A Sticky Situation... please help!

Applying to College
1

<p>Okay, so here's my sticky situation...</p>

<p>I was accepted to Northwestern University and can't afford the Estimated Family Contribution. </p>

<p>My parents are unwilling to take out any loans beyond the ones provided for in NU's financial aid package. No point telling me to try to convince them, either.
We might be able to scrape up the tuition for one year, but after that, I'd most likely have to transfer out.</p>

<p>We've already appealed, with only a couple thousand dollars knocked off the EFC. There's always the chance of appealing again next year, but that is a real gamble.</p>

<p>I'm applying for every outside scholarship I can get my hands on, but the problem is that none of these scholarships will help with my EFC. They will all go toward the self-help portion of my financial aid package, i.e. Stafford loan and federal work study. So basically, I can earn a maximum of about $6,000/yr through scholarships before they start reducing my Northwestern scholarship. That still leaves lots of EFC to take care of.</p>

<p>Since I applied to Northwestern through Early Decision, I held off on most of my other applications. As a result, my only significant backup is the University of Mississippi. It has a great program for Chinese, my intended major, and I'm sure I could get a full ride (and then some, if I'm lucky). But I really, really don't want to go to Ole Miss.</p>

<p>I guess I could always go to Ole Miss freshman year and then attempt to transfer out to someplace with even MORE financial aid then Northwestern, but since that would basically mean nothing short of Ivy League, it's not anything I can count on.</p>

<p>Another option I've considered is some sort of military service--even though I've never even considered the militia up to this point, it may be my best shot. I'm not sure exactly how that works, but I would expect either a loan-forgiveness program after college (like this</a>) or else some sort of degree-completion program (like this</a>).</p>

<p>I was already considering a career in international relations, so the military might not be a bad bet for first job after college. It would be tough, but I think I'm prepared to do whatever it takes.</p>

<p>I'd welcome any advice and input, especially inside info about using the military to pay for college. All things considered: </p>

<p>Ole Miss + full ride,
or
Northwestern + several years of military service?</p>

<p>...Or any other options you care to throw out?</p>

<p>I have to make a tuition deposit for Northwestern by Feb. 1, so please reply as fast as you can...</p>

<p>Also, please no comments about how I shouldn't have applied ED or anything of that nature. I've already heard it.</p>

<p>Thanks so much for your time.</p>

2

<p>How 'bout Gap year?</p>

3

<p>A lot of colleges have job opportunities on campus that will allow you to work a reasonable number of hours per week and even during the summer, perhaps, that will pay you pretty well and that you can use to go toward your tuition. Does Northwestern have any kind of program like that?</p>

4

<p>How would a gap year help?</p>

<p>And actually a federal work study was part of my financial aid package. However, if I can get scholarships to pay for it, then I could work to help with the EFC…
but on the other hand, they would see the extra income I was getting and increase the EFC accordingly. It’s really a catch-22.</p>

5

<p>ROTC scholarships are competitive, and take some time to compete for (there are academic, character, leadership, athletic/ physical fitness tests as considerations, as well as extensive physical/medical examinations you will have to pass) . You should not count on one for your first year.</p>

<p>Consider carefully your commitment to military life–your four to eight year service commitment is far more than “a job”, particularly now while the military is supporting wars in two countries. </p>

<p>That said, I’d recommend contacting the ROTC programs at NU quickly to see if they have any scholarships left to give for fall 2010. Good luck.</p>

6

<p>Since posting this thread, I’ve already done a good bit of research into Northwestern’s ROTC program.</p>

<p>I know that it would be the hardest thing I’ve ever done… but the more I think about it, the more I think that maybe this is what I’m supposed to do. It makes me think of the JFK speech–we choose to go to the moon and do the other things not because they are easy, but because they are hard. I realize that it’s a commitment… but I want to do something hard.</p>

<p>So I guess that’s the first step–deciding that I really want this.</p>

<p>Exactly how competitive is it? Especially since it’s only February, so the regular decision applicants haven’t even been admitted yet?</p>

<p>I’m in terrible physical shape, to say the least, so I guess I’d better start running… I think I could do very well on any kind of academic, character, or leadership tests, but it’s the physical part that I’m worried about.</p>

<p>Will it be an advantage to be studying Chinese and international relations as a major?</p>

7

<p>Language majors are needed in the military, that might be a plus.</p>

<p>Do you know which ROTC programs NU has? Army, Navy, Air Force? Do you have an idea which would be your first choice? </p>

<p>The PT test will include timed runs, push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, etc. You can google the details.</p>

<p>You might want to contact current ROTC students at NU- they could probably tell you how competitive it was last year to land a scholarship.</p>

8

<p>NU has Navy and Marines. The Navy ROTC there is actually one of the oldest-ever, according to the website. Pretty cool stuff. That is definitely the one I am looking into right now.</p>

<p>I’ve already requested information and hope to hear back in time to make that tuition deposit. If they say it’s possible at all, then I think it’d be worth the $400 just to keep that window open.</p>

<p>Thanks for all your help. Er, how exactly should I go about trying to contact a student in NU’s NROTC?</p>

9

<p>look into three options</p>

<ol>
<li>BDCP (non-rotc route that will let you commit to the navy and get a salary while completing school)
[Navy</a> Officer info on Scholarships, ASTB, BDCP, Pay, and NUPOC](<a href=“http://www.navy-officer.com/scholarships.html]Navy”>http://www.navy-officer.com/scholarships.html)</li>
<li>NROTC with scholarship (pays your tuition + stipend/books/and 2-3 cruises if you are a 4 year programmer, although only 1 cruise is required)</li>
<li>NROTC without scholarship (still pays you stipend/books/and you get a 1st class cruise)</li>
</ol>

<p>if you’re school is cheap, and/or you get outside scholarships, you’ll probably benefit more with BDCP, especially since the years you are in the program count towards your years of service and you get medical/dental. Look at all routes. Simply go to the schools nrotc website and contact the phone number and ask to speak to the freshman or sophomore advisor to ask about transferring. You can get a scholarship two ways: one is through a national selection process which is meant for incoming freshmen, and you can get a scholarship if you join the unit to compete for a scholarship. PM me for any further questions and good luck</p>

10

<p>Toward- try finding a facebook group for NU’s ROTC, or google the group, or ask the commanding officer for an email of a cadet or two. Good luck.</p>

11

<p>I know nothing about ROTC and your chance of making that happen so I’ll leave that discussion for others.</p>

<p>But a few things to think about:</p>

<p>–What is the delta between your EFC and what your parents can afford? If it’s $5K/yr, we can come up with strategies, but if it’s $15K, there are few options.</p>

<p>–A school with more generous aid probably means HSP. Getting into one of those as a transfer is such a long shot that having that as a goal is all but unrealistic. </p>

<p>So the real issue beyond the ROTC scholarship possibility is do you just have to go to a school your family can afford? Appealing again next year and hoping for more is unrealistic too. They’ll give their best shot to get you in the door now, but your EFC is your EFC, and unless your parent’s financial situation changes, don’t expect more from NU next year.</p>

<p>And starting at NU and having to leave after a year would probably be a pretty unhappy situation.</p>