<p>There is obviously a difference between “I’m sorry, junior, we all really hoped to send you to X but the finances just don’t work out, I’m really sorry” and “I know you have your acceptance letter in hand, junior, but i don’t like it any better than i did in the fall and I’m still not letting you go.” The first may be unavoidable. The second is avoidable. I think parental vetos should be few and far between but if they have to happen, better to “forbid” application than to wrest away an acceptance in hand.</p>