<p>My dad said he should be able to cover 12k/year in expenses along with his uncle. I really don’t want to have him spend that 12k/year though. The UC’s seem to be 8-10k/year with workstudy and CSU a bit less, and I’ll be applying to other private scholarships.</p>
<p>I see that good schools with high institutional need-based aid often require the profile and NCP info, however schools like Vandy/Santa Clara/Olin/UChicago (all of which would be reach schools for my stats?) do not require NCP info and the total expense would seem to be about 3-7k/year, including loans, which is absolutely incredible. What I’d really like to know is about any other similar schools that I could apply to.</p>
<p>Well…its a little late for this year…but you would have gotten a great tuition package from University of Alabama. But the deadline for submission of the application is tomorrow. Can you get it done? And their scholarship application too? They are not hard or lengthy. Then you will need to get the SAT score and your transcript sent ASAP as well.</p>
<p>I’ve been hearing a lot about University of Alabama and I’ve been really looking into it and I just don’t think that I’d really want to go there</p>
<p>Most California schools automatically upload the certified GPA that is required to Calgrants by March 2. I am not so literal about spring starting March 20 or 22 or whatever. I simply meant that you can delay thinking about this, but that you should verify that it is done. There is only one Calgrant deadline- March 2. The only single thing you need to do is verify that your school sent the GPA, and if not, walk it through yourself. Calgrant is useful at any university or college within the state of California.</p>
<p>I believe the UCs will provide full need. This means that they will expect you to pay EFC, earn ~$3,000 work-study over the calendar year, and take out the maximum subsidized federal loan. They will then make up the difference, all based on their calculation of Cost of Attendance. If you take shortcuts: live off campus, buy used books, or in other ways spend less than their estimate, you will need less. Also, if you earn some more money over the summer, you will need to borrow less. Also, if your relatives pay some more than the EFC, you will need to borrow less. The maximum federal subsidized loan limit is higher your senior year than your freshman year. I would expect your total cost over EFC (whether donated by your great-uncle or covered through loans in your own name) would be around $20,000 - $30,000 after four years, when all is said and done.</p>
<p>Moving from Physics to Engineering may be difficult at UCB. I am not sure. I would be interested in how you decide between Engineering at UCLA and Physics at UCB if you are accepted at both.</p>
<p>I believe that CSU will likely also meet full need according to the same definition, but I do not know. If so, tuition being half of that at UC does not make a material difference to your finances.</p>
<p>I will certainly take care of getting the cal grant. Something about the UC’s I just realized: will the cal grant amount increase with the UC tuition 5% annual tuition increases? From what I can tell, the cal grant is currently $12,200 while tuition at UCB, for instance, is $11,200 (is this figure from a previous year?).</p>
<p>Regardless, the UC’s should work out well, but schools like Vandy/Olin/UChicago, which offer full grants to meet total need that is calculated without NCP contribution, would work out even better. What I’m really looking for at this point is other schools that are similar in this regard, as well as info on NCP waivers for the many, many schools with lots of institutional aid but factor in a NCP contribution.</p>
<p>You need to understand…waivers for NCP profile are considered on a case by case basis…by each school separately. It is very difficult to,tell you whether or not you will get a waiver for the NCP.</p>
<p>To be honest, it sounds like you want this waiver ONLY because your NCP has more sizable earnings than your custodial parent. Is that correct? If so, that is not a basis for a waiver.</p>
<p>I want the waiver because it means I will have to pay less for my education. My mom has made it clear she will not be contributing to the costs of college and I’ve not had any contact with her since April. Without the waiver, if my mom even did submit her financial info, the Ivy League schools and many other high tier state/privates that offer enough need-based institutional aid for me to otherwise be able to afford attendance will raise my EFC from $500 to tens of thousands, while the actual contribution my family can make wouldn’t change and I’ll be no where close to being able to fund an education at that school.</p>
<p>I figure I’ll still apply to schools like Washington Univ. in St. Louis, UVa, and the Claremont schools who have lots of institutional aid but typically require NCP info on the chance that 1) I get admitted, and 2) my waiver is approved and I get a financial aid package that will allow me to afford tuition/expenses. I’m not banking or relying on either of those two conditions for the schools I mentioned, but I feel that it’s worth the chance.</p>
