Whose choice should college decisions be?

austinmshauri
Wed, 15 Apr 2015 10:01:01 +0000

@liv732, I’m sorry your parents didn’t discuss finances more thoroughly earlier in the process. They may not have realized how much costs have risen since we were in school. You can only borrow the federal student loan (about $5500/year). If you work every summer, you may be able to earn $3-4k, which gives you about $9500/year. So yes, if you can find a school that costs $10k or less (including books & transportation) you can choose to go there. Otherwise, you need your parents help. Most parents have to limit how much they spend for college, so you’re not alone.

Did you qualify for merit anywhere? What’s your parents EFC? Can they pay it? If their income is low enough (~$40k), you may qualify for a Pell grant. Did you get accepted anywhere they can afford?

@mom2collegekids is trying to help you. We graduated from college a long time ago, so nobody is going to be grading our spelling in the near future. Please take advice in the spirit in which it’s given. Good luck.