is still a lot to pay. Now I’m leaning toward Yale (if I don’t take the Boettcher) because they’re working really hard to get me some aid. Also, Williams gave me $25,000 in financial aid, grants (how did this happen???) and I think Yale might match it. </p>
<p>I still love Chicago though. I’m still very undecided about EVERYTHING. It’s crazy, I’m not even leaning in one direction yet. It switches with the hour.</p>
And, you never know what else they have up their sleeves.</p>