That's why I plan to call my ins agent tomorrow- everyone keeps saying rates go thru the roof when you add a male teen but nobody says how much. I don't know if that means 3 times what I pay or 10 times. Plus, I've heard that if the teen makes good grades, it can help. I don't know if it will help or not that he'll be over 18yo when he actually needs to get added. I do feel sure that it will help that he's getting this 11yo (by then it will be 12yo) car. My driving record has been good for 10 years (horrible before that but the same co stuck with me) and the vehicle I'm looking at buying is stocked full of safety features. Moving to that area from this area and having to drive farther to work will make my ins go up with nothing else changing. So all in all, I have no idea what to budget for in that regard without talking to my agent.
I'm aware of the financial aid form but I've been told with that new salary, E wouldn't qualify for squat except a typical student/parent loan. I'd prefer to avoid a loan the first year at least, as long as he's shooting for graduate school. We'll put it in anyway with the colleges listed. First thing is to see how he's ranging on the SAT. He can take it again in the fall, when he's applying for college, but this first go-around will give me a better idea of how to help and encourage him. He's being pretty understandable about it all and seems to get that I want him to shoot for his dream but understand it isn't easy so have a Plan B and Plan C- not that they will prevent him ever achieving his dream just that it might take a detour but we could still afford it.
When I went to college the 2nd time (the time I actually stuck with it and made it), I found a way to get the 1st year paid for and after that it was a free-for-all between working some, grants, scholarships, and student loans. LOL! As unstable as that appears, I was able to get thru a 5-year professional degree that way. E is still on fragile ground so I'm trrying to make sure I'm keeping the "dream" possible while still keeping the primary focus on this next school year. He's really doing his part this time and we're closer than we've been since our family fell apart when he started middle school. So any other tips, ideas, pointers on how to prepare for college are welcome!
We've found two 4-yr colleges he could drive to if he lived with me in that area for an under-grad degree, if the need arises. We changed his SAT app to send scores to them, as well as his dream college. We threw in a 4th one just because we can get 4 for free. I think there probably is another feasible one in that area but we don't know what it is.
He started this last semester of his Junior year with a 3.1 GPA, half-way thru he had a 3.3 (2 A's; 1B) but now he might get 3 A's for the semester. He needs to get a decent SAT and a 3.5 to have a good shot at his dream college right out of HS. I'm not stressing him over it but he wants it so badly- I'm trying to get him to stay focused on IF it doesn't happen, here's another way he can get there. Ya know- it's in his IEP that he has perfectionist tendencies and poor coping skills when he's stressed, although he's getting better at dealing with it and hanging in there. I think I'm getting better about how to be pratical while still striving for what he wants (constructive things).
Suggestions?
