What can you do?!

TrinSF
Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:17:17 +0000

It’s unfortunate that there wasn’t better financial planning – most “top tier” schools offer need-based aid only these days, yet you say your parents make too much for need-based aid. It’s sort of like the saying, “eyes were bigger than their stomachs.”

You yourself cannot take out enough loans for a 45K a year education. Your parents may be able to do it, but in all honesty, why do that to them? Take the merit aid at the schools you can afford, and maybe you’ll be able to attend the others for graduate school.

I’m sorry if I sound harsh about this; I feel sad every time I hear this same story. The bottom line is that students and parents need to talk about what they can afford before application time, so that students know what will and won’t be possible.