Committing sight unseen wouldn’t be advised because this is such a huge decision.
I picked my college sight unseen. I thought it was just a school where everyone wore the same thing everyday, ate at the same time, and did a parade on Friday afternoon. Little did I know of the things that went on (it’s a tradition) that caused 20% of the class to attrit the first week. We lost another 10% after the first semester. I would have left too but by the time I got my wits about me, the hair on my head had been shaved off and I didn’t want to go out in public looking like that. So, I stuck it out that first semester and decided to stay all 4 years. People ask me why I went to that school and I tell them that I didn’t know any better.
I know my experience is not typical and I your D probably isn’t going to school like that but my point is visiting can make a world of difference.
We took my D to 6 schools and she decided that 2 weren’t even worth applying to because the “feel” wasn’t right.
I once had a student commit to an all girls school (one of the seven sisters) which was all the way across the country and then went to see it. She loved it.
I agree. My son had a couple really built up in his mind based on location and a few other factors and really didn’t like them at all when we visited. Didn’t end up even applying to either. Good luck with the decision. Not a bad position to be in by any means!!
One on my son’s top choices now was close to the bottom of his list after his first visit. After several visits ( we’re lucky that all of his choices are instate ) his initial concerns regarding size, experience were dissuaded and, it quickly rose to the one of the top spots. I understand that visiting each school is not financially feasible, but your suggestion of a long weekend to visit 2 in one city sounds reasonable. Some schools offer reduced hotel rates for school visits. I’ve been able to find that info online. Good luck.
Congrats to all receiving great news and best of luck to those still waiting!
I agree that visiting the campus is one very important factor. My S at first didn’t care much for one of his safety schools but since it is in state and he will qualify for 100% tuition, we did a campus tour. At the end of the tour, he said he actually preferred this over his other out of state school that we visited. Each campus has its own vibe and if one has the luxury of being accepted to a few of them, I would suggest going for a visit.
@MuggleMom Thanks for the CSS info. Will work on it today!
@3scoutsmom - I tried to answer several different questions collectively to clear confusions I am seeing here but my answer to your question seems not that clear.
All loans are guaranteed by you the parent that are outside of stafford loan. Although it is referred to as the student loan, the parents need to remember that they are the ones borrowing the money. The reason the loan is unsubsidized is mainly because of the parental commitment and also to the extent that you make more money than needed to allow a subsidy?
Having a higher income actually helps in borrowing more since you are the guarantor of the loan and your creditworthiness allows you to borrow higher levels of unsubsidized loans. However, the unsubsidized loans carry a much higher interest rate than what is available to people borrowing on their assets like a home. On the long run, they accumulate large interest charges if someone wants to wait until finishing graduate school or something like that.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays or Happy Friday as the case may be! We’re having a non-stressful meal with us providing the main dish (bacon-wrapped ham) and everyone else bringing sides. The kids are all hanging out (both older kids slept over last night) and I’m enjoying my new mesh task chair.
@carolinamom2boys -growing up our traditional Christmas dinner was spaghetti with my grandmother’s sauce recipe and pirogi from my other grandmother. I continued that tradition once I was married with kids-they missed it so much after all the changes that come with divorce and remarriage so now I do it on Christmas Eve. I’ve even got H eating pirogi now! Your lasagna sounds perfect.
Because D goes to school or is friends with many low-income kids, quite a few of them commit to schools they’ve never seen. I think only one that I know of isn’t thrilled with her choice-the academics are fine, but the lack of diversity bothers her. But it was by far the most affordable, nearly a full tuition scholarship and close enough to home to avoid the need to save for air travel as well. The others are spread all over the country at all kinds of schools and doing well. It’s just how they have to do things. There are a couple on D’s plate that she will need to decide whether to visit or not. She can’t revisit any from her tours AND 2 or 3 more colleges she hasn’t yet seen. Good luck with your dilemma, @dyiu13
@dyiu13 this might be frowed on by many but can you commit yet still keep your options open just in case. I don’t know the size of the deposit but it might be worth the investment to agree to the school but allow your child to change their mind if they visit later and don’t like it. I would not suggest this for a school lower down on her list but since right now it is at the top you can commit but not withdraw her other apps until she has had the chance to visit. If she is turned off by the visit, then let the school give the award to the next in line. In reality, the school has set themselves up for this due to their insistence that your D not have the chance to hear other offers.
We sent in a deposit for a school high but not on top of D’s list. It puts her much higher in the pile of honors college apps and that would give her a near full-ride (can’t recall the exact parameters). We’ll hear back in plenty of time to withdraw if it’s not enough, and it was a smallish deposit ($100). She wouldn’t be fully enrolled without the health form, residence request, etc. anyway.
Not that D is considering taking out large loan but it looks like no one can take out more than $31K total as a dependent undergraduate and both the subsidized and unsubsidize loans both have the same 4.29% interest rate no matter how good the parents credit is. 4.29% is a lower interest rate than we have on our mortgage. There’s a “parent plus” loan where parents actually borrow the money, that’s not what I’m talking about I’m asking about the the unsubsidized student loan where the students are the ones making the payments. Maybe you mean that the parents have to co sign so IF the student defaults on the loan the parents have to pay? If so that’s different from parents borrowing the money.
D’s junior year will be by far her most expensive because she plans to spend 6 month in Germany and won’t be able to work she hopes to take out a $5K student loan that year. This would cover the gap in her college budget and help her establish credit in her name. She’ll be working in college and would she would start paying off the principle during her senior year (she’d have to put enough away to pay the interest all periods because it’s unsubsidized).
We’ll be visiting the school in February so I’ll ask the FA office about it, who know maybe she’ll get enough merit so she doesn’t have to worry about a loan but I don’t want to do anything to mess her up like not sending in the FAFSA for this year or having her think she can get a student loan if she needs it and then find our she doesn’t qualify.
@Sseamom, I can focus on nothing after your off-hand comment about “bacon-wrapped ham.” Happy Holidays to all who are celebrating and hope all those who aren’t are having a great day off! I admire those of you who are working on FAFSA, CSS, and even–gasp–applications. True grit.
When a parent cosigns, the parent is the guarantor of that loan. For all practical purposes it is the parent’s loan until the student actuallys pays it off since the parents usually have the assets if someone tries to collect the money.
@Mysonsdad wrote:
I once had a student commit to an all girls school (one of the seven sisters) which was all the way across the country and then went to see it. She loved it.
When we had our first meeting with the college counselor, she asked my older son if he had any problems with a single gender school. He said, “Not if it’s all girls.”
@AsleepAtTheWheel :)) As someone who is enrolled at a women’s college (no not a “girl’s school”) I hear all sorts of lovely remarks about my choice. I can see it’s not for everyone but no one college type is.
Congratulations @dyiu13 ! How wonderful to have such a generous offer from the top choice. I too would encourage a visit but I think you know the adaptability of your DC best. It is at least worth an inquiry to the school to see if there is any assistance available to help cover a visit.
I thought about bookmarking this thread, but the truth is I’d need huge swatches and sections of this incredibly long thread. In order to actually find the information which was sweet enough to make me want to mark it, I’d further need digital “Post-Its” .
Guess I’ll have to open up a document and start layering things in.
Honestly, the information here is so rich I’m going to go up a pants size or two.
Did anyone else receive a pamphlet from USC regarding financial aid? I am wondering two things, first, is this a sign he got accepted, and second, does this mean S did not get a scholarship?
