YoungGunDad posted:Lots of 18yrs old around this time of year begin thinking they are ready to make those Big Boy decisions and to be honest I was the EXACT same way. I remember it vividly. I had 3 partial football scholarships to play football and I decided that what was best for me was to be a Marine. So off I went! Did I have some regrets later on? Sure, but not enough to dwell on them. And I can now see that one major reason I didn't was because there was no financial impact awaiting me. Your son however is about to make a decision that will begin his young adult life in a very adverse way. And I think you at least owe it to your son to sit him down and while not there to persuade him otherwise about his college choice, you could show him what this is going to mean and cost him in the very near future. Lay it out rather bold and simple for him to see how his finances following college are going to be already sucked into a rabbit hole that at times appears it will never end. How those times he wants to get an apartment alone or with friends may not necessarily happen if he hasn't the funds to afford it along with a new car, clothes, a social life, etc.
2 years of free college less room and board? That would be a no brainer here in my household. The first time my son came to me saying he needed me to co-sign on his loan for this D1 University I'd very lovingly and politely tell him "No thank you". And the matter would be settled rather quickly. Case closed.
YGD
Awesome. There are opportunities for free money, military being one of them, but if a kid is academically sound in high school he should be able to find a college somewhere at an affordable price.
Chasing a girl to another college is one of the reasons I haven't and won't let my kids date in high school. My sons have too many dreams to fulfill without getting them crushed at an early age.