The Big Decision
Literally lay your child’s options on the table so you can compare what each school is offering them at the same time. Compare overall cost, available financial aid, funds from loans and scholarships, curriculum and campus life at each school for the brightest future possible for your child.
Your child may have their heart set on the private school thousands of miles away but their financial aid package pales in comparison to the state university and the small liberal arts college your child was also accepted to. The final decision should be a mixture of what your child needs as well as wants and what you can realistically afford – especially if you have more than one child to put through school.
Remember, just because you adored your experience at a particular school doesn’t mean your child will; the students who thrive in college are the ones who love all aspects of the school, not just a few of them so if an institution meets the majority of your and your child’s criteria, it will most likely be the best fit for the person attending and the person paying the bills.