(no subject)

 Again with the "trying to use the data i have to make educated guesses to help the kiddo plan next steps with the understanding that a next step does not write one's future in stone."

I guess I should talk with husband about what 'success at college' looks like. Once we've determined that, we can judge its probability, which kinda translates to the 'risk of the investment.'




Any big financial decision, I guess these are the things you weigh:
- can you actually afford it
- if so, how useful/practical
- and also how much do you want it

Usefulness and Desirability - it's a balance, right? Like, if we're talking about a cheap beautiful thing that you love that has no utility at all other than making you happy, that should be a yes. Meanwhile, cars are a good example of how, when you have a choice in the matter, you want more than just practical.  Maybe it's rationalization, but my dad taught me this lesson: the more you enjoy a purchase, the less of a waste of money it was.

He's right; life is both too short and too long not to factor in 'enjoyment.'

Anyway, to my college-planning-musings.
A red flag earlier this week:  Ty had done a whole-ass project on the cost of college for school, and asked me to grab it off the printer, and I noticed it and 

• Wow! I have a very similar spreadsheet comparing relative colleges, good job kid. It was extremely good work.
• First line of the report is "i am considering KSU and FP because...."  HE NEVER TOLD ME HE IS INTERESTED IN KSU. And I never considered it for him.  He has super valid reasons (as I read on the fucking report) - including, nearby, cost effective, and at least a partial pathway to animation & graphics.
• We were literally sitting down to do applications after he finished printing this report, so, uh, we added KSU to the list.

So, my red flag, to recap, is that he didn't TELL me about the school he might want to go to, at this stage in the game. Maybe that's orange, IDK.

Another red flag this week:  we get in the car yesterday and he says "I was hoping to be early today." .... How, I ask, would this be achieved? I literally thought when he was like 'can we get moving' it was in order to get to the car at the regular time. He never specifically mentioned being early. Until we were in the car.  

I took Meg to target after school and there were KSU kids there; and I got quiet, thinking about how it's in a small city, and it's a big school (studentwise and campus wise), and I worry about him getting lost. She noticed my quietude and thought I was annoyed at her -honestly, I said, I'm thinking about ty and college and I explained this part of it.  





Meg suggests we do a Practice Day with ty - give him a map and places to be on a college campus at certain times, and just let him do it alone (but not really alone for safety) and see how it goes.  This is good advice from the 12 yr old.   

And today she was much less sick and whiny and sad!!!!!!  THANK GOODNESS

also set up a tour for KSU on Nov 1; so i feel like that's 3rd & final college to visit.  

In my head, I honestly think that Landmark will be the best choice for him, again as long as we can 'afford it' meaning we can afford the loans (fingers crossed for scholarship money)