In Northern Virginia, college admissions can feel like a competitive sport.
Parents compare acceptance rates.
Students compare rankings.
Social media fills up with announcement posts.
And somewhere along the way, it’s easy to forget one important question:
What can we actually afford?
Senior Year is an Olympic Sport
Our son had taken several Advanced Placement (AP) courses and even scored well on a few tests to receive college credit.
He took his SATs more than once to get the best score possible.
He made it into the National Honor Society.
His grades were fantastic, and he worked incredibly hard throughout high school.
But there was a recurring theme to senior year:
What schools were “good?”
What schools were “too easy to get into?”
Could we leverage a scholarship offer from one school to negotiate tuition with another?
(That answer was no, by the way).
I understand the pressure.
We all want the best opportunities for our kids.
But I think it’s worth asking whether the “best” always means “most expensive” or “hardest to get into.”
That Budget Tho
Hubby and I had been saving for college since our son was born through a 529 plan.
We had a budget.
And whether we liked it or not, that budget was going to be part of the decision.
Hubby and I both graduated from college with student loan debt. We didn’t really have another option given our families’ financial circumstances at the time.
But we had an opportunity to do something different for our son.
We weren’t trying to buy a specific college.
We were trying to fund an education.
That distinction became incredibly important as acceptance letters started arriving.
Riding the Roller Coaster of Senior Year
I’ll admit it.
We had a weak moment.
Our son was accepted to hubby’s alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh, and for a brief period of time, we seriously considered making it work.
The idea was appealing.
Our son would attend the same school as his dad.
We had family nearby.
And honestly, it just felt right.
Then we’d look at the tuition bill.
Every.
Single.
Time.
And our stomachs would drop.
How could we spend years saving for college, only to encourage our son to take on debt before he even graduated?
And let’s also be real: This would have affected our retirement plans as well, and not in a good way.
Sometimes the numbers have a way of bringing you back to reality.
Reality Bites
I still remember helping our son make the final decision.
By that point, a few schools were so far outside our budget that they weren’t realistic options.
(I see you, Pitt.)
The final decision came down to two schools:
- Arizona State University
- West Virginia University
The costs were surprisingly similar when it came to tuition, room, and board.
But once we factored in airfare and travel between Arizona and Northern Virginia, the math became harder to ignore.
The only school that truly fit within our budget was West Virginia University.
And here’s the part that made the decision difficult:
It wasn’t our son’s first choice.
Not even close.
Fast Forward to Present Day
I’m thrilled to share that our son has not only enjoyed WVU, but he loves it and is thriving.
He made friends right away, joined a fraternity (coincidentally, the same one as his dad), holds leadership positions in both his fraternity and the Interfraternity Council, and is on track to graduate with no student loan debt.
And even though he’s attending an out-of-state school, it’s close enough to home that it often feels like he’s in-state.
Looking back, I don’t think the most important question was whether West Virginia University was his first choice.
I think the more important question was whether he could build a great life there.
The answer appears to be yes.
He’s studying electrical engineering, has embraced campus life, continues to work hard academically, and has already secured two internships before graduation.
Would our son have been successful at another school?
Probably.
But hubby and I weren’t trying to maximize prestige.
We were trying to maximize opportunity.
Graduating without student loan debt gives a young adult options.
And options are valuable.
The best college isn’t necessarily the hardest one to get into.
Sometimes, the best college is the one you can afford.
🐝 That’s the buzz for today – go forth and make good financial decisions!