<p>No, downtown St. Petersburg, (a very vibrant young, artsy city) is less than 10 min. away by car. The local bus stops inside the Eckerd entrance. The very large, beautiful state park and beach is a few min. away, and St. Pete beach is also less than 10 min. away in the opposite direction from campus. Tampa is 30 min. BTW, the spelling is Eckerd. Best of luck in your college search.</p>
<p>Even if you “qualify” for lots of aid, an OOS public isn’t likely going to give you all the aid you need. OOS publics dont usually give grants to OOS students. And, many don’t give that much in merit.</p>
<p>For instance, an OOS public may cost $40k per year (plus international travel). You might get a $15k merit scholarship, a small federal grant (if EFC is really low), and a $5500 loan, but YOUR family would still have to pay about $15k per year plus travel costs.</p>
<p>How much will your family pay each year?</p>
<p>In another thread, you were concerned that the high cost of living in Australia won’t be taken into acct for aid. That suggests that the income will seem higher than it really is. So, does that mean that your family’s income is too high to be considered “low income”?</p>
<p>In the other thread, you mention your mom. If you have a non-custodial parent, then his income will likely be considered for aid at the schools that give the best aid.</p>
<p>A safety isn’t a safety unless you know for sure that all costs are covered.</p>
<p>thanks mom2collegekids, I am not applying to many (if any) public schools because I have actually realised their costs may be higher than private schools since they generally give less aid. Although Mary Washington is only about $18,000 tuition for OOS. I live with both parents BTW. </p>
<p>My family can afford 15k a year (that is only about 1k more than what they pay for my high school, though it is a squeeze), and I’m not expecting to travel home any more than once, maybe twice, over my time at college, and only if I can afford it. I have cousins and other family in the US I can stay with over breaks.</p>
<p>What exactly is considered ‘low income’ in the US? Also, I noticed in the questions on a NPC for Georgetown that they ask how old your parents are, is this a factor? My parents are much older than the average parents of an 18 yr old (Dad 66 and Mom 60) so they aren’t able to work nearly as much as in the past and I know my Dad would really like to retire soon, they he will keep working in order to pay for my education. Do they take age into account? As my Dad will be in his 70’s by the time I graduate college? </p>
<p>My super safeties are the universities here in Australia, which I know we can afford no problem</p>
<p>Yes, they probably do take your parents’ age into account.</p>
<p>Parents age comes into acct for savings protection. The older the parents are, the more asset protection they have. I don’t think the protection extends to income at all.</p>
<p>Low income in the US would be lke $40k and below (I’m guessing). Since your parents are paying $14k per year for your tuition, I’m guessing that their income is at least middle class or higher. If your parents’ income is about $100k and they have little savings, then your EFC will be about $25k per year. But, that doesn’t mean that schools will give you the difference. </p>
<p>The schools that give the best aid will use CSS profile and their calculations could be different. </p>
<p>Although Mary Washington is only about $18,000 tuition for OOS</p>
<p>Tuition and fees are over $21k for this current year and will increase each year. AND, the cost for tuition, room, board, books, fees, personal expenses and travel will be closer to $36k per year. Your parents won’t pay that much.</p>
<p>When it comes to safety school, you are looking for a least one school that you know will take you and that you can afford. After running your parents financials through the FAFSA EFC and some NPCs, you should have some idea as to what colleges are going to be expecting them to pay. IF you have not, then do so. You then need to get some idea as to what they actually can and will pay, which is usually an entirely different amount. Bear in mind that schools like Georgetown that guarantee to meet full need, define that need and many will not be giving out merit money. Your package will strictly be need based by their formula.</p>
<p>When you are looking at schools that do not guarantee to meet full need, it gets even trickier, as you know the chances of even getting that can be low. If there are sizable merit awards in the picture, that may be something to consider. If your test scores are way up there, it is a distinct possibility to get some nice merit money. </p>
<p>My immediate pick out of the bunch would be DU. Great school, very under appreciated and not as well known as it should be. Denver is a great city, and the school is one that is seeking more diversity. Their IR department is quite good and the school is nice sized, and it has a good mix of those who live there and commute. The thing that stands out about MW is that there are a lot of commuters. I visited MW, loved the campus which was everything I would want in a college, loved the town and the proximity to DC, but it was just a little too suitcase/commuter for me. As a state school, I don’t think they have a whole lot in extra funds for OOSers, which is what you would be. Goucher is a strikingly beautiful school, but I don’t think they’ll be paying much for a female international American . You are not at all unusual in that student body. Eckerd, I don’t know much about. Look into what the chances are for aid there. </p>
<p>Still, I don’t look at DU as a safety school for anyone, especially someone who needs substantial aid, regardless of how high your Test scores are. For a true safety, look for some schools where you would be a true superstar and that have some big merit money. </p>
<p>I guess a big question would be what the NPC and EFC are saying your family should pay, as that would make a difference as to whether you can even get enough aid to cover what you need to get. If your EFC is $30k with NPCs coming in around that level as well, there is no way that you will get enough financial aid to bring the cost down to what your family can pay. Merit would be the way you have to go, and it would have to be big time merit money since merit awards will reduce financial aid money so that all you still end up paying what the school says you can afford, the way it works.</p>
<p>cptofthehouse, when you say I’m not an unusual student at Goucher being an international american citizen, does it make anything difference that I’m URM (African American)? I don’t think I mentioned that. In general, will that make a difference to my chances for merit money/financial help?</p>
<p>mom2collegekids my parents income is definitely not near 100k. I’m looking at running the NPCs in the next week so I’ll know more then, but I can say for sure its not that high, they just spend a large portion of it on my education</p>
<p>oh and also as I said, since it costs around 2000+ to fly to Australia from the East Coast of the US, I don’t plan on being able to go home more than once over the four years</p>
<p>“does it make anything difference that I’m URM (African American)?”</p>
<p>For admissions, yes, definitely, it makes a difference. For merit, it’s harder to say. It doesn’t hurt.</p>
<p>“I don’t think they’ll be paying much for a female international American . You are not at all unusual in that student body.”</p>
<p>sorry I didn’t include the fact that I’m African American is this seems to play a part in admissions in the USA, and therefore may also play a part in how much they’ll be willing to “pay for me”</p>
<p>any suggestions of other schools where I could get substantial merit aid would be good! (strong IR program and small) preferably either an intellectual or politically active environment, but not alternative like Wesleyan or Grinnell. preppier schools that are strong politically are fine (great even) I haven;t taken my ACT yet but from practice tests I’d guess around a 34</p>
<p>Would the University of Mississippi be too large for you? Its Croft Institute for International Studies is excellent, much better than the rest of the university. You would get a great deal of merit aid with your stats.</p>
<p>yeah that would be too big I think…also I think mississippi might be too much of a culture shock coming from Melbourne, Australia</p>