Grieving parents hit with $200,000 in student loans

[MissB]

38. Which is why I laugh when my son says

"But mommmmm, the college counselor [at the conference he went to] says that we shouldn't look at price when selecting a college!"

That's nice, dear. But Mommmmm and Dad have $x per year to spend on college and we don't want you taking out loans. We won't be taking out loans on your behalf.

We're fortunate. We can pay $x/year for college with a slight bit of pain but no actual debt. He can attend a state university here, or anywhere else he darn well pleases as long as it does not exceed $x. We don't qualify for a cent of financial aid, so $x has to work. He's collecting AP credits to help himself stay in that rare four year graduation rate. If he doesn't get merit then he goes to a perfectly fine state university.

High school counselor and private college counselors don't exactly take into account a family's finances when suggesting wonderful matches (universities) to students. Our school likes to trumpet the list of selective colleges that their seniors get into, which means that my kid will be likely applying to one or more universities that cost $60k/year. ($60k does not equal $x.) and then we will say no. Period. Unless the cost of attendance = $x + any scholarship, the answer is no.

Best thing I can do for my kids is provide them with an undergraduate education that doesn't require debt. And I'm grateful that I'm able to do that.