Do I qualify for a full-ride

Paying for College
1

<p>First of all, as of now, I have a 2.5 GPA. I will begin my senior year in high school after the summer. I plan to pull my GPA up to at least a 2.7. At the start of the second semester of my junior year, I had a 2.3, and I pulled it up to a 2.5. So, I think I could get it up to a 2.7-2.8 with hard work. I know that I have made a lot of mistakes, and I will have to make them up when I enter into a university. But, I don't plan to enter a prestigious university, and I am not delusional enough to attempt to enter one with a 2.5 GPA and a lack of scholarship opportunities to tackle the cost.</p>

<p>I plan to go to a university in which the tuition cost are between $6000-$15000, and at least 48-50% of student have a GPA between 2.0-2.9. Now, let me be clear. I am not attempting to enter into any prestigious school. Nevertheless, I am determined to enroll in a 4 year university. There are many four year universities that will be willing to accept me. I have not received my ACT scores back yet, but I attend on receiving a minimum of 23. I studied both the book and disks, and they appeared to be 10x harder than the actual test. The test was a breeze, and the only thing that probably pushed my score down to a 23 is a bad management of time. I am the captain of my school's debate team, a member of the chess club, a member of the BH bowl. I am also the campaign manager for the SGA President. I am also known for my rhetorical and oratorical skills, and I once quoted in our local newspaper. </p>

<p>My GPA and ACT is all about acceptance into any four year university, nevertheless, I wish to know based on my low income, will financial aid cover those cost. I have been writing several of essays for scholarship money, and I plan on taking part in both an oratorical contest and continue to take part in those essay contest. My primary concern is the financial aid, because non-academic scholarship money is not guaranteed, though I am confident that my submitted essays were among the best. </p>

<p>I am very concerned with how much money I will actually receive from financial aid. My mother makes about $8000/year, with the potential to make about $15500. I live in a single parent home with an older sister in college. My stepfather is deceased, he killed himself upon my entrance into high school. My birth father...who knows where he is. I pretty much didn't care about my grades, and didn't even know the importance of my GPA during my 9th grade year. I can't even remember my 10th grade year, but I believe that it was the same. I didn't even consider college until the beginning of my 10th grade year. I was probably at less than a 2.0 during that period of time, and I have been trying to pull it up every sense. I believe that I received an average term of 3.6 in my 11th grade year, and that helped pull it up a lot. </p>

<p>I am sure that I am qualified for the minimum of $4200. Nevertheless, I heard that there is other financial aid that can be given by the school's feeling of your need. The issue is that I have several medium cost colleges that I have been looking through. Some of them have a in-state tuition $6000, while others, that are outside of my state, have an out-of-state tuition of around $15,000. The problem is that from my understanding, you can't register for financial aid until you are enrolling in a particular university. If I am accepted to one of the out-of-state universities, will my cost be fully covered? </p>

<p>Better that questioned is answered, let me clearly state my response to trolls. I don't care if you have a 4.0 GPA, and I don't care if you are more deserving. I don't care if you have worked hard. I don't care if you feel that I am not college material. If you think I am using my social status to gain an advantage...I am. I will go to someone's university even if I have to work an 80 hour week to meet ends. I will excel in whatever college I enroll in with a 3.5 or higher. Whatever college I enroll in, I will be as active as possible, and join every club that presents itself. I will not be there for partying or any other superficial bull. I will be there to pull myself up out of this situation that I am currently in. I will than use my involvement and grades to transfer to a better and more prestigious university. This is my plan on correcting the mess that I have created, and I do not need any criticism unless it is backed with statistical evidence.</p>

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<p>I can only guess based on the info you gave. It sounds like you will have a 0 EFC. That does not mean you won’t have to pay anything, but it does mean you will get the best need based package a school gives (unless it’s one of those schools like BU that considers more then just need when awarding supposedly need based aid). That varies widely by college. You should be eligible for a Pell award - in 09/10, the amount would be $5350. That would be the only “for sure” grant. You would also be eligible for $5500 in Stafford loans for sure. That is almost $11,000 right there.</p>

<p>Check your state universities to find out what kind of financial aid they have for low income students. The state U where I work awards enough in grants to cover the average tuition costs for a 0 EFC freshman - and any scholarships the student brings in are added to that (they don’t reduce the grants). Another state U in my area promises to cover tuition & dorm charges for 0 income students without loans. I believe our state flagship has a similar promise, but they use the Profile to weed out those who aren’t really as poor as they look on the FAFSA. My school also has a program for students whose parents did not attend college - it’s run through the TRIO office - students with 0 EFC get tuition & dorm charges paid in full for the first two years & then many students qualify for institutional scholarships to supplement other need based aid for the final two years.</p>

<p>These are just some examples of how state schools can be a bargain for low income in state students. Maybe you can come up with something similar in your home state. Best of luck.</p>

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<p>The only “statistical evidence” that might belie your plans is your current track record; there isn’t much in the academic record you describe that supports an assertion that you’re going to pull a 3.5 in college. Yet.</p>

