@4kids2graduate - I didn’t take the work part into the equation. It can certainly make a difference if both kids are working and contributing versus one kid only to reduce the overall cost.
I agree with @critter that you should run net price calculators in both scenarios before your S16 picks the school that can get less affordable very quickly.
@critter - Colleges are no different than IRS. I see most liberal colleges claiming to meet every penny in need operating on the same principle - how much money do your parents have - ASK THEM TO WIRE TRANSFER every last penny.
@sseamom Your story really struck home for us. D16 managed to lose her driver’s permit on the day of her (third) driver’s license exam. It usually takes about a month to schedule a new test if you miss one. She had it in her backpack the morning of the test, but moved it for some reason that morning, and D rarely has good reasons on any morning as she is a total night owl, to an outside pocket of the backpack, where it managed to fall out on the bus ride to school. We arrive at the license exam center, with me taking off work to take her to her test, she looks for the permit, can’t find it and has a total meltdown. Verrrry fortunately, when we went into explain the situation, one of the gents at the DMV desk brought her to the front of the line and was able to print out her $5 permit replacement just in time to not miss her exam. In some ways I think she didn’t have time to be nervous as she was the two times she failed and that time she passed with flying colors!!
On the subject of two kids in school for a few years, then just one, don’t forget that the earlier kid(s) graduating doesn’t just take the number of kids in school down for the FA calculators and formulas, but very likely takes them out of the family unit as well since they are now independent adults. So going from family of four with two kids in college, for example, to a family of three with one kid in school can have a pretty drastic effect on EFC.
Not to be a downer on the FA conversation but don’t forget to not make assumptions about the kids coming up behind. With a D15 and D16 (and S19) we made the assumption that while D15 might not get much if any FA her first year at least she would qualify for the next three years when her sister would be in school too.
But at one of her top choice “sure you can apply but you can only go if you get a merit scholarship” schools not only did she not receive a merit scholarship but when H called to try to negotiate based on other school offers he was told that not only would they not reconsider for aid freshman year but what they offered as a freshman (in our case nothing) was exactly what was offered following years no matter how many siblings were also in school later.
This is not the case at every school but I throw it out there in case any parent with younger kids is maybe counting on outside freshman year scholarships or something to make up the difference until siblings are also in college.
Thank you everyone. This NMF scholarship will be really valuable if she goes to USC.
How much weight do you put on 4 years graduation rate? It seems that with budget cut and increase in class size for public schools like UCs it is a norm to graduate in 5 years instead of 4.
Normally D is not only responsible but has a memory like a steel trap. I’m still stunned that she can’t even remember when or where she moved it. And it was in her PHONE CASE for the last instructor drive. WHO DOES THAT? Apparently this was the last nerve the instructor had, because at class last night he threw 4 kids out for talking. D didn’t dare breathe wrong at that point, so she made it through the class.
@mommdc kids under 18 don’t need formal driving classes in your state? I taught D to drive before her classes, but there is so much the instructor was able to fine-tune. He had her parallel parking like a pro in one session, whereas after I showed her, she never did get it. And here I’ve been parking just fine for years. I’m just glad that after next week we get three nights a week back.
@mommdc & @madredos - no kidding. My DH was adamant that son could learn to drive with parent education only. It was not a role I wanted to take on.
But, lo and behold- guess who ended up taking DS to school every morning with him driving & the majority of his education? Unfortunately me. X_X
Interesting, CA requires at least six hours of professional behind the wheel instruction for a minor, and a parent is not supposed to drive with them until after the first two hour session. You must have a form signed off certifying that is done before a driver’s license can be obtained.
Many PA schools dropped driver’s education in the last round of education budget cuts a few years ago. Private lessons are available for a price in our area, but nothing in or with the schools. Kids have to document 65 hours of driving with a parent or other responsible adult over a minimum of six months before taking their license exam. No professional lessons required. It used to be far less stringent than even that until a few years ago.
@sseamom, yes I was quite surprised that I was supposed to teach my kids to drive.
Growing up in Germany, driving school was mandatory.
The high school did have a driver’s ed program, but they discontinued it.
So parent has to keep track of hours of day and night driving instruction, 65 total I believe and certify they did their supervised driving time before taking the test.
There is are no driving classes at school here, you have to go to a private company and pay. The state requires classroom time (I think it was about 30 hours) plus something like 10 to 12 hours driving time with an instructor. Then there must be 40 documented driving hours with a parent. Of course I did all the driving lessons. I don’t think my H went out with her once.
My kids do drives ed on line (Driver’s Ed in a Box) and parents do the actually teaching the kid how to drive and documenting hours. D16 has had her license since she was just over 16 and S18 has his permit and will get his regular license this summer. Since D16 will be off to college, he’ll need to drive himself and S20 to school and EC’s next year.
@dyiu13 We have a good friend who graduated last year, was a NMF, and was accepted to almost everywhere she applied, including to several top notch liberal arts programs. She ended up posting a general summary on Facebook of the places she had been admitted in early May, once she had made her final decision, and tagged her mother in the post, so her mom’s friends saw it too. My daughter thought it was the “classy” way to go and said she wants to do the same thing once the dust settles in May. On the other hand, I have a different friend who posted her kid’s SAT scores on Facebook and I thought that was a bit too much. Just my opinion.
Drivers Ed in our state is mandatory, but can only be done through private companies, price range 375-450. Classroom hours and 6-7 drives with instructor during course (several 1/2 hr, and several 1 hour drives). Then kids need to log additional 50 hours driving with learners permit with parent before getting license.
When I was in HS, we took drivers ed for a credit class for one semester (so it was free), and when we turned 16 we went down and got our license. Those were the good old days…
