<p>Post #77–but that is not the scenario that you laid out. You didn’t say that one school was a pricey private full pay LAC, and the other one was a state directional. You said that the difference was only 5K/yr for a specialized program. That is within the rate of inflation, even, if the kids are a few years apart.</p>
<p>If you are determined to set a dollar number to teach the kids a lesson in budgeting, (unless your intention is for them to take loans), why not set the limit a little higher, to cover the special program or additional semesters if needed. How will you change the number based on the fact that college costs increase every year, and it would be impossible to pay the same amount a few years later? Will it be acceptable to you if kid #2 changes her major to a different program, to stay within the budget?</p>