<p>From what you’ve described here, it sounds like you’ve had a tough past and you may have a tough road ahead, but you’re committed to moving on. I wish you the best with that.</p>

<p>Now, what you understand about financial aid is false. You apply for financial aid at the same time you apply for admission. You will know exactly what aid you qualify for before you enroll.</p>

<p>Most merit-based aid has a “need component.” That is, you don’t get the “merit” aid unless you demonstrate need. The reverse is not true. Need-based aid is strictly based on your need as determined by some fancy equations. So your best bet is to gain admission to a college that pledges to meet 100% of unmet need, preferably one that requires only the FAFSA.</p>

<p>You can find a lot of information about the FAFSA here: [FAFSA</a> - Free Application for Federal Student Aid](<a href=“http://fafsa.ed.gov/]FAFSA”>http://fafsa.ed.gov/)
I’d also recommend you check your library for Princeton Review’s book, “How to pay for college without going broke.” That book explains the financial aid process and walks you through filling out the required forms.</p>

<p>Again, best wishes.</p>

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<p>Please clarify this. BU considers need when awarding many of its MERIT aid awards…but what exactly do you mean that they consider “more than just need” when awarding need based aid.</p>

<p>BU does not…and never has guaranteed to meet full need…but then MOST universities do NOT guarantee to meet full need.</p>

<p>Re: the OP…your GPA right now is smack in the middle of those for the school in which you hope to enroll. Typically, merit aid awards are given to students who are well above that mark…the top students enrolling for that school year. </p>

<p>Re: need based aid…unless the school meets full need, you will likely find yourself with a gap between what the school costs and financial aid plus family contribution. And you also may find that some of your financial aid comes in the form of loans and work study which are not grants. </p>

<p>You need to look carefully at the Common Data Set and information regarding the awarding of financial aid at this school. Do they guarantee to meet full need? If so, that is one thing. If not, you need to realize that the averages of financial aid awards are just that…averages. Your award could exceed that average or fall well below that amount.</p>

<p>In any event…if your EFC is $0, you would qualify for the maximum federal aid, but typically that is only a fraction of the total cost of attendance at a four year residential college.</p>

<p>Folks here might be able to give you more specific information if you are willing to give the name of the college.</p>

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<p>The BU financial aid article left me with the distinct feeling that need would be met differently depending on how much the school wanted the student. No, they don’t promise to meet 100% of need. Nor do they promise to meet everyone’s need. However, schools like BU are not the kind a student like the OP will want to check out. Stats will make a difference in the aid package for such schools. Admit/deny schools are not good for low stat kids.</p>

<p>There are certainly state schools that are affordable for students like OP. If he/she can live at home … the aid should be enough to cover tuition … hopefully, that is an option for OP.</p>

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<p>Low stat kids really need to research their options. Most schools that do NOT meet full need do some kind of enrollment management. That means that they look at what the school NEEDS when admitting and giving aid to students. It’s not just BU…it is more than hundreds of schools that do this. And remember that BU is giving INSTITUTIONAL money which they can award in any way they choose to do so. It’s a Profile school. A low stat student who gets accepted at BU (that’s the first hurdle) will still get the same federal aid they would be eligible for via FAFSA (Pell…if they are Pell eligible, for example).</p>

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<p>The biggest problem is that most private schools this student qualifies for are schools that like BU award aid based on how good of a student the applicant is or that have poor aid inn general. The best bet will probably be his state schools.</p>

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<p>I don’t think the OP is trying to get into a private school. He said tuition between $6000 - $15000, that sounds like a state school to me.</p>

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<p>I want to amend my original post a little bit. To the OP…full ride scholarships are not plentiful…in other words, they are the exception in financial aid unless you go to a school that meets full need.</p>

<p>From the description above, I’m guessing that the OP is looking at either public instate universities, or very small regional four year schools. In both cases, I would guess that these schools do not meet the full financial need of all the students who enroll there.</p>

<p>However, look for threads by Momfromtexas. She found some very attractive financial aid (merit based, I believe) for her kiddos. This would be a good place to start.</p>

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<p>Congrats on pulling your grades up - a strong upward trend should help you, just beware of senioritis! Some schools recalculate your gpa without freshman year, so that will help too. I would also suggest retaking the ACT if you did get a 23, but after practice testing with a timer. You might also try the SAT, I believe you can request fee waivers from your HS guidance counselor. While you’re at it, make sure you request application fee waivers for your college apps, which can run into significant amounts. If you run out of the College Board ones (I think there’s a limit), there is a form on the NACAC website for additional waivers. Anyway, the higher you can boost your GPA and test scores, the more likely you are to qualify for merit scholarships - both from the school and local/outside sources.</p>

<p>I agree with kelsmom - look at your instate schools first! The tuition is discounted at the public schools, you’ll qualify for state aid, and your out of pocket expenses for travel will lower too. Find at least one you’d be happy to attend and apply so you’ll have a financial safety.</p>