<p>why would i need a co signer? sorry, i never really looked into loans before.</p>
<p>Franny it is a reality of life it is about the money. I face that now with my S as a single mom. We talk a lot about the reality that his dream school does not make financial sense, especially as a bright kid like you, who will likely have grad school on the horizon as well. There are so many fantastic colleges out there that aren’t 50K a year. I remain a bit sticker shocked like you…but it is life and you will find a way to go to a school where you find your niche and are happy and start life without debt.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, all too often the people who are telling you to dream big don’t know enough about your financial situation to give you the specialized advice you need - especially when money is a factor.</p>
<p>i just feel like all i did in high school was just a waste lol.</p>
<p>i could’ve just partied my way through school like all my classmates seeing as the outcome is still the same, still going to the same college as them.</p>
<p>what if i live in a box and buy used books? that takes out like 13k right there.</p>
<p>Books do not cost $13,000- not even for 4 years.
- i thought the least i would have to take out is like 10k a year*
Room & board cost about $10,000. Expecting a school in this economy, especially not a school with huge endowments to meet close to your need, when your need is tens of thousands of dollars is not reasonable.</p>
<p>Potential college students need to come to terms with what they have to offer a school & what they can afford. Very few schools meet 100% of need. The schools that DO, use additional information besides FAFSA to determine what your family can afford from loans, savings & income to pay towards your expenses.</p>
<p>I agree the adults in your life let you down by not steering you toward realistic choices. Unfortunately many students are in the same situation, being dazzled by glossy brochures & feeling that working hard in high school earned them the right to attend their dream school.
Your effort wasn’t wasted.
Excelling in high school helped you prepare to further your education. No one is saying you can’t do that. But very, very few people attend a dream school, have a dream house, dream career or dream spouse. More often it is a case of * blooming where you are planted* & giving it 110%.</p>
<p>Learning to take the bumps on the road of life, even when it means a detour or two is a way that we earn perspective on how blessed & lucky we really are.</p>
<p>so, that’s what im saying, if i live in a box and don’t room and board and buy used books thats like 13k off.</p>
<p>i don’t want to stay in florida. could i go to cc in ny?</p>
<p>I know that you are disappointed, and I know that you don’t want to stay in Florida. Believe me, though … a couple years is truly only a very small drop in the bucket of your life. A couple years of putting off leaving is far better than many years of paying back a huge debt. </p>
<p>You did NOT waste your time. No matter where you go to school, you will benefit from your years of hard work that got you to this point. Find a school you can afford, suck it up, kick butt, and the world will be waiting for you after graduation. Honest.</p>
<p>Franny, I’m so sorry for your situation. I agree kids are sold a bill of goods. My dd has told me about the “college seminars” that they have at her HS where the counselors talk abut finding the right peer groups, the right fit, the right location, the right amenities. So of course my dd doesn’t want to end up with the kids at the bottom half of the class at our state U.</p>
<p>Here’s an idea to look into: Delaware College of Art and Design is affiliated with the Pratt and offers a more affordable degree. Check out their website. They do have merit scholarships available, and even paying full freight is less than $25k. The school only offers a two year degree- with some students transferring to the Pratt Institute when they are finished. The faculty is fantastic.</p>
<p>@4yorkshiremen: the deadline passed to be eligible for merit scholarships, but i’ll check it out and i’m going to talk to my mom to see what to do. thanks!</p>
<p>Make sure when you crunch numbers you factor art supplies…they can get very expensive so ask the colleges if they know what kind of costs art students are expected to spend on supplies as you re-tinker your thinking.</p>
<p>Also notice about DCAD: Spring admissions are available.</p>
<p>Hold on. If your EFC is 2750, how come you’re expected to pay so much for college? That’s pretty close to 0 EFC, which means full-ride. I’m sooo confused. My EFC is ~10,000…I thought that’s how much I’m(my parents are) expected to pay (besides work study and whatnot). Someone please help.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Because adults can be a bunch of jerks and like to say all sorts of things and market all sorts of things and then hand you a bunch of loan papers to sign now that you are 18.</p>
<p>I’m just super glad you are too smart to bite, even though I’m also deeply sorry for your disappoinment.</p>
<p>I know it feels tough, right now, and you aren’t making that up. It is tough when you are mislead by the very people who are allegedly out for your best interests. So, give yourself a day or two to be angry and disappointed and then make a plan for yourself. </p>
