I'm hoping the HOPE scholarship (GA) is still solvent when my daughter graduates HS in 2013.
That’s my hope for your daughter, too! Don’t, under any circumstances, let her take out huge college loans. If it comes to it, let her go to a community college, then get auto transfer to a state 4 year college to finish off.
There’s more than just financial advantage to community colleges. Like maturing, getting a better sense of what they’re in school for, what major they want to pursue, instead of changing the major six times, extending the four years to five or more.
It makes me physically sick when I hear young folks with $50-100K in debt for college loans for a degree that doesn’t lead to a job that can reasonably pay off the loans. There is NO getting out of paying off those loans. MAYBE death, but bankruptcy won’t excuse college loans. They absolutely, positively have to be paid back.
Best to you and your daughter.