<p>Mini, I’m definitely NOT happy when I pay the bill (full-pay here, with a little help from another university); however, we would have been full-pay at all her other acceptances, save one. Smith was the best choice for her, and the results of this past year bear this out. Even though I’m not happy about paying the bill, I’d gladly pay for Smith over other choices. Like some other posters, I value education above everything except for the basics. Hey, I’m driving a car with 176,000 miles on it so we could save what otherwise would have been car payments.</p>
<p>I’m glad to hear that you’re exaggerating, Karen, as not even Smith is worth that kind of debt. The upper middle class does get pinched with college costs because we don’t earn enough to pay for it without debt, but we earn too much for aid at the top LACs. Here’s comfort for you: your family’s earnings have probably afforded you many more opportunities and (relative) luxuries over the years than would have been possible in a lower-income family that gets help from Smith. In the long run, it has been much better for you and your family to be in the income bracket that precludes much FA.</p>
<p>Here’s to Smith – but not to the bills!</p>