<p>I was just accepted into Notre Dame, my first-choice school. However, the tuition is about $50,000/year, and I don't think my family will be eligible for any need-based aid. I also will not get any scholarships from Notre Dame because I don't play sports, but I really would like to be able to go there for college. Any suggestions on how I can pay for it?</p>
<p>How to pay $50K per year? First, find out how much your parents are willing to contribute. You will also receive $5500 for freshman year in Stafford loans. You can get a summer job and hopefully net a couple thousand dollars. Beyond that, you would be looking at private loans or local scholarships. Local scholarships tend to be for one year only and are usually not plentiful enough to fully fund a school like ND, even for one year. AND most are not renewable for subsequent years. Private loans are a possibility but you would need a cosigner for those loans…you yourself will not be able to get significant loans without a cosigher.</p>
<p>Notre Dame, I believe meets the full financial need of accepted students, doesn’t it? If your family isn’t eligible for need based aid at all at Notre Dame, that would imply that your family contribution is about $50,000 a year…and that would translate into an annual family income between $150000 and $200000 a year…or so. Are your parents planning to contribute to your college costs at all? </p>
<p>Your acceptance to ND must have been an Early Action one. Congratulations to you. </p>
<p>Another thing you need to be aware of…if your family contribution at Notre Dame exceeds their cost of attendance, your family contribution at all schools will exceed the cost of attendance (as Notre Dame is in that very expensive category of schools). There are a FEW very competitive schools (Stanford, Yale, Harvard and the like) where families with incomes up to $180,000 a year receive some need based aid. These schools are very few in number and are highly competitive.</p>
<p>Have you applied to other schools just in case the finances don’t work out at ND? Also, have you discussed college and how it will be funded with your parents? Perhaps they are able and willing to pay for you to attend ND. If not, you will need to find a school that is within your family’s financial criteria.</p>
<p>Thumper is right.</p>
<p>Have your parents said how much they will pay? If not, ask them.</p>
<p>I’m curious…how did you expect to pay for ND when you applied?</p>