<p>Schools like Vandy/Olin/UChicago, which are still reaches in terms of admission, are much more realistic as they do not also require me to submit a waiver and get it approved.</p>
<p>Re: a waiver. Simply NOT seeing a parent is not grounds for a NCP waiver. You know where your mom is. Your dad is receiving child support. Your school will want evidence that there long term breach in your contact with your mom. It sounds like this lack of contact aligns with the separation of your parents. That will NOT be likely deemed sufficient to get a waiver.</p>
<p>There are many divorced families. And lots have a NCP with high income. Do you really think waivers are granted to all of these students simoly because they do not SEE their NCP? That very much could be a choice you are making, and not a necessity.</p>
<p>NCP waivers are granted when the student has no contact with the NCP for an extended period of time, has no idea where the NCP lives, cannot make contact in any way with the NCP.</p>
<p>This does not sound like your situation at all.</p>
<p>Your post above clearly states that the reason for this NCP waiver is that your family contribution will jump thousands of dollars because of your mom’s income. And she won’t pay. Is this because you chose to live with your dad? That is possible.</p>
<p>I am not one who is reading your waiver request…but you don’t have anything compelling here that would suggest it would be granted. These are not granted simply because the NCP has high income and refuses to pay for college.</p>
<p>That’s exactly what I thought when I read about the NCP waivers. It seemed like they were only meant for when an NCP is dead, in jail, or off the grid somehow – something extreme. I discounted any colleges that required NCP forms. However, my dad heard otherwise and he and I called several of the college’s financial aid departments that I’ve mentioned (Washington Univ. St Louis, UVa, Claremonts, UColumbia) and each one of them said it was likely that I would get NCP waived. I’m not sure if they just say that to everyone to get as many people to apply to their school as possible, but they seemed very genuine and helpful, and I’ve only the cost of the application to lose.</p>
<p>I’m not trying to scam anyone and I’m not going to misrepresent my circumstances or situation to any colleges. It’s the college’s choice for whether they accept or decline my waiver. It may or may not be likely that they accept my waiver, but it’s certainly a grey area – such is the nature of college admissions. I’m not committing to or banking on any schools at all, certainly not the ones that I mentioned and have hard admissions and a waiver required, however I will likely be applying to a few of these, which I’d only be able to afford if they accepted my waiver.</p>
<p>That brings me to this thread.</p>
<p>I’m most looking for good schools like Vanderbilt/Franklin W. Olin/UChicago which all do not expect a contribution from NCP and offer lots of institutional need-based aid. It’s really difficult and confusing to comb through lists of colleges of names I’ve never heard of and do all the research to determine if the college is decent, offers institutional aid, has my major, and does not calculate NCP’s financials. As far as I can tell, they’re few and far between, which makes sense to me. I made this thread because I’ve nothing else to turn to for help. I can’t find any resources/blogs online for people in my (apparently) unique situation, nor anyone in real life who can help guide me to find those gems such as Vanderbilt/Olin/UChicago.</p>
<p>Thanks very much for the comments and your time.</p>
<p>The thing is…these very generous schools are also very competitive as well. </p>
<p>Did you apply before NOW to any schools where you would have been guaranteed merit aid? If you were really a competitive applicant for the competitive schools you are listing, you could likely have received full tuition at a number of other schools. But for many of these merit awards…the deadlines have passed for you admissions application. </p>
<p>Look at the pinned thread above for scholarships. The first post has a number of threads dealing with lower cost options and schools where scholarships are more readily available to ease the costs. </p>
<p>No, these are not Olin or UChicago, or Vandy. But there are some fine schools on those lists.</p>
<p>If costs are a significant consideration…then you need to open your mind to other options.</p>
<p>The only schools I’ve so far applied to are the UC’s and Cal Poly SLO. I’ve looked at all the schools that I could find that offered guaranteed merit aid that fully covered tuition and I’d rather pay for UC/CSU than attend a significantly worse school for a few thousand per year less. I was originally going to apply to UTexas Dallas and UAlabama, but my dad said he could get the money together for the UC’s and would much rather me go to the UC’s than go to one of the schools I mentioned for slightly cheaper.</p>
