College applications are so expensive. What to do?

Paying for College
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<p>I've already used my max four fee waivers for my SATs, ACTs, and college applications. I'm still left with 6 schools I have to pay for (meaning the app fees, SAT scores, and ACT scores), and it's leaving me spending a good $330 out of pocket...which I obviously don't have being that I was using waivers in the first place. I can cover about half of that, but I pay rent and have other expenses too (like saving for a laptop FOR college). Some of my schools accept online waivers, which would be great, but I wouldn't know how to plan for which ones that will because it doesn't ask until you finish the application. Here are my schools, could someone tell me which ones accept online ones for sure?:</p>

<p>Washington University
University of Michigan
Purdue University
University of South Florida</p>

<p>(I have other schools, but these are the ones I'm most unsure about)</p>

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<p>kerissak,</p>

<p>UMichigan and Purdue are OOS publics for you. They can’t meet your financial need even if you are an independent. UMich is $50k per year for OOS students. All you’d get is about $10k-15k in aid from federal aid. There’s no point in applying to schools that can’t come close to meeting your need. Purdue costs about $38k - so same situation. It’s just not worth your time (or money) applying to those two schools. :(</p>

<p>Others can chime in here, if they know differently. OOS publics (exception: UVA) cannot even meet the needs of their in-state students, therefore they don’t meet the need for OOS students. And, altho you’re a great kid, your stats wouldn’t help influence them to somehow give you more money. I think you said that your ACT is about a 23 or 24.</p>

<p>I think you mentioned applying for some private scholarships. That is good, but keep in mind that many/most are Freshman year only and are for small amounts - not the amounts that you need. Even if you were to receive some, that would only help for freshman year. </p>

<p>USF is a good one to apply to. You’re instate for that, and you can use your Bright Futures. :slight_smile: plus, your other federal aid! :slight_smile: Going to an instate public using Bright Futures and your fed aid is likely going to cover your costs. :)</p>

<p>As for Wash U (I’m guessing that you mean WUSL?), you could call them and ask if they’ll waive your fee since you’re low income. Some privates will give you a code to use to waive the online fee.</p>

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<p>i wanted to have a lot of schools that i liked to apply to so that i increase my chances of acceptance, obviously not to each school but overall. i dont really want to go to usf because its lower rank for me (not a bad school but not for what i want to go for, communications). im not looking for a tiny school, which has been mentioned to me, and i am well aware that michigan is the most expensive public school. im also aware that its one of the best schools for communications studies. now, money is an issue to a degree, but at the same time i think i can get the scholarship and grant money. maybe not for that particular college because there would have to be a lot, but purdue is a little more manageable. people who have lived on the streets (clearly no money) have gone to harvard with the right attitude and determination. i may not live on the streets and may not be qualified for harvard, but if there is a will, there is a way. i have the will, and im looking for a way.</p>

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<p>According to your posts elsewhere, your stats are: SATs 1060 math and reading; (490 math, 570 reading). My unweighted GPA is 3.5 and my weighted is 3.9 (all up through junior year</p>

<p>The only public schools offering to meet full need of OOS students are UNC and U VA and perhaps William & Mary. You aren’t competitive for any of them.</p>

<p>You are wasting your time applying for places like Wash U, Purdue, and Michigan. The OOS publics won’t meet your need if – and that’s a big IF – they admit you. Your stats are far below Wash Us, which one needs Ivy quality stats for.</p>

<p>If you are in Florida, I suggest that you apply to in-state schools and use your Bright Futures. Seems I remember that you think you can’t get Bright Futures because you haven’t done the 75 required hours of community service. Even with your tight schedule of school and supporting yourself, there has to be a way that you can do 75 community service hours in the several months left to do that. Doing those hours will save you thousands of dollars, possibly as much as $7 k a year as long as you go to an in state school.</p>

<p>Your community service also may help qualify you for merit aid that some schools offer to students with strong community service.</p>

