Should I push my daughter to choose college with $84K scholarship over her preferred school that offered nothing?

As someone who works in college financial aid, I strongly encourage you to have a realistic discussion about the long-term impact of student loan debt. $84K is life-changing money. Have you appealed the financial aid offer from her preferred school? Many students don't realize you can submit a financial aid appeal letter explaining your circumstances, especially if they differ from what FAFSA captured. The high SAI score might not reflect your actual situation. Also, has she looked into outside scholarships to bridge the gap? The difference between these offers is substantial enough that it warrants serious consideration of the more affordable option.

my son was in the EXACT same situation 2 yrs ago. he picked his dream school with NO aid and now he's drowning in debt after only 2 years!!! hes thinking of transferring but will lose credits. dont let ur daughter make this mistake!!! the "better program" usually isnt THAT much better to justify 84 THOUSAND in extra loans!!!! she will thank u later trust me

Definitely call the preferred school's financial aid office directly. You need to understand why they offered nothing before making any decisions. Could be something as simple as missing information on the FAFSA, or they might have additional institutional scholarships she could apply for. I've seen students get aid offers completely changed after a simple conversation. Also, consider doing the math with your daughter - show her exactly what monthly loan payments would look like after graduation from each school. Sometimes seeing the actual numbers makes it real for them.

Have u called the financial aid office at the preferred school??? I spent TWO WEEKS trying to get through to speak with a financial aid officer at my son's school and kept getting voicemail or disconnected. SO FRUSTRATING!!!! When I finally did get through, they said they had been overwhelmed with calls. By then it was too late to apply for some of the supplemental aid programs. The FAFSA system is BROKEN and these schools don't make it any easier!!

lol parents always think they know what's best. let her go where she wants. you only live once and college is about the EXPERIENCE not just the money. my parents forced me to go to the cheaper school and i regret it every day. she's the one who has to live with the choice not you.

Have you fully examined all financial aid options? Beyond the FAFSA and institutional scholarships, there are Parent PLUS loans, private loans, work-study programs, and payment plans. That said, I strongly recommend calculating the full cost of attendance at both schools, including not just tuition and room/board but also books, travel, personal expenses, etc. Then subtract all grants and scholarships (free money) to get the true difference in cost. Sometimes when you break it all down, the gap isn't as wide as it first appears. If it truly is $84K difference, that's significant enough that it should heavily influence the decision.

The financial aid system is COMPLETELY BROKEN!!! Our SAI score was ridiculously high too even though we're struggling. It's because they look at your income but don't consider your ACTUAL expenses like medical bills, existing debt payments, or the real cost of living in expensive areas. It's CRIMINAL how they expect families to contribute so much when we're barely staying afloat. I'd tell your daughter straight up - unless she wants to be paying loans until she's 45, take the scholarship money and be grateful!!!

One strategy that hasn't been mentioned: your daughter could attend the school offering the scholarship for 1-2 years, then transfer to her preferred school for the remainder of her program. She'd need to be careful about credit transfers, but this could significantly reduce the overall cost while still giving her the preferred degree. Many students take this approach, particularly with prerequisite and general education courses. This might be a good compromise that acknowledges her preferences while being financially responsible.