Hey… I am interested in transferring to a private college somewhere. The only problem is that it is very expensive. I am wondering about scholarship packages each college offers to potential students. If it says that it offers on average 15K to students in need and academically-deserving, how does one pay for the rest of the tuition + room and board if the estimated cost is 50K? If the college gives out 15K as its transfer scholarship, does that mean that a transfer student will only receive a maximum of 15K or is it possible to get more?
I am new to the US system (but I am a US citizen), and I am trying to understand it.
Funding tends to be limited to transfers. The best scholarship offers are given to incoming freshman.
If you’re low income and transferring later than next fall, you may want to apply to the Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. But that shouldn’t be counted on in any capacity in your plans.
That’s probably all I can continue to this thread. Other posters will have more info/questions.
If you’re low income, you may qualify for up to a ~$5k federal Pell grant. Does your current package contain one? You can also get a $5500/year federal student loan. Most colleges don’t offer much to transfers, although I think there are a few (highly competitive ones) that meet need. Carefully check each college website to see how much aid they offer to transfers.
The likelihood is that if the gap is $35k, you won’t find enough aid to cover it and would need to choose a less expensive school. Continue to register at your current school until you get accepted to a college with an aid package that you can afford.
Don’t cut ties with you current school until you’ve seen the FA pkg from a new school. it sounds like transferring will not be affordable so you need to register for fall classes at your current school.
Transferring can be very difficult for those who don’t have the funds to pay. If you’re in a state like Calif, and you’re transferring from a CC to a UC, then it can be easy to get the needed aid if you qualify. Elsewhere, it can be very difficult.
Does the school specifically say they offer $15K to transfers? Or is that a general statement which would likely apply to freshman applicants?