The Choice has invited Marie Bigham, a former college admissions officer and veteran college counselor, and Mark Kantrowitz, a financial aid expert, to answer your questions about comparing financial aid offers and deciding where to enroll in the blog’s virtual Guidance Office, a forum for college applicants and their families seeking expert advice.
 
The moderated Q. and A. session, which began Monday, will continue throughout the week.
 
In this fourth installment of answers, the panelists respond to questions about comparing specific schools, whether parents should forbid their children to choose an expensive college, and work-study options.
 
Some questions and answers have been edited, including for length and style. — Tanya Abrams
N.Y.U., Northeastern or Rutgers?

Q.What is best for a chemical engineering major? Going to New York University and taking out $80,000 to $90,000 in loans for a five-year program with bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and biomedical engineering? Going to Northeastern and taking out $25,000 to $30,000 in loans for a chemical engineering honors, five-year co-op program? Or going to Rutgers, no loans, for its chemical engineering honors program with a minor or extracurricular program in television and film? Please advise.
 
— Campbell
 
“Aim to devote less than 10 percent of your income to repaying your student loans.”
 
— Mark Kantrowitz
 
A.Mr. Kantrowitz: Assuming the median starting salary of about $66,000 for a chemical engineering major, the debt from an N.Y.U. degree would involve monthly loan payments of as much as 20 percent of the graduate’s gross income over a 10-year repayment term. This compares with up to 7 percent for the Northeastern degree and no debt for the Rutgers degree.
 
If student loan payments consume more than 15 percent of your income, you will struggle to make the payments and may even default on your debt. Aim to devote less than 10 percent of your income to repaying your student loans. Total debt at graduation should be less than your expected annual starting salary, and ideally a lot less.
 
Given that these are all good colleges with good programs, the choice is simple: go to the college that will put you in the least debt. That will give you more flexibility in your employment choices, allowing you to pick a job that is a better fit for your career goals, even if it pays less. Also, students who graduate with no debt are twice as likely to go on to graduate school as students who graduate with some debt.
 
Ms. Bigham: You have so many great options that, beyond cost, I’m not sure that one outweighs the other. Do you want two degrees but lots of debt? Do you want an honors program plus co-op, which can lead to great job opportunities, and some debt? Or do you want honors and no debt? Are you a Yankees fan or a Red Sox fan?
 
Personally, I’m a big fan of co-op programs like the one at Northeastern because you get valuable and marketable job experience before graduating. Before making your decision, ask each college if hands-on work experience, like the Northeastern co-op program, is available to all students. Ask if there are opportunities for engineering students to get involved with television and film. I bet that you can get very similar educational experiences at all three outstanding colleges.

Parental Vetoes

Q.This is both a philosophical and a practical question. My son is deciding between two out-of-state schools, both known for the major he wants to pursue, engineering. One is less expensive and is offering him a scholarship. The other isn’t offering him a penny, and that means he’ll come out with twice the debt. Of course, he likes that one more, despite us airing our concerns. As parents to an almost 18-year-old, do you say no or do you let him go where he wants and shoulder that financial burden for years to come?
 
— Water polo mom
“It can’t be fun to tell your child no, but as the adult, you have a longer view of life and how significant debt could hinder your son in the future.”
 
— Marie Bigham
 
A.Ms. Bigham: I can think of many times that my parents told me no, over my protests, for something that I really wanted.
 
Sometimes what I wanted was trivial, like going to a party or extending my curfew. But I recall a very serious conversation with my parents about what they could and could not afford for college. They made it clear to me that they would not jeopardize their long-term financial health by dipping into retirement savings, nor would they allow me to jeopardize my own by taking out too much debt for college when I had less expensive options at hand.
 
It can’t be fun to tell your child no, but as the adult, you have a longer view of life and how significant debt could hinder your son in the future.
 
Talk with your son about the implications of having oversize college debt versus minimal debt. Talk about his potential salary and how much debt repayment would take from that salary. Talk about graduate school and how that could add to his debt load. This is a great opportunity to teach him about finances and decision making.
 
