Looking for advice about college for son

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-25-2007
Looking for advice about college for son
12
Sun, 11-25-2007 - 7:41pm

My mediocre student just received an acceptance letter from the first school he applied to- a private school to the tune of about 20k a year.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-1999
Mon, 11-26-2007 - 12:06pm

One thing to think about is that you really won't know the actual cost of school until you send in the fafsa (financial aid apps) and get the award.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2007
Mon, 11-26-2007 - 12:06pm
I don't have any advice. I'm just bumping this up because I think it may have gotten lost in the shuffle!
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-05-1998
Mon, 11-26-2007 - 12:30pm

Rather than make your son feel bad that he isn't good enough for a baseball scholarship, why not couch the discussion in terms of having a "safety school"?

Avatar for suzyk2118
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-30-1997
Mon, 11-26-2007 - 12:33pm

What I didn't get a feel for in your message is if he WANTS to go to school, or if he's doing it because everyone else is AND he's assuming he'll be playing ball there.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-25-2007
Mon, 11-26-2007 - 2:19pm

thanks Elizabeth.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2003
Mon, 11-26-2007 - 2:29pm

I know nothing about what it takes to get into this particular private school.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 11-26-2007 - 3:09pm

If you are in financial need as a family, I have heard from some parents I trust that it is actually easier to get financial aid from a private school. In two cases, the parents told me they ended up paying less for the private college than the public one.

This is more need based aid than scholarship BTW. Both of these parties were sole income and social workers-need I say more-LOL

I think it is an ego boost to be accepted by a school that is seen as difficult to get into. But I wouldn't let that override common sense

My oldest was accepted into the engineering program at a top school. He had people stopping him the halls to congratulate him. He didnt even consider the other schools he was accepted at after that-everyone felt this was the best, after all.

It wasnt a good fit. He had not taken a challengning enough curriculum in high school and he walked in the door at a disadvantage. And the reason he had not taken a challenging curriculum was not lack of good advice-he wasnt motivated. More of the 'lets get this done in the easiest possible manner' type person

Kids need a school where their philosophy fits IMO. They might change, of course, but it is taking a chance

Try to have him keep all the options open

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-1999
Mon, 11-26-2007 - 6:32pm
Just want to toss in here - my DIL went to an extremely pricey private college, but ended up paying almost nothing out of pocket between the financial need based scholarships she got and the FAFSA aid.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-25-2007
Wed, 11-28-2007 - 8:30pm
sue - you bring up a good point- i don't know that he sincerely wants to go to school... that's been an underlying concern for years.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-25-2007
Wed, 11-28-2007 - 8:33pm
your son sounds very similar to mine- i describe his thinking as "whatever it takes to get by".

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