<p>While this private school is out of state, it may be able to offer you the financial aid you need. A few years ago, I met a first gen college student from Georgia who went to this school and had this scholarship. She was delighted with her college experience, and was getting excellent support, including assistance to travel abroad to volunteer (I met her while volunteering in Jamaica).</p>

<p>[Bonner</a> Scholars - Wofford College](<a href=“http://www.wofford.edu/bonnerScholars/]Bonner”>Wofford College | Bonner Scholars Program)</p>

<p>Your stats would make you competitive for admission there, too. Application deadline is, I believe, Feb.</p>

<p>Otherwise, you might want to consider going to community college for 2 years (With Bright futures, costs would probably be mainly covered) and then transferring to an in state public. Some in state Florida publics have special scholarships for high gpa transfers from in-state community colleges.</p>

<p>You’d also probably have a better experience at a small college, not a huge public. As a first gen college student who is living on your own, you won’t have the support of family that most students will have. Consequently, going to a small school where the administration and professors would get to know you well would work to your advantage. At large publics, often there are hundreds of students in classes, and at some, students even take their classes by watching their classes on TV. Go some place where you’ll be known, not just a number.</p>

<p>Do not pick your college based on the major unless you’re planning on being something like an engineer, which has different requirements than do most majors. Since you’re planning on being in PR, you can go to virtually any college and get the background that will help you enter that field, which requires excellent writing skills.</p>

<p>Regardless of what they think they’ll major in as high school students, most college students change their majors at least twice. So don’t rule out colleges because they lack communications or PR majors.</p>

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<p>To the OP…if you can’t afford the fees to apply, how will you afford to attend if accepted? It does you no good to apply to a variety of schools if you will not be able to afford to attend if accepted.</p>

<p>Are the stats NSM posted correct? If so, you are not a competitive scholarship applicant at the schools you have listed.</p>

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<p>OP, I think M2CK is kindly pointing out to you that there are schools that does not meet 100% of the need, no matter how low your EFC is. Your example of Harvard is different. H does meet 100% of the need so those got in will have no financial issues. </p>

<p>Based on what you disclosed, you might be considered as an international (Jamaica) and you, with 50% Chinese, may not be a URM. You do need higher SAT scores than the current 570 reading, 490 math, and 670 writting to be more competitive for major scholarships. </p>

<p>I admire you with your will. Many schools will be glad to accept you. Best of luck.</p>

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<p>thanks dad 2. i understand all of what is being posted, and m2 is right in what she says, but nsm is a little too negative for my taste. dont just come to tell me what i cant do. college admissions looks for multiple things in an applicant, and while test scores are a BIG part, so is the essay, your class rank, and your record as a whole. the money is a secondary issue, being accepted is first and foremost. there is always that portion of the listings where they show the percentage of kids who got in with my scores, so obviously it does happen and it IS possible. i came on here asking about fee waivers, i didnt ask to be chanced for each school. if i paid attention to the constant negativity i see on my posts, i would never apply anywhere!</p>

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<p>Your best bet regarding fee waivers is to contact each school. They will tell you if they can waive their application fee.</p>

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<p>I think she can qualify for Bright Futures. I think (not sure) that the community service requirement has changed or has been eliminated.</p>

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<p>I see there’s no community service required for the Florida Medallion Scholars program of Bright Futures: [Florida</a> Student Scholarship and Grant Programs](<a href=“http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/bf/fmsrequire.htm]Florida”>http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/bf/fmsrequire.htm)</p>

<p>Community Service is required for the Academic Scholars Bright Future Award:[Florida</a> Student Scholarship and Grant Programs](<a href=“http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/bf/fasrequire.htm]Florida”>http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/bf/fasrequire.htm)</p>

<p>The latter provides more scholarshipl aid than does Medallion. </p>

<p>For either, the student must apply before graduation.</p>

<p>The scholarships can be used for in-state private or public colleges.</p>

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<p>*if i paid attention to the constant negativity i see on my posts, i would never apply anywhere! *</p>

<p>Don’t think that way! :slight_smile: </p>

<p>We want you to apply to schools - the right schools that will HELP you! :slight_smile: We don’t want you spending your hard-earned and precious money on apps for schools that won’t work out for you.</p>