Mr. Kantrowitz: Parents are often torn between doing what is in their child’s best interest and giving in to their child’s dreams. There are rarely any easy answers.
 
Sometimes it helps to prepare a decision matrix in which the options are listed in the rows, with one column for positive outcomes and one column for negative outcomes. This can help clarify your thinking and your son’s thinking.
 
If the negative consequences of one choice are very harmful, like graduating with an unaffordable level of debt, you need to step in and stop your son from making a bad decision. Protecting him from harm is your responsibility.
 
Consideration of college costs is also a good opportunity to engage in some financial literacy training. Go beyond the rule of thumb that total student loan debt at graduation should be less than the annual starting salary. Have your son look up the average starting salary for his preferred major. Then have him create a budget based on that salary, typical expenses and the monthly loan payments under standard 10-year repayment for each college. This will help make the choices more tangible.
 
Also have him calculate the difference in total debt at graduation and ask whether his preferred college is worth the extra debt. If he reaches the right decision on his own, he will be happier than if you decide for him.

Financial Aid After Freshman Year

Q.My daughter was accepted at Cooper Union. Do you think they will guarantee her a tuition-free education for the next four years? Her financial aid letter does state that she received the $160,000 award. Does this statement mean a lock-in?
 
— Phil

Q.I am a high school senior who has been accepted to a few colleges. Part of the financial aid for one college is a need-based scholarship that they say does not need to be paid back. Can I count on receiving this same scholarship/aid for all four years?
 
— Julie
“Free tuition doesn’t necessarily mean that the college is entirely free.”
 
— Mark Kantrowitz
 
A.Mr. Kantrowitz: Cooper Union is one of a handful of colleges that offer free tuition. It has been experiencing some financial difficulties and will begin charging tuition for graduate students in fall 2013, but undergraduate tuition for this year’s incoming class will remain free for all four years.
 
Even with the free tuition, however, students are still responsible for room and board, books and supplies, and miscellaneous living expenses that can total about $20,000 a year. So free tuition doesn’t necessarily mean that the college is entirely free. But with financial aid, the average net price is about $17,000 a year, much less than at other private, nonprofit colleges in New York.
 
Most colleges do not guarantee that the student will receive a similar amount of financial aid in subsequent years. Students apply for financial aid one year at a time, and the amount of aid depends on the college’s policies and changes in the family’s financial circumstances.
 
About half of all colleges practice front-loading of grants, which means that the mix of grants and loans will be more generous for the freshman year than for the sophomore, junior and senior years. The net price for the freshman year may be much lower than the net price as an upperclassman.
 
Ask the financial aid office whether the college front-loads grants. Will you get a similar amount of grant aid in subsequent years if your financial circumstances stay the same? If not, how much will the grants decrease?
 
If you do not get a clear answer, try asking several juniors and seniors how their grants compare with those they received as freshmen.
 
Ms. Bigham: You should contact the financial aid offices at the colleges you are considering to ask about this practice of front-loading aid. My experience is that aid packages remain more or less stable, unless your family’s financial circumstances change significantly.
 
Unfortunately, some colleges will reduce your aid package after your first year, or change the grant (the free money) to a loan (the money you pay back). Keep in mind that you will have to reapply for aid each year.
 
I certainly hope that Cooper Union can continue its practice of offering free tuition to undergraduates. Many congratulations for being admitted there.

Harvard, Princeton or Williams?

Q.I am a high school senior and have been accepted to Harvard, Princeton and Williams, much to my pleasant surprise. Needless to say, I feel incredibly blessed but now am having a painful time making a decision.
 
Since I am a low-income student, I received near-full rides at all three schools, so financial aid should not be the determining factor in my decision. I am largely undecided as to my major but am thinking about engineering, economics or environmental science. Coming from a highly competitive high school with limited course selections and worn-out teachers, I value a solid liberal arts education with engaging and friendly professors focused on undergrad teaching and a collaborative, rather than competitive, atmosphere. Also, I am not a big sports/Greek person, so those things need not be a factor in considering the social vibe of the school. Thank you so much for any advice!
 
