<p>So I got into 2 of my financial safeties with decent scholarships but now I am been in a bind over the financial stuff. Now my turn to ask questions.
First of all I will be taking pre-med and will be concentrating in research. I am a science geek. </p>
<p>a) School A (near NY): Full ride covering tuition, fees, and room . I got a Presidential scholarship. Has biochemistry, my proposed major. Public school and my favorite one now. Has a decent rep with med schools and has good connections with nearby med school. Students are friendly, up and coming college, dorm is gorgeous, yeah I fell in love with my safety and it is not a top school by CC standards. But.. I have to pay for meal plans, 1100 per semester. 2200 per year and books will be 400. I was hoping some kind of additional fin aid to pay for this extra expenses. But they didn't give me a work study program! If I choose this college, I have to hope to find campus jobs on my own to wing it. Will there be a guarantee for me to handle these expenses with a job I have not found but hoping to or is it fairly easy to get a campus job the minute I enter college? </p>
<p>b) School B: They gave a full tuition scholarship, free laptop and 2/3 of room and board (meals included). Then they gave me grants recently to cover the rest of 1/3 portion as well. And a guaranteed work study program in my fin aid so I have books covered. I will be going there for free I just found out . But they only have biology, a BA program, not BS. The campus and dorms look sad, students are not opening up, I dunno. Sad I mean not ugly just not lively. This private school is in a rural area. No major med schools nearby. Not a famous school as well. (My mom loves this place since they have separate dorms for girls. She has been pushing me to go there because of this!)</p>
<p>So if anyone has patience to read through this, what you guys think? So for the difference of 2600 ++ per year for meals, books I have to make a decision. I giving myself until the 18th to make a wise decision. For those who knew me from last year, you know what happened in my life. Some difficulties happened in my personal life and I missed a lot of deadlines, got my dates mixed up, colleges messed up on fin aid they gave and had to take a gap year. So, I worked and have 5000 in savings in my name now. I been working since grade 9th to help out at home.
I was chosen during this gap year to take up part in an independent science project affiliated with a college, and if my submission wins in May, I am a lucky girl for some extra money. But I can't depend on it altogether.
I am having 3 waitlists, but I am being pragmatic with my safeties.
Anyway I love the public school, school A. (I did retaken the stupid SAT in my gap year but the score only rose 20 points - 1470/1600)
(I know some people don't like me, so please avoid this thread if you do, I don't have the energy for drama)</p>
<p>You should be able to earn $3000 or so by working this summer. At most schools, you can find either a job on campus or a job off campus. Both of my kids earned their spending money by working during the summers and by working up to 10 hours a week during the school year. It was not a problem for either of them to do this, and in fact working during the school year actually helped them manage their time better. If you don't mind continuing working, it sounds like YOU would be happier at school A. If you don't want to work, you school B would be better.</p>
<p>One thing to check is the conditions of renewal of your financial aid at both schools for upcoming years.</p>
<p>This public school... do they have ROTC, or a Nat Guard contingent nearby? Because such programs might pick up your extra expenses,and then may fund your med school as well. Something to consider. </p>
<p>How can anyone advise you? Are you willing to take on debt, which might be crushing to you later on? I strongly advise my children to take on no debt for undergrad; some listened, some did not.</p>
<p>While I am very behind the times, I am with your mom on the separate dorms. I can think of nothing I would like less than living next to young men in a dorm. Icky for both genders.</p>
<p>I am not scared of working. I was asking around at school A for job opportunities and some of the current students told me usually students under work study program get the first preferences for jobs. So advice please, without a work study program can I get a campus job like the 1st week I enter college anyways?
fencermother, I didn't know bout the ROTC there. But I am hoping to join their campus EMS after training and stuff but that will take time I think.
