Day 7 -- Today I spent an afternoon in a meeting with Andrea Oden, our Financial Aid Advisor. I really like Andrea. She is smart, outgoing and very helpful and she definitely seems to have our best interests (and our son's) at heart. What I don't like about Andrea is the information she keeps giving us about our EFC or Expected Family Contribution (the formulaic amount we are expected to contribute to whatever college our son attends and the number the schools consider when they create a financial aid package.) It's a crazy number -- crazy!! Where is the invisible being who thinks we can pay this amount? I want him (or her) to show their face so I can smack some sense into them. I do realize that I am shooting the messenger; it's not Andrea's fault. In fact, she is great at giving us tips to try to lower the EFC. But it's still a nauseatingly high amount of money. Helloooo. I have to have money left over for like, my necessary and very healthy (taken in moderation!) coffee, cookies wine and chocolate, remember? I mean, a middle aged mom and her middle aged husband still have to live a little don't they?! Evidently for us, these necessities aren't included in the FAFSA formula. Sigh.
It never occurred to me that we would have a financial advisor for this part of the college hunting process and it was kind of by accident that I even got the idea. One day last fall when we were knee-deep in college research and infused with anxiety about the application process, I went for an early morning walk by the river with Lily. Up along the path I ran into a woman I know from town. We started talking about colleges (according to my son that's all I talk about these days!) Anyway, she told me about her sister-in-law who had just started up this business to advise parents and students about the college financial application process. So we called her. And I am glad we did; we have gained so many insights into the process that we would never have learned on our own.
But really, no matter how one goes through all the steps, the destination remains the same. Somehow we still have to figure out how we will pay the college bill no matter where he ends up going. Granted, Luke will pay some of it -- that's our family rule and with three more kids coming up the college turnpike, it's a financial necessity to expect them to contribute to their college costs. For now though, we are still in wait and see mode. Wait till all the colleges give Luke the green or red light and then... see the financial aid packages that will hopefully accompany the "yes" answers.
And then it comes down to picking a school and then...actually sending the check. Ouch.
And right there is Reason Number 682 why I set this year's goal of drinking a glass of wine every day. Come to think of it, I think there is still half a glass left on the dining room table...
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