I find those extra costs annoying on the calculators as they are variable depending on the student. I talked to one parent who saved so much just from used books (and rentals). Even meal plans can change. I know my D (who is vegetarian) will not be opting for the full-on, most expensive meal plan.
Hi all, I’ve been reading this thread with much interest. We are in the Poconos; very near to ESU (which I don’t find at all appealing). I’m so frustrated by the costs of in-state college in this state; had I known so many more things when we were young marrieds, I surely would’ve not moved here 
… I am checking numbers, but UF, where I went to grad school, has comparable OOS costs to in-state PSU, which is pathetic. My daughter is a sophomore, so we have some time, but her 10th-grade PSAT was not promising for merit aid. I’m thinking our best strategy about now is to prep like mad for SAT/ACT (not sure which at this point), and hope that her modest athletic/EC endeavors give us something of a hook.
Anyway, just wanted to pipe up and say I’m rooting for everyone.
Welcome to this thread, @Gatormama! Yes, PA is very frustrating and PSU, Pitt and Temple can be tough to swallow in terms of cost. Temple does have some more merit to offer it seems, but that maybe changing. Prepping for SAT/ACT is a good strategy, but even then it is tough to know what will pay off; tutoring, classes and self study…?
Temple’s merit has most definitely changed. My D with a 30 ACT and 4.2 weighted GPA was only offered 5k per year as out of state. A couple of years ago it would have been three times that.
^ Temple 's entering class stats will drop dramatically. Those scholarships were a very big draw both instate (attracting psu/pitt students) and oos.
@MYOS1634 I agree! She will most likely be heading to Univ of Alabama instead and their offer of 18k per year as well as admission into their Honors College!
I have a question for the group, could be completely anecdotal. My D’s good friend mentioned that she was accepted to IUP without her test scores. She had taken the SAT, but it was the scores were not available at the time of application. She has since received her scores and they were very low, well below national averages. This girl is super nice and amazing in many ways, but is in lower tracks at our HS (not college prep). Does this sound right (the acceptance part, before scores are available)? Curious, thanks.
@portercat…IUP has “Acceptance Day” programs and they accept students contingent on their test scores. I do know a student that attended that program and was accepted but not fully until test scores were submitted.
@Portercat IUP has an acceptance rate of 88%. Their student population has been decreasing in recent years and admissions have become less competitive. Students from our high school have been accepted with GPAs in the high 70s and SAT scores as low as 845. As long as this student has decent grades, her acceptance will likely be confirmed even with low SAT scores.
Crazy thing I read about IUP…It is in the top 25 colleges in the USA that produce th most millionaires!
Hmmmmmmm… When?
Because 100 years ago Lycoming had a millionaire 's row… And The passhe schools have fallen precipitously in terms past 20 years.
2013 or so…
https://www.facebook.com/iupedu/posts/10152415900898228
http://totalfratmove.com/the-top-62-universities-for-producing-millionaires-in-the-u-s/
http://www.msinus.com/content/top-100-universities-producing-millionaires-1301/
Who knows? Looks like top 50
@Gatormama Yes, when you first start looking into college in PA, it is a shock. My friend’s son went to ESU. He wss never happy there, grades tanked, he informed his parents he isn’t going back for spring semester. However, the only affordable schools for them were in the PASSHE system, and he toured most of those in the eastern part of the state.
The interesting thing I have noticed about IUP. When I first looked at them for our youngest, they had the tiered tuition starting at 12 credits, which would not generally result in a degree in 4 years. I think they got a lot of blow back from that strategy as they now just list a higher tuition rate for the standard 15 credit semester.
This thread is probably going to become my second home over the next two years 
- the info on Temple alone is eye-opening, as that was one of the early ones on my radar because of merit possibilities.
I just don’t know how my kid is gonna do in the next two years - she could kick it up a notch and finish with a bang, opening up some higher-level LAC merit possibilities, or she could continue at her current solid but unspectacular pace, which will definitely put us in the cheaper PASSHE territory, I just don’t know.
It’s hard to get even the rough outlines of a list together with so many unknowns. I know what she loves doing in high school but there’s no guarantee she’ll want to major in those things. I don’t know where she’ll be test-wise. I don’t know where our finances will be. My husband is self-employed with irregular income, and next year – OF COURSE the year that will count for freshman financial aid under the new FAFSA rules – could be a higher earning year.
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Yes, Temple overextended themselves with merit this past year, and now has to draw back I’ve heard. We have found that the merit offers for mid range LACs aren’t enough to compare to PASSHE costs since my Ds scores aren’t great. If your kid can score better than a 28 ACT (or equivalent SAT) it may open things up. We have a decent offer from York and are seriously considering it, probably more than our 2 PASSHE acceptances for now.
I have been curious about the LAC’s. I have seen posts that there are many LAC’s in PA that give great aid. If they don’t give enough to be less than the PASSHE system, then they aren’t going to work.
Has anyone found any LAC’s offering this to be the case? Anywhere?
They may give great aid but it is very very dependent on good test scores. My D has a GPA of 3.8+ but her test scores are low for good merit. Some merit, yes, but not comparable with COA of a PASSHE school.
Westminster college in PA is closest in cost
Some schools like Juniata, Susquehanna, UScranton, St Vincent, Allegheny might be lower with merit and need based aid. Run the net price calculators on their websites.
Had the discussion tonight with my D, and she is finally realizing that most of her friend group in school is committing to Pitt or Temple, and looking down on other schools (PASSHE schools, etc). This is the next stage I guess, second semester of senior year. I told her that you don’t know their whole situation, if they are borrowing a lot of money, etc. Ugh, this whole process is taking its toll. Can’t wait until it is over.