<p>I realize the generous schools are the ones that are so good that they can afford to invest lots of aid in their students. I also realize that Vandy and the others I listed are reach schools, but each one of them would be a dream come true and it’s certainly possible for me to be accepted. I don’t know what my chances are exactly, but my stats (listed in OP) seem right in the ballpark/slightly better than average for these schools as far as I can tell.</p>
<p>Bama’s NPC is highly padded and doesn’t include the 2500 per year awarded for engineering.</p>
<p>Bama’s NPC includes the priciest meal plan (only required frosh year) and the priciest dorms. If you choose a standard double, the cost goes down by about $4k per year.</p>
<p>I’d most like to go into engineering, but computer science and physics would be acceptable as well (I’m pretty undecided).</p>
<p>My main issue with Alabama is that it’s not prestigious enough and the stats don’t look great. My uncle is an engineer who’s doing rather well in the industry and he tells me that getting your first career(s) and interviews are based on the ranking and reputation of the college you come from more than anything else, and Alabama just doesn’t seem great or have much appeal to me. Then again, essentially all I’m going off of is internet rankings… but still.</p>
<p>I’ve heard a lot about UAlabama but little about UTexas Dallas. Is there a significant difference? It seems that their guaranteed merit aid policies are very similar, as well as their stats and programs.</p>
<p>My husband hires engineers. He is looking for folks who graduated from ABET accredited colleges with degrees in engineering. He wants smart, articulate engineers who want to learn. The reality is…in your first engineering job at least, you will be doing some very significant on the job training.</p>
<p>And you will be paid the same entry level salary regardless of where you get your undergrad degree in engineering.</p>
<p>The California colleges sound like they will be your best bet. You will be expected to pay your EFC plus the $5500 Direct Loan plus about $3000 in student contribution (a job). If you don’t currently have a small part time job, you might want to consider getting one. This will give you a cushion of money to start the year.</p>
<p>Alright, I’ve been looking a bit more at UAlabama and I think I am going to apply. I’ll submit the app today and call them tomorrow morning if anything is late. Thanks everyone.</p>
<p>Any other recommended schools? I’ll have a look at School of Mines.</p>
<p>Your EFC will not change because you have contact with your mother, if your mother refuses to pay for your college, if your mother is a bazillionaire or middle class (except the amount of child support she pays may change). The EFC is calculated based on YOUR household, and your household is with your father. The EFC is based on his income (including child support received) and assets, and your income and assets. It won’t change if a school decides you get a NCP waiver or not. The school may use a CSS/Profile method and therefore grant you less institutional aid, but federal aid won’t change. I believe the California schools just use FAFSA.</p>
<p>It’s too bad you feel many schools aren’t good enough for you; you may miss some really good opportunities where you could graduate without loans. You seem to know best, so go ahead and apply only to highly ranked schools. I hope you aren’t sitting on the sidelines come next September wishing you’d applied to some of those ‘low’ ranks schools like Alabama or NM Tech.</p>
<p>NM Tech will give WUE or merit, but not both; however, the merit the OP is eligible for at Tech is worth significantly than the WUE scholarship. </p>
<p>All NMT merit awards include full remission of the OOS tuition differential<a href=“which%20is%20a%20better%20deal%20than%20WUE”>/u</a> plus additional $$$. NMT instate tuition + all required fees is $6250/year. (Thank you Permian Basin!) </p>
<p>I apologize if my tone has been arrogant. I don’t mean to pretend I know much about colleges. I know very little, and all I’m looking at is rankings, admission statistics, and cost. I will be applying to UAlabama and probably School of Mines/UT Dallas.</p>
<p>That being said, I still think I’d prefer Berkeley or another UC if I get in (seems to be about $10k/year max, which is affordable), but I don’t know yet and I’m going to apply to those schools anyways/just in case. Being admitted to Vandy/UChicago/Olin would be all dreams come true, though unlikely ones.</p>
<p>I’m aware of the differences between financial and institutional methodology. Per FAFSA/federal methodology, my EFC is $500. Period.</p>
<p>Institutional methodology is potentially very different due to my dad owning his own business (electrician – employs only him), owning part of a house, and most importantly my mom’s financials. Between colleges, my EFC could change institutionally by at most $2-3k/year if they don’t consider NCP. If they do, then the college would be far, far from affordable. My financial aid package at vandy/uchicago/olin would allow me to easily graduate without loans or stressing my family financially, if I were to be accepted, and I’m really looking for similar schools to these.</p>
<p>Thanks so much to the people who suggested NM Mines/UAlabama. I will apply to both of them. Again, I apologize if I came off as haughty or conceited.</p>