<p>I live with my mom and she makes about 25k a year and my EFC is about 100~200 dollars a year. I'm waiting for my FA award from my top choice school, which is outofstate public school. Without substantial amount of FA I cannot attend that school, and will have to go to a public school in state of my residency. I'd like to decide where to attend asap so that I can plan my orientation and schedule my summer, yet without kowing how much I will get for my FA, I can't decide. I received FA package from my instate schools and it seems like FA will cover everything and my family will only have to spend couple hundred at max. So my question is should I expect FA ranging somewher around my EFC or can it be substantially different from the efc (for example, my efc is 200 dollars and the actual fa package only offers very little that I my actual cost becomes over 10k ~20k.) Right now, my mom and I are having huge argument for couple days over which school to attend. I really want to go to that school but my mom is urging me to go to instate school. Help me out people!</p>
<p>In general - public schools are augmented with tax payer funds for the benefits of resident students. So, an out of state public school is not likely to offer you full financial aid.</p>
<p>I’m afraid the package can be very different from the OOS school. Some school’s grant programs are limited to in state kids so the package can include more loans. How much of the in state offer is loans?</p>
<p>Most schools-- public, private, instate, out-of-state-- do NOT meet EFC. Most out-of-state publics make no attempt whatsoever to meet EFC. So it may not even be a matter of “more loans;” you could easily end up with a huge gap. For example, they school could cost $30K out-of-state and they can award you your full Pell Grant and $5,500 of federal loans and that’s it! Now, that’s <em>in general.</em> What school is it?</p>
<p>I live in virginia and that school is wisconsin madison. and the instate school in the text is virginia tech. I received an email from DC UW-Madison alumni association for scholarship application and definitely applying for it, but it says i need to be commited to go to wisconsin to receive it. How am I supposed to know that I’ll be going if I’m financially so strained and need that scholarship to go? This is really stressful. I say the most stressing moment of my life. never hated being poor so much.</p>
<p>How much is this scholarship for? And…Is it for all 4 years? Or is it a one time only scholarship?</p>
<p>If this scholarship isn’t for a LOT of money…like $30k per year or more… it’s very likely that you will be gapped and not be able to afford this school.</p>
<p>Is this an academic scholarship? What are your stats? Are they really high for the school? If not, then this may not be a very big scholarship.</p>
<p>Is this scholarship a special scholarship…like for community service or for being a URM?</p>
<p>Can you call UW-M and ask when you will get your FA package.</p>
<p>BTW…it is very hard for a low income parent to have her child go OOS to school at a school that doesn’t “meet need.” Your mom won’t likely be able to afford to help you with move in or other things.</p>
<p>Virginia Tech is a great fallback school if things don’t work out for you out of state. I can’t count the people - family and friends -who are there or have gone there and they all love/loved it. I think there’s something in the water there.</p>
<p>You’re right: it’s very stressful but you’re very fortunate to have an excellent instate choice. Does this “commitment” mean you have to sign a commitment (like ED or sports), or can you simply tell them you are committed if the money works out?</p>