Buddy, can you spare $20,000?

More good news on this wonderful second week of April! Just got an email from the Financial Aid Office at the University of Northern Colorado. Seems our "financial aid awards" for the coming school year total just over $20,000 — in loans. Are you kidding me? That would be $80,000+ in loans to get a Bachelor's Degree. Seriously? So needless to say, we'll be in contact with the Financial Aid Office with lots and lots (and lots!) of questions. 


In the world of higher education, you're damned if you do, damned if you don't. We're smack dab in the middle of the middle class. Translation? We make too much money to qualify for grants and free money ... and we make too little money to be able to actually afford the cost of a college education outright. And once we click the "what's your ethnicity" box that says "caucasian," forget it. 


That said, you'd think that a school-loving dream student with a 3.93 GPA (in primarily honors, AP and college classes) ... State Championship level swimmer ... Executive Class President ... and steadfast volunteer would be worth some sort of cash tossed her way. If only. As it stands, Kate has applied for roughly 15 or so scholarships, and has actually made the second round in a couple of them. Knock on wood that a few will fall her way. 


Financial aid? More like a financial miracle. Ready or not, college, here we come.