I don't think I can get loans anyways based on family's background. Dad died after a lot of debts bankruptcy and mom was held responsible for some of his debts after he died. It is okay now but bad cred rep for family.</p>
<p>I have to maintain a 3.3 GPA in the 1st school for my scholarship.</p>
<p>Different colleges have different procedures for securing work study jobs. DD's school has a job fair right before classes start. There is also an online job posting service, and you can apply for some jobs online. Both of my kids found jobs (one work study, one not work study) within the first couple of weeks of school. It took that long for both to get schedules straightened out anyway.</p>
<p>Even if you have work study, you still have to apply for and get a job yourself. The school doesn't do that part for you. You might want to inquire about how they fill work study jobs at your school..the application process. </p>
<p>Also, not knowing your area, there might be off campus jobs that might work as well.</p>
<p>Not knowing the schools but if you are a true science geek and planning on research and med school I would not choose a school with only a BA in biology.</p>
<p>Okay school B emailed me saying they put around 2-4 students into med schools each year but they say its good since only 2-4 apply to med schools. I felt unsure about that.
I asked school A for work opportunities available, they haven't said anything yet! I also asked them to reconsider me for a work study program, nothing yet. Looks like I am applying for jobs there even before I start studying (:
I decided on School A but I have to solve my problem now. Wish me luck!</p>
<p>I won't be around CC that much anymore from next week.. Have to finish my science project commitments by April.</p>
<p>Sounds like you really like school A. ~$3000 isn't too hard to manage. You can find a way if you want.</p>
<p>School B: What's wrong with a BA? It's a more general degree, likely requiring fewer classes. But med schools aren't going to look only at the title of your degree. If you can satisfy their requirements and make yourself a good candidate, you'll be fine. And again there's ways to make it work: minors, consortium classes, semester abroad, summer programs.</p>
<p>SkyGirl, judging from your first post I think you made the right choice for you. I understand where your mom is coming from as a fellow mother, but you are picking a home for the next four years and you sound like you will be much happier at School A. Best wishes to you! I have a lot of admiration for you, and think you will go far.</p>
<p>2blue, thank you for you supportive comments especially in the Oberlin thread :)
Just to let you know your comments have helped me a lot especially during the time when rejections/waitlists been pouring out!</p>
<p>Back in the last century, I didn't qualify for work study but managed to pay the living expenses first with an off-campus job and then with an on-campus job. As others have said here, on-campus jobs will be offered to the work study students first. But it is very likely (especially at a large public university) that plenty of other jobs will remain. Probably the student employment office on campus maintains two lists - Work Study and Non-Work Study. Keep haunting that office until you find the job you need.</p>
<p>You could also work off campus part time while attending school A. Since it's a public school with a nearby med school it sounds like the surrounding area should have a number of businesses.</p>
<p>Thngs that I see as non-issues: BA vs BS (lots of science geeks have undergrad science degrees that are BA), single-sex vs coed dorms (especially as it's your mother's concern, not yours). I lived in a coed dorm and then a coed shared house as an undergrad; it felt like being at home and having to yell at one of my (opposite gender) siblings to let someone else in the bathroom. :)</p>
<p>Covering the $3k nut a year is eminently doable with summer work and maybe some part-time work during the school year or seasonal work over winter break. You know yourself best as to if you'll be able to manage this. </p>
<p>Sometimes free is no bargain. There are many students who are trying to decide between School C at no debt and School D with $$$$ debt; That's not you. It sounds like the additional happiness you'd get at School A is worth the additional reasonable price in work or loans.</p>
<p>Is school A in or near an urban area? If so there are likely to be plenty of off-campus jobs, and those often pay much better than the on-campus, work-study jobs in any case. </p>
<p>Also, do you have to be on the meal plan at school A after the first year? If not, I wouldn't worry too much -- it is only 1 year's of expenses you are looking at, the next year you may be able save, especially if you like to eat rice & beans a lot. ;) </p>
<p>Just one thing to check into : what do you have to do to keep your Presidential Scholarship -- if the minimum GPA requirements are on the high end that could be a problem in future years. </p>
<p>Also, even though the school is not requiring you to take loans, it sounds like you would be eligible for subsidized loans. Your mom's credit history is not relevant to that -- the loans are in your name and you don't have to pay them back until after you graduated. Talk to the financial aid office to find out what your options are.</p>
