I gave up on blogging October expenses, because life took a sharp turn into crazy town.  

Today I appreciated the extra hour, and got caught up on some things.  & Finally...  MM(21) received financial aid numbers and had some time to give those to me.  So I am no longer in limbo wondering if his middle class grant will be $0 this year (as originally expected).  

I've been waiting for this number, to update his 5-year tuition projection.

MM's expected net college costs:

$42,000 Tuition/fees** (4 Years)

+$11,000 5th Year Tuition/Fees 

-12,000  Tax credits 

-23,500  CA middle class grants 

-  7,500  Scholarships

---------

$10,000 Net cost  

**Includes $1K for one summer school class

I believe it now!  4th year grant was awarded.   Interestingly, MM only got the grant because he added a double major and a 5th year of college.  So this means the 5th year will mostly pay for itself.  We had no idea this would be the outcome or that he would get another $7,000 grant this year.  & then when we realized, I was skeptical.  Until it became more official.  

My degree cost $10,000.  I also took 5 years.  Of course, factoring inflation, MM(21) did much better than I did.  The college credits and middle class grants did not exist during my college years.  He will leave college with much higher pay, and so has greatly improved on the cost/benefit, compared to my own degree (which I thought was pretty darn good re: cost/benefit).

I'll do a seperate post about MM(21)'s college fund and how much I expect he will have left after college.