And if you’re going to UCLA, you’ll need to budget trips to Disneyland too. If everyone else is generating assumptions and speculation like gas prices, gas mileage, unreliable cars, coffee shop jobs, parent vs. student responsibility, etc., then don’t forget an entertainment budget. In the absence of any real information and facts, the CC “train” just rolls on.
^ ha!
Seriously, the concerns mentioned earlier can be very real to a low income student. The UCs can be generous at covering tuition and most of room and board, but remaining costs can be hard for a low income student. I remember my nephew’s low income roomie at Vandy, which has aid that is more generous than UCs. My sister had to help subsidize the “odds and ends” that his aid didn’t cover, because his low income family really couldn’t pay for anything. Middle class people often don’t realize how much harder it is for a low income student to attend a college that is many hours away from home.
There may be an “absence of info,” but the student did indicate getting near full need-aid to UCLA (except for $5k). That would happen for a 0 or near-0 EFC student, correct?
Is there GPA requirement for the scholarship, is it renewable for four years?
Yes, how is the $5,000 being covered? Plus books, travel?
Assuming there are already student loans in the package.
21 post is so true. When our son lost his phone cahrger he paid almost $40 for something I can get nearby at a discount store for $6.
This is why ultimately the student and family can seek advice…but only they can know the financial situation and what wouold be an unsustainable burden.
Yes, but if you are low income, do you need a phone, at least one where the charger costs $40? I don’t want to get into an argument about how we now need technology but I counsel people all the time who can’t make ends meet but have a $125 phone bill. When the budget is tight, home or college, the definition of necessity changes.
And just because someone on here is middle class now doesn’t mean they haven’t lived on very tight budgets in the past. You don’t eat out. You don’t have a phone. You don’t have cable. You are careful with the thermostat. So on and so forth and you cut your budget 25% or more.
I think IF OP’s financial aid package doesn’t already include substantial loans, $5,000 can be handled by the student if he/she wants to live frugally, work during the semesters and summers, etc. I don’t think the parent’s should pay the $5,000 regardless of income bracket - which we still don’t know.
Yes, everyone needs a phone. For a student, not having a phone means no social life, no friends, no access to campus alerts, professors’ emails, Blackboard, etc.
However there are ways to have a lower bill and THAT is an important skill to learn.
Internet will come with a dorm usually which gets email. And my argument is more for a cheap phone bill than no phone but I do believe it’s possible to have friends without a phone. Yes, the point is learning to lower all bills. Low or no data and know where free wifi is, etc.
One key to being frugal in college is finding likeminded friends. There are definitely others out there who have to be careful on money, such as taking the free meal over eating out too often.
I think the point is that when making decisions is that sometimes the little things can trip you up if you have no safety net. For example, transportation was mentioned. We are all assuming that the person’s family has access to a car. Not always the case.
There was a post about a year ago that a student at an IVY (with basically a full ride) didn’t have a blanket for his bed. Some poster ended up sending him a blanket. These are the type of things many of us take for granted.
Anyway, the poster is probably long gone.
Yup!
That was another parent here. I have sent Target gift cards by email to low income students here who couldn’t buy some dorm basics. One was low income Smith or Wellesley student who couldn’t buy sheets. Great FA doesn’t cover many things.
Low income folks struggle with so many things that we take for granted…
Hi all! Sorry I haven’t replied. My family is considered low/modest income, but we do have a nice car that would be able to transport me from home to LA. But I would probably take a plane ride home, which is around $160 for a two way trip.
Wow, that’s a steal. I would have never thought to price airfare from LA to SF.
So what did you decide?
I’d go to Berkeley.
Two good schools offering me admission, but one is fully covered whilst the other one isn’t, I would instantly choose the former. Ex. USC is down the street from where I live and although I prefer UCSD, if given the full ride, USC here I come—even if I’d be stuck in the same location. That is me though. Anyway, both UCLA and UC Berkeley are considered wonderful schools and I believe that being at a university in itself provides a heap of new experiences… still. I agree with what LostLilKid said. Go where your heart desires. Apply for other scholarships, get a job and be happy at UCLA, uclagirl10. Only reason I say so is because, to me, it seems achievable. Not unrealistic. I don’t think you’ll drown in debt. If it seemed like you would, I would not recommend. I think that with a job, the 5,000 is manageable though. Research some more about the prices of housing, meal plans, etc. Good luck.
Hi all! I ended up choosing UCLA because I found out it’s only $2,500 a year and I was offered $7,000 in scholarships at my awards night and I just received another $2,000 in scholarships as well. So far things are going great, I’m just waiting to hear back from my last scholarship of 5k a year. Thank you guys so much…
Congrats!!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!