<p>Not too many years ago, I attended a Columbia prospective weekend (as a parent), and sat in on a presentation by a prof who made it his priority to remind us all that deciding on a college was the responsibility of the student. Yes, parents may end up paying for some or all of the bill, but the student will live with this decision for the rest of his/her life. As I recall, he made the point by asking us if we really wanted to take that responsibility and be held accountable by our child a decade or two later.</p>
<p>This was kind of a wakeup call, and I’m not sure all of the “I’m paying, so I get the final say” parents bought it. I do believe it’s true, though. I think parents can advise, share their wisdom and experience, and establish a budget… but the student should decide.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>