<p>You can take a gap year and study art, and work, and apply to the publics and some strategically chosen schools which give good scholarships for your stats. You can go to community college, which there can be some really amazing art teachers at community college, by the way, real working artists, who are making a living in the real world doing what you want to do. At the community college, you can make some plans with the help of the advisors (CC advisors have sooooo much info on this, you’d be amazed.)</p>
<p>Anyway, good luck to you.</p>
<p>I really wish schools would first say, "Find out what you can afford, and then start to look at the schools that will work for you, instead of “Hey whatever you want, its YOURS!” We should be much more responsible, as adults, but I also believe, with your smarts and talents, you’re going to be better than fine, in the end.</p>
<p>collegeinfo1994: EFC is just a number the Federal Government calculates that then affects <em>government</em> backed loans and grants. Colleges often look to EFC as a guideline or a data point but they are NOT obligated to follow it and most can’t and won’t offer any of their own college monies to bring their pricetag down to a student’s EFC.</p>
<p>Note the Fed Gov only has limited student loans and grants to offet as well. They often don’t get a student down to EFC costs either–far from it.</p>
<p>For the record, no one ever told my kids to apply to shoot for the moon/“right college for you”. In fact, even though they attended a “private school” in California, they were told to go to CCC, then transfer to a UC to save money.</p>
<p>I wish that financial aid information was more readily available to the general public, in a format that makes sense. Too often, the people presenting financial aid information have something to gain by presenting the information in a way targeted to get what they want … your money for counseling sessions, your application for admission, etc. </p>
<p>I ask parents what a year of college costs. They guess low, most of the time. When I tell them how much it really costs, I then ask if they could afford it if they had to pay that much in a few months. Most often, the answer is NO WAY. Then I tell them what I have found to be true: Unless they do something NOW to save for school, they won’t be able to afford college any more in the future than they can today. </p>
<p>There are students who find that they can actually afford the expensive schools … just not all that many. It’s best to plan for “most likely” and enjoy it if the dream comes true.</p>
<p>@4yorkshiremen: i just completed my application for DCAD and it only had fall 2012 as an option, so i just did it. i’m sending in my transcripts tomorrow (i always ask for a lot of copies from the guidance office every grading period just in case for scholarships and such) and turning in my portfolio possibly tonight. it’s something. i’m going to call pratt tomorrow.</p>
<p>@shrinkrap- you’re lucky.</p>
<p>my mom is kind of oblivious about the college/fin aid process too. i told my mom just now i was applying for cc and i needed credit card for app fee, and she’s like why? and i’m like, because private school is too expensive. and she’s like, just take out student loans. and i’m like, i’d have to take out about 30k a year. and she’s like so? and i’m lol this is why you have bad credit mom</p>
<p>one of the challenges that I see with Delaware College of Art and Design is like most art schools, they do not meet 100% demonstrated need.</p>
<p>I think that students and families need to be more diligent about doing research especially where financial aid is concerned. They should compare information at the college board, collegeresultsonline.com, Ipeds, the school’s common data set to get an idea about the distribution of financial aid.</p>
<p>IPEDS gives the following information about Delaware College of Art and Design financial aid</p>
<p>Federal grant aid 31% 3,272
State/local grant aid 9% 5,758
Institutional grant aid 91% 4,385
Loan 73% 10,774</p>
<p>[IPEDS</a> Data Center](<a href=“http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter/Snapshotx.aspx?unitId=afaeadb0adaf]IPEDS”>http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter/Snapshotx.aspx?unitId=afaeadb0adaf)</p>
<p>Student will not be eligible for state aid, because she is not a resident of Delaware and she is also not in a position to borrow 10k/year in loans.</p>
<p>If you are going to take a gap year, I would recommend that you take a bottoms up approach and redo your college list making sure that first and foremost that you have a list of schools that are financially feasible options for your family. This means starting at schools in your own back yard. Have you considered Florida state? They have a a graphics program at the college of fine arts, the COA in state is less than 20k (including room and board).</p>
<p>[College</a> of Fine Arts - University of Florida](<a href=“http://www.arts.ufl.edu/]College”>http://www.arts.ufl.edu/)</p>
<p>If you are eligible for any bright futures money, pell, possible scholarships, other state aid,perhaps a florida opportunity scholarship, loans, this could be workable.</p>
<p>You should also research and toss an application at New College, and a few other schools in your state university system</p>
<p>[State</a> University System of Florida | Board of Governors : University](<a href=“http://www.flbog.org/aboutsus/universities/]State”>flbog.org - This website is for sale! - flbog Resources and Information.)</p>