<p>Skygirl, have you examined carefully the 3.3 gpa requirement to keep the scholarships at your first choice school? That's troubling to me, considering the level of difficulty of some of the premed core AND you also want to work while in school. And 3.3 seems high as a scholarship requirement - it seems that 3.0 is more common...</p>
<p>Latetoschool,
I rechecked the letter, it says to continue the scholarship for school A I have to maintain 3.3 gpa and 32 credits per year. Will it be hard to maintain that GPA in college? I never though about that.</p>
<p>calmom,
Yeah. Thank you for reminding me about the 1st year meal plan thing. I checked n it seems first years are given dorms that require meal plans. After that, they get to take part in either lottery systems or housing selections where you might get dorms with required meal plans or just optional ones. Guess it is a luck thing. I contacted financial aid office with an email. Have to see what happens after the weekend.</p>
<p>The nearby town is not a large one but fairly mid size and the students there say there are jobs available. Of course, I don't hv a car or know how to drive, but the campus has shuttles daily. I will be OOS and it is a new town, so to get a job in town..First time I am moving away frm my own town. The campus is not a large public u, it is average sized public "college" with around 6000 students. I really do hope I can get lucky with a campus job though. The job center hasn't emailed me back yet (I sent my resume). If I am lucked out there, then town it is I guess</p>
<p>Well I hope I can make School A work out (I think I am applying for their Honors too). There is school C with higher rankings but with bad aid. Why bother with it. In regards to my waitlist, I am only hoping on Barnard but it is a long shot. I so wanted their neuroscience that's all :)</p>
<p>To add to this, since Skygirl has posted this info now on other threads in which she's requesting advice: The colleges she is choosing between are Ramapo College and Berea. </p>
<p>She is extremely low income, first generation college, and can count on her single parent mom for nothing including even encouragement to go to college. Indeed, her mother and relatives are encouraging her not to go to college at all, but to continue living with her mother, 57, who doesn't want to live by herself.</p>
<p>Skygirl is extremely smart, got into Case Western last year, but couldn't afford to go there. </p>
<p>Skygirl wants to go to medical school.</p>
<p>If these facts change your previously posted opinions, please give updated advice as Skygirl does not have people in her life who can give her sage advice on college.</p>
<p>Skygirl -- no reason to give yourself an April 18th deadline to make a decision when more than likely, you have until May 1. Use the time to do things like contact the college to find out about their premed advising and medical school placement. How many students apply to med school? How many got in? What med schools did they get into? Exactly what kind of resources are there on campus for premed students? Clubs? Help getting to conferences? Opportunities to do research or support to do medically-related community service during school breaks?</p>
<p>You can either call the college or e-mail to learn about this info, including connecting directly with the premed advisor.</p>
<p>You also could contact the public medical schools in your state (which would have good reason to help you since they'd have a particular outreach to accepting student from their state) to get their advice about what to look for in a college premed program.</p>
<p>Skygirl, School A sounds perfect for you. Your resume may not get you a job offer from the campus job center, but don;t let that put you off. Most hiring for college jobs is less formal that that. If you are applying for something very skilled like a computer help person, then you qualifications matter, but a lot of campus jobs are a lot more casual and unskilled than that (reshelving books at the library, food service, etc). Maybe someone at the financial aid office can tell you if there are usually enough campus jobs for most people who want one. </p>
<p>If you do have to take out a loan, I believe you can do it in your own name. So your mother's credit rating wouldn't be an issue. But check with the financial aid office on this. You need some adult help with thinking through this financial stuff and it doesn;t sound like you're getting it. Maybe you can get someone in the financial aid office it give you that kind of advice if you explain that your mother can't.</p>
<p>" Not a famous school as well. (My mom loves this place since they have separate dorms for girls. She has been pushing me to go there because of this!)"</p>
<p>This school (which you've now posted is Berea) is much better known than is Ramapo, the other school.</p>
<p>Don't let the looks of the campus or what you perceive as friendliness/nonfriendliness of students sway you. You have been offered a full ride at Berea, which is an excellent deal particularly since you are very low income.</p>
<p>Also, state schools aren't likely to continue their level of financial aid throughout your college experience (Speaking from the experience of having taught at a state university). Likely that you'll have to take out loans and may also have aid gapped particularly for senior and junior year. Also, there's a fair chance that you'll need to spend 5 years in public university to get the courses you need to graduate. That happens a lot particularly at public universities due to overcrowding.</p>