By Jason Vallozzi, Campus to Career Crossroads
“We honestly cannot afford to attend and I am too embarrassed to tell our son.”
"We did not expect college to be so expensive.”
“We have not been able to save for education over the years as we had hoped.”
"We thought government financial aid would help us in affording college.”
“We have issues with our credit score and cannot secure a co-signer for a parent loan.”
These statements are not negotiation tactics. The reality of not understanding the severity of college costs early on, and families assuming there will be some magical way to pay for college, can lead to anguish for everyone involved.
Affordability issues facing families can be downright heartbreaking to gut-wrenching in the admissions department. At times, I like to take readers behind- the-scenes of the admissions desk from my direct past experiences. Affordability issues are a constant issue for admissions teams. In many cases a professional, long-term relationship is built with students and their families. It is painful to watch the strain on everyone involved when things fall apart over costs that were clearly presented early in the process.
The struggles facing many families, across all income levels, are the rising tuition costs, fees, textbooks, and travel costs associated with financing the first year of college, and then the reality of paying for the entire four-year cost of attendance. Sadly, I find many families have more “myth information” about financial aid and paying for college than factual, helpful information. I take pride in helping my clients through the financial aid maze, understanding proper information, finding colleges that meet their budget, and maximizing financial aid options to limit student and parent loan amounts.
As February quickly approaches, families begin to face the bigger reality of college acceptance letters--paying for college! February is officially financial aid awareness month in the college world and my blog will be dedicated to financial aid related topics to help families gain more accurate, informative knowledge. So stay tuned for different financial aid themed blogs as there is not a one size fits all approach to financing college. As always, the blog content is shared for informational purposes and you should consult with a financial professional to ensure you are making the best financing decision for your unique family situation.
Please contact
Campus to Career Crossroads if you are concerned about college costs in the months or years ahead as doubt, confusion, and regret should not be part of the college journey.