— Sarah H. Lee
“My favorite question to ask current students is: ‘If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose this college? Why or why not?’”
 
— Marie Bigham
 
A.Ms. Bigham: First of all, a million congrats! Clearly you are a talented and interesting student who could add tremendously to a college community.
 
The best thing you can do to decide among these superb choices is to visit, if possible. Ask the colleges if they can finance your visit.
 
All three of these colleges are amazing, but they are also very different. Do you prefer a rural setting (Williams), a suburban setting (Princeton) or an urban setting (Harvard)? Do you want only small classes, or a variety of class sizes?
 
Ask all of the colleges about internship and research opportunities. Ask current students about the social vibe and about the collaborative versus competitive nature of the colleges. My favorite question to ask current students is: “If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose this college? Why or why not?”
 
If you can’t visit the campuses, ask the admissions offices to connect you with current students via phone, e-mail or social media.
 
Read the student newspapers, which can be found online. These can give you a glimpse into the day-to-day life at the college: the controversies, the celebrations, campus speakers, student events, even crime reports.
 
Most of all, be proud of yourself for making it to the end of this process. You can’t make a bad choice!
 
Mr. Kantrowitz: Go to M.I.T. instead.
 
All kidding aside, you don’t have any wrong choices. You will get an excellent education at any of these colleges.
 
Which college you choose will depend largely on your personal tastes. Visit the colleges when classes are in session to see how you like the atmosphere and how well you fit in. Talk to many students. Stay overnight in the dormitories. Read the student newspaper. Try to understand the college’s culture and traditions.
 
Offer to buy a random student lunch if she agrees to tell you everything that is wrong with the place. Read student reviews of the colleges on Web sites like College Prowler and College Confidential.

Work-Study Aid

Q.Our son was accepted to an Ivy. Part of the financial aid package includes two jobs, each 10 to 12 hours a week (one work-study, one not). I am concerned that working 20-24 hours every week is a lot if he wants to do well at such a school, and would limit opportunities to do other things. Any thoughts?
 
— Chris

A.Ms. Bigham: I’m a big fan of the Federal Work-Study Program and work-study jobs in general.
 
For students who want or need to work during college, a Federal Work-Study job is often better than a job off campus. Work-study jobs can sometimes be tied to your major or career interest. Also, colleges understand the ebb and flow of a student’s life and may be more flexible when you need time to study.
 
My students have reported that having a work-study job helps them organize their time, and in some cases, it gives them built-in study time.
 
That said, two work-study jobs that equal a part-time job is excessive. Students should be students first, if that’s financially possible. Ask the financial aid office if it intended to give your student two jobs, because I haven’t seen that happen before.
“Students who work full-time are half as likely to graduate as students who work 12 hours or less.”
 
— Mark Kantrowitz
 
Mr. Kantrowitz: Working more than 12 hours a week is excessive. Some student employment will improve academic performance by forcing you to learn time-management skills. But working more than 12 hours a week takes away too much time from academics.
 
Based on data from a 2009 follow-up to a 2003-4 longitudinal study on beginning postsecondary students, 75 percent of students enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs who worked one to 12 hours a week during their freshman year graduated with a bachelor’s degree in six years, compared with 69 percent of students who did not work.
 
But graduation rates declined significantly with additional hours of work:
1-12 hours a week: 75 percent graduated in six years
13-24 hours a week: 60 percent
25-39 hours a week: 49 percent
40 or more hours a week: 32 percent
 
In other words, students who work full-time are half as likely to graduate as students who work 12 hours or less.
 
Ask the college’s financial aid office why it awarded your son two jobs, and express your concern about half-time employment making it more difficult to schedule classes and focus on academics. Perhaps they made an error in assembling your financial aid package, or perhaps they assumed that you would accept only one job.
 
If you have to choose one of the two jobs, I recommend the Federal Work-Study job. Federal Work-Study earnings are exempt from FICA taxes (but still subject to income taxes) and do not count against future aid eligibility.
 
If the financial aid officials say they intended to award two jobs, ask them to replace one of the jobs with grants.