Sticker Shock

We are back from a college visit weekend at my son’s first choice for college. He is a junior and this would be “early” except that he wants to play college lacrosse, so apparently this is prime time. Colleges are making offers to promising athletes and juniors are “committing” now. If I knew my son would be in the first-round recruiting pool, I would have encouraged him to look harder at more schools this summer. As it is, he has his heart set on a school with a $52,000 price tag and no athletic scholarships.

I thought our son’s lacrosse prowess would make college more affordable, not less. It will be great for him to be recruited and avoid the stress of the college application process, but the stress on us will just start that much sooner. I guess we can start planning and budgeting now . . . .

On the other hand, it would be great to have a son playing college lacrosse, especially at a school within tailgating distance. That will give my husband and I a few more years before we have to rebuild our own social life.