We found UNC to be the most generous of every school that met need (including the ivies). My daughter’s cost of attendance was based on the Fafsa EFC, despite being a profile school.
I do think every family has its own unique situation, and I don’t if the new Fafsa rules (?) regarding number of students in college will apply, but I do think it’s worth investigating.
Yes, for some families, the FAFSA EFC (will be SAI this cycle) can be in the ballpark of need calculated using all the CSS Profile information.
Both Alabama and Auburn are big in (spectator) football and fraternities / sororities, so there may be some similarities in the party scene. You may want to investigate more on this.
What is SAI?
We were assigned a FA counselor and I was told that cost of attendance for all is based on the Fafsa EFC. This was a few years ago so of course it may have changed.
This year the DOE is launching a new FAFSA, which won’t be available until December at the earliest. One of the many changes is that the EFC has been renamed SAI (student aid index).
Silly question but I just want to fully understand - so all students have to wait for this new version when applying for aid for the 24-25 school year?
Yes. Here are some of the basics, but there are many web resources discussing the coming changes. https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/fafsa-simplification-act
Here are some past/upcoming webinars: Live Internet Webinars – Better FAFSA Better Future Webinar Series, June–July 2023 (Updated May 17, 2023) | Knowledge Center
@An_D can you confirm this? Because if true, that’ll provide you a good boost at many schools.
Regarding Alabama and Auburn, their in-state scholarships are listed here, but note that Alabama’s are automatic, while Auburn may adjust the thresholds and amounts competitively (so the thresholds and amounts listed are only historical).
Are you asking to be chanced for all UC schools, or are you seriously considering applying to all of the UCs?
If you are seriously considering applying to all of them, realize that, the UC application is different than the Common App. It requires four Personal Insight Questions and asks for several sentences describing up to 20 Activities & Awards. UCs don’t consider test scores or LOR. While all nine UCs share one application, they operate as nine independent universities.
Spend some time researching the different UCs. They vary widely with respect academic rigor and opportunities, as well as both physical and social environment.
As was mentioned up thread, if you are looking to go to California, and are interested in studying CS + Business, look at USC (a private school, not a UC).
Raikes School at UNL is a gem. Know some kids who have attended - doing great in the real world. If you can get in - it’s full tuition/fees; and dips into room and board. (It used to be full R&B; but not sure now). My kiddo applied; didnt get in. Probably a good thing; it’s a little too serious and hard core for my kid! A kid can major in any subject and be in Raikes; but the main focus is computer science – so most are software engineering or computer science majors. thanks for mentioning it, aquapt. https://raikes.unl.edu/
I think the targets are possible. The reaches need something extra – something to standout. The private reaches often need more academic breadth than I can see in your profile. Cornell is probably a good ED.
The essays will make a large difference.
All the big publics and even some privates are party schools. But at larger schools you can find your people. My son knew lots of people who didn’t party and were serious about their schooling. And more likely in CS and engineering, you will be surrounded by brilliance wherever you go.
As for business, Bama has STEM to the MBA which many like and both Bama Culverhouse and Auburn Harbert are great names.
Bama has ecoCAR. Auburn looks to have auto assets too but look into them. It appears your interests touch automotive.
Especially if finances become a family issue, go see and don’t go by - I hear.
You are close enough to both.
But even if you find out your parent can afford something else, unless you want to likely be headed to Auburn, you do need to redo your list.
Good luck.
Also making sure that you took a year of Visual & Performing Arts for the UCs.
If this is the case, I would not bother applying to UCs. They are 80K a year for out of state and offer no need based aid for out of state students and very little merit aid. They will not be affordable, not even worth the price tag given your financial situation.
To me this looks like something to be concerned about. Spending $80,000 per year per student for three students seems impossible with $150,000 income and three students in college. However, financial aid is not certain and is very unlikely at some of the schools on your list. It is possible to get part way through a degree and discover that you and your parents are not longer able to borrow enough money to finish the degree (I have seen this happen to at least one student who I used to know).
At a minimum you should run the NPC on a few schools and show the results to your parents. You might want to run the NPC on every school on your list.
I think that it is difficult to predict your chances particular given one of the recent events in the news.
I think that you need to add more likely and safety schools. At a minimum I would add the University of Alabama. You also might want to consider U.Mass Amherst, which is very good for CS. U.Mass does have some merit aid for out of state students although it will not be a full ride.
Please have a talk with your parents. They need to figure out what they can realistically pay.
My son was just telling me about another student that he knows here in CA. This student’s parents told him not to worry about the costs, they would figure out how to pay for any college where he was admitted. After the student was admitted to USC (his first choice), the parents realized how expensive the school would be, and learned that they could not afford it. He was also admitted to some out of state schools… all turned out to be too expensive. He was not admitted to UCB and UCLA, and did not apply to any other in-state schools because he didn’t realize how important the cost factor would be. He will be attending UC Merced in the fall.
UT Austin has two honors programs you should explore. https://csb.utexas.edu/ and Turing Scholars | Department of Computer Science. Additionally, the only way UT Austin is likely be be reasonable for price is if you take your business and continue it in Texas. That will allow you to get in state tuition starting the second year. It will still be pricey, but it may make the finances work.
I agree with others, the UC schools make little sense at full pay when you are likely to get financial aid at many excellent private schools in addition to options like Auburn and Arizona.
Edited out business name. It took me a nanosecond to Google you, which is probably not want you want on a site called College Confidential.
An Ohio State program that might interest you is Integrated Business & Engineering Honors Program
If you apply, you should indicate CSE as major on the common app, apply EA, indicate honors interest and submit supplemental applications for their Stamps/Eminence full ride and Morrill full tuition/or full ride scholarships.