<p>What about other Florida state schools? You don’t like USF, what about UCF or the others? :)</p>

<p>You need to apply to at least 2 financial safety schools that you like (AND that you know will accept you and will meet your need). </p>

<p>Which schools are those?</p>

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<p>I’m sorry that you think that my comments on your chances were negative. I was hoping to help you use your limited time and financial resources to apply to the schools that are most likely to admit you and to give you the aid you need. Fine to apply to some reach schools, but to make sure that you have a college to attend next fall, also make sure that you apply to some colleges that you know you will be accepted to and can afford.</p>

<p>Better to have too many schools that are financial and admission safeties than to not have enough.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, your negativity about Bright Futures caused you to erroneously rule out a scholarship that it looks like you can get.</p>

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<p>Look into New College. It’s small and supportive, you’d be surrounded by other bright kids, and (I believe) it’d be covered by Bright Futures. Obviously it might not be the right fit, but if you haven’t looked into it you should.</p>

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<p>New College also wants to attract minorities, so if you’re accepted, you’d probably have an excellent chance of getting the aid you need. I’ve known students who graduated from New College and then went to grad school at Johns Hopkins and U Penn.</p>

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<p>Back to the original question…assuming you mean you used your four college board fee waivers, you can print out NACAC’s fee waiver forms and take them to your guidance counselor. That should give you four additional waivers to use.</p>

<p>[FAQs</a> for Application Fee Waiver Form](<a href=“http://www.nacacnet.org/CAREERDEVELOPMENT/RESOURCES/Pages/FeeWaiverFAQ.aspx]FAQs”>http://www.nacacnet.org/CAREERDEVELOPMENT/RESOURCES/Pages/FeeWaiverFAQ.aspx)</p>

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<p>The only public schools offering to meet full need of OOS students are UNC and U VA and perhaps William & Mary. You aren’t competitive for any of them.>>></p>

<p>I’m pretty sure WM meets it for in-state only.</p>

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<p>thanks sk8rmom! that’s actually a good idea - i saw the NACAC’s thing before, but wasn’t sure what it was so i didn’t even look into it. </p>

<p>as far as new college goes, it’s a very artsy school. my friend’s dad is in admissions there and he says all the kids do there is walk around with no shoes and be spacey and poetic - it’s not my personality. you also have to write a book as your exit to graduate. it IS a good school, but it doesn’t fit me in the least. thank you for mentioning it, though.</p>

<p>NSM - i know that you, along with M2CK and anyone else seeming a little too neg, are trying to put “realism” into my head, and believe me, i know what my chances are, how things can pan out in the end, etc. i’m not trying to apply to ivies, and i’m also not dumb as a door nail. my test scores don’t speak highly for me, but i also take AP classes, have great grades (especially senior year, which is a big deal) and i’m in the top 17% of my class. not to mention, i have great essays (many people have read them and loved them). that’s why i have a good feeling about these colleges, and several college websites i’ve been on that have a rating scale of my chances based on my detailed stats have all chanced me at these schools at at least 45% - a good rating at any rate. knowing now that i can get bright futures has really restored my hopes in the whole process because now i don’t feel like i HAVE to do comm service to get it. the little “free” time i have between work and school is spent doing homework and studying. that’s why i barely have any; i have trouble in my AP stat class and i’m trying to pass it without too many bad test grades. oh! also, about BU’s need-meeting…my boyfriend’s sister was admitted to their law school twice, and she was admitted late. the only reason they did not give her more money was for that reason (she said students call you once admitted, and even commented on her not getting more money because she said that’s why they recruit a lot of them, including her, as a minority - they’re black). all this said, her ACTs were a 21 in high school, and she got into to FSU as well. so i have a feeling that i’ll be okay with them, which is good because they’re the number one school i want to go to. these other schools are just for cushion for other ones i would like to go to if something happened with BU or my FL safety schools.</p>

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<p>Please do let us know how your admissions and FA search go in the end. I’d like to know so we can use that info for future years.</p>