<p>I was accepted to Michigan State University in October and I was pretty excited about going there until I got my financial aid letter. </p>
<p>They offered me:</p>
<p>Subsidized Loan - $3,500
Unsubsidized Loan - $2,000
Assistance Grant - $1,620
Student Employment - $3,000
Parent PLUS Loan - $12,458
**Total - $22,578<a href="which%20is%20the%20expected%20cost">/b</a></p>
<p>My EFC is $6,553, but my dad is homeless and my mom isn't giving me any money for college and she doesn't want to take out any loans for me, so that rules out the Parent PLUS Loan. How can I make up the $12,458 difference?</p>
<p>I’m sorry, but I doubt that there is much opportunity for you to go to Michigan State if you personally need to make up the $12K a year difference. You’re already on the hook for the max in student loans for a freshman, plus you’re expected to contribute $3K from employment. </p>
<p>Unfortunately if your mom is unable (or unwilling) to give you financial support for college, you’ll need to look at other options – Did you apply to any other financial safety schools? Are there community colleges that are possibilities? You’ve got a lot of need to be met even if your mom is able to conribute your EFC.</p>
<p>I’m sorry that this has worked out this way. It’s sad that schools with rolling admissions let kids “think” they’re going to be going to the school (because of the early acceptance), but then let the bottom drop out many months later by giving lousy aid. (I think such schools should have an online FA calc so that students will have a better idea.)</p>
<p>This a bad FA package for you. As it is, you’re going to be expected to borrow the max Staffords (which will be about $30k total). In addition, you’re going to be expected to come up with about $50k for four years. You can’t/shouldn’t borrow that much - especially in addition to the $30k you’ll be borrowing in Stafford loans.</p>
<p>What is your financial safety school?</p>
<p>That financial aid package is terrible. They are giving you $1,620 in free aid. You are expected to earn $3000 on your own (doesn’t even list it as work/study). Everything else is loans (about $18K).</p>
<p>I also applied to Michigan Technological University. After the aid that I would receive from them, I’d have to come up with $8,500 per year (after Stafford Loans).</p>
<p>There are a few community colleges in the area, but I wouldn’t really say that they are very reliable institutions as they commonly have issues transferring credits.</p>
<p>It doesn’t sound like you have a financial safety.</p>
<p>You need to meet with your best CCs and find out specifically which classes will transfer to Mich St later. you might need to ask Mich St, also.</p>
<p>Again, I’m so sorry that this worked out this way.</p>
<p>What major are you thinking about?</p>
<p>Electrical Engineering</p>
<p>Did you by any chance look at Kettering? Here are their automatic merit scholarships.</p>
<p>[Kettering</a> University](<a href=“Admissions | Kettering University”>Admissions | Kettering University)</p>
<p>It’s more expensive than State, but see where you fall with the merit scholarships. In Michigan it’s as reputative as Tech or State (and some would argue better). It’s late in the game and their other scholarships had March 15 deadlines, but if you get on the phone pronto (if you didn’t apply) you could always inquire where they are with admissions, scholarship aid, etc. Tech is less expensive for you if you can handle the UP.</p>
<p>I was accepted to Kettering and received the Trustee Scholarship ($13,000 per year), but they haven’t notified about any additional aid. Also, I’ve heard that they’re having difficulty finding co-op positions for their students, which is a problem considering that co-op is their specialty. And, it’s in Flint…</p>
<p>I could definitely handle living in the UP, but Tech is pretty far away from where I live now (525 miles; 10 hours), unlike MSU which is barely a 40 minute drive.</p>
<p>Could you commute to MSU if you had to? If so, you could plan your schedule to avoid 8 am classes to give you time to get to campus.</p>