Sticker Shock Road Trip

In front of the Chapman Library

News flash: it turns out that not all of your, or my, children are going to go to BYU, otherwise known as the biggest bang for your buck. With that in mind Marc and I set out with Katie and her friend Jillian for a quickie tour of some small, private, lovely (expensive!) universities in southern California last weekend. They were schools that the girls really wanted to see.

Of note: Highway 5 is still under construction and is an ugly drive. The scenery continues to get more glum as fewer farms boarder the freeway.

The first school we visited was the University of Redlands. It was small, private, lovely, and EXPENSIVE! Then we went to Chapman University which was more lovely, private, EXPENSIVE and small. All and all we discovered that Marc and I need to plant a money tree in the backyard before we go to bed tonight.

We did have a chance to visit with the dean of admissions at Redlands and he was very positive and encouraging about financial aid. I'm not sure if this is just a trick to get us to apply and get our $50 application fee or if there is actually hope. 

We intended to visit UC Santa Cruz on our way home but we were delayed by the wicked highway 5 construction, which, incidentally, involves lengthy stretches of one lane stop and go traffic but no actual construction workers or *gasp with surprise* construction. I'm not bitter. We will have to swing that another weekend.

So, to sum up, we had a fun time with the girls, Marc and I have a lot to think and worry about... and to paraphrase Phil Dumfy, "Worst case scenario, all four go to college."