I’d really like to attend the University of Minnesota next year as an out-of-state student. I’ve got a 4.0 GPA and 2290 SAT. I got in to the university, but now my problem is finding money.
The U has given me about $8000 in merit scholarships, but given that my family’s income is about 35k a year (and unfortunately my Pell grant is only about $800), I still can’t pay for university at all. I can’t take out so much in loans; that’s simply ridiculous.
It’s really aggravating that even my school counselor can only vaguely gesture at the kind of third-party scholarships I can apply for. I don’t know where to find scholarships that will work for me and for some reason the College Board Scholarship search isn’t showing me any results. The only third-party scholarship I’ve found is the descendants of Ironworkers scholarship. Can someone point me in the right direction, please?
The right direction could be your instate financial safety school. U MN sounds unaffordable. Did you apply to any financial safeties? There is no scholarship fairy.
Unfortunately, March is extremely late in the high school senior scholarship cycle. With that said, search for local scholarships that are still open – it may be worth your time to apply and see if you can pick up a few.
Per their website, it looks like tuition + fees + room & board comes to 29430. This doesn’t include travel or additional personal expenses. I’m honestly not sure how you’re going to bridge that gap without taking out quite a bit in loans (and you’ll need a cosigner if you want to take out more than 5500).
What’s your major? Were you accepted to more affordable schools?
Even if he/she finds some local scholarships - what about years 2-3-4?
Every cent helps, no matter where he/she goes. But I think finding a more affordable school is the priority here.
Well, I’ve applied for several schools. I’ve applied (and been accepted) in-state to the University of Montana although that school does not offer my desired field, Linguistics.
I’ve also applied to:
UC Berkeley (yeah super expensive; I’ll never go)
University of British Columbia
McGill University (accepted but can’t go)
Gustavus Adolphus College (accepted; waiting for financial aid decision)
Carleton College
Allegedly, I can get full scholarship to the University of Montana due to my test scores, but I’ve never found a competent individual who can verify that.
My parents have always expected me to go to a good school, one that people have heard of. But it doesn’t seem like that could happen. My mother was telling me, “no no we can make this work; I can get your father to chip in…” and I told her that’s ridiculous.
I wouldn’t care about being stuck in my home state for another four years (okay, yeah I would but I can deal with it) except for its lack of a Linguistics major.
I mean, I’ll probably wind up going there after these three years of planning to actually attend a good school, but whatever.
My parents really don’t want me to join the military, but are there military options that could help as well?
Couldn’t you major in [Modern & Classical Languages and Literatures (MCLL) and minor in Linguistics](http://cas.umt.edu/linguistics/undergraduate/default.php) at UMT? If you can get a full scholarship, I would get on that. You don’t seem to have many options as it is.
I think the U of Montana is a good school ( or Montana State), but if it doesn’t have your desired major, you could always go there for 2 years and transfer, or go to grad school in linguistics. Make sure you take courses you know will transfer.
“Allegedly, I can get full scholarship to the University of Montana due to my test scores, but I’ve never found a competent individual who can verify that.”
Email the admissions and financial aid offices there, and ask. Or, get your guidance counselor to call them on the phone.
Ah, thank you for that one. Yes, that seems to be the logical choice. I’m passionate about foreign languages in general, so I’ll see if I can do that.
I suppose I’ll speak with my counselor tomorrow on my options, although I’m going to postpone my ultimate decision until I hear from the other colleges where I applied (just on principle).
Is UMN giving you instate tuition as well as that merit scholarship? Even so it doesn’t seem affordable. You mostly applied to colleges that don’t ‘meet 100% need’. The big scholarships you may have been eligible for began accepting applications last fall. UCB will be minimum 23k OOS tuition supplement + 8k student loan and work + family EFC. Carleton would meet your need–you would be very fortunate to get an offer there and it is certainly possible. A better list would yield better offers if you need to consider a gap year.
Did you file a fafsa and apply for financial aid at Univ of Montana? And apply for any scholarship if there were any instructions on the website? The scholarships are listed here, I hope you are competent enough to read it. You will get an automatic 2,000 per year. You need to apply to the larger Horatio Alger Scholarship as it closes next month (assuming you qualify.) You can investigate the other links.
http://admissions.umt.edu/scholarships/default.php
Did you qualify for National Merit Finalist ? There might still be some colleges still accepting apps that give great merit aid if you did. We are still getting brochures in the mail to apply.
Yes, are you a NMF?
You seemed to have been poorly advised as to schools to apply to.
You may need to take a gap year (don’t take classes ANYWHERE!!!, not even a CC), and reapply…with good advising…people here can help with that).
Are your parents divorced? IF so, then some schools will require your dad’s info as well.
Have you double checked your FAFSA? The $800 pell grant does not seem to match the $35000 income. Do you or your family have a lot of assets, trusts, etc.?
What do you plan to do with a Linguistics major? What is your hoped for career…now…keeping in mind that the vast majority of students switch majors.
What makes you think a degree in linguistics is important?
I agree that a $35,000 income seems like it would have a higher Pell Grant. Not a full Pell.
What is your FAFSA EFC?
@rainbowhyrax I don’t know about your part of the country. But some states have reciprocal relationships with nearby states in which you can get in-state tuition at the other school if your state schools don’t offer your intended major. It’s worth checking, given that you’re looking for linguistics.
I second the note about National Merit. If you did well on the PSAT (National merit semifinalist/finalist or commended), there are several threads that list the scholarships for which you’re eligible. Worth a look!
But you need to be expanding your options quickly. Has your guidance counselor been at all helpful? This is the sort of situation in which guidance counselors can be quite helpful if they’re well informed.
@rainbowhyrax Here’s some information about the Western state tuition exchange program that may be helpful:
http://wue.wiche.edu/WUE_constituent2.jsp
- No, UMN isn't giving me in-state tuition despite the fact that my father lives in MN.
- I did fill out the FAFSA for the University of Montana. I was also awarded the automatic $2000 scholarship. Thank you for the scholarship links.
- I did not qualify for National Merit.
- My parents are indeed divorced.
- Yes, the $800 Pell grant happened because some well-meaning family member gave my mother a reasonable sum of money which my mother decided to save for emergencies.
- With Linguistics, I hope to be either an educator or a translator. If I incorporate some computer science as well, then I'd be reasonably useful in the military. I find linguistics to be the most fascinating field, and (truth be told) one of the few tolerable ones.
- My FAFSA EFC is about $4800
- I've spoken with my counselor numerous times, and although he always claims he's "there to help," he's never actually been able to answer my questions or assist me in any way.
I’m somewhat partial toward the idea of a gap year, but I hesitate to make any decision because it seems that my family will fervently disapprove. I also can’t imagine what I could do with myself during my gap year if I wasn’t at school. I do work at a nearby restaurant but I can’t picture that taking up huge portions of my time.
I’ve been considering the military as well, but because I’m only seventeen that would require parental consent to enlist, and my mother would never allow it.
Thank you guys for all your suggestions. My mother is horrified by the whole situation as well.