FAFSA and how to pay for college.

EFC is the minimum you’ll be expected to pay. Most schools don’t meet need, so they’ll expect you to pay whatever they decide you should.
Get that app to uga asap.
Then, run NPC 's on all these colleges.
She could look at UDenver (very strong ir, merit aid for her stats?), Goucher, GMU, UMW, U Richmond, Dickinson.
An issue will be that merit was often due December 1st.

Well…is the OP including the $16,000 a year for this kid that is in her 529 in his calculations for costs paid? If he subtracts $16,000 from the COA at Charleston, it will be in his “affordable” range.

Is the FAFSA EFC even correct? Has the OP answered the question on whether he included the 2nd child’s 529 balance as well in with parent assets?

@mommdc college of Charleston is $47,000 this year for OOS students…full cost of attendance.

“Does anyone know what ACT is needed to qualify for instate tuition at U of South Carolina?”
No hard limit as far as I recall, deadline is long gone Nov 15th (so it is up to them to grant it based on availability of funds, I guess)

Not sure if she is looking to add any schools, but given her grades, scores, major of interest, and looking at costs, she may want to look at James Madison University in VA. The tuition, room, board for an OOS student is approximately 3$35,700… http://www.jmu.edu/admissions/tuition-financial-aid-and-scholarships.shtml

There are strong programs in areas of interest to your daughter:

https://www.jmu.edu/justicestudies/

https://www.jmu.edu/academics/undergraduate/majors/International%20Affairs.shtml

There are many service learning and study abroad opportunities, it is an undergraduate focused university, so students have many opportunities that may go to graduate students at other universities. I teach in the arts at JMU, but have students who double major with justice studies, have designed a second major incorporating their primary major in the arts with diversity, gender, social justice classes.

Students of mine have traveled to Romania to teach dance to girls who were orphaned and abused; worked with children in orphanages, hospitals, and group homes in Russia; traveled to China, Japan, France, England, and Israel; worked with groups in the local community as well as their home communities.

Harrisonburg is 2 hours from DC, 2 hours from Richmond, and a refugee resettlement area. A diverse community in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

well my comment (#44) was cut in half …again (does anybody knows at what # of posts this will ever stop???)
anyway- Other criteria might have included some exemption from the general rule…like excluded
states…so check it yourself!!!

With regard to University of SC. There are some scholarships that are awarded based on the strength of your application. For OOS, this includes the Cooper and McKissick awards. To be honest, I don’t think this student is competitive for either. But the OOS cost of attendance at South Carolina is close to the family price point.

The McNair is another one, but that deadline passed, as did the deadline to apply to their honors college.

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College of Charleston mom here trying to offer some assistance. I agree that instate is probably your best option . Unfortunately, the deadline for merit scholarships application was Dec 1st. Merit is also fairly competitive at CofC with quite a bit of the scholarships going to the Honors College students , which OPs daughter may or may have not been competitive for based on her current stats. They also have a Dec 1 deadline . So it appears that she has missed that deadline.

That said, there are some ways that @sdl0625 can get the COA down closer to the 40,000 figure that may be doable. Based on the CofC website estimates , I’m getting a COA of closer to 45,000 a year. There are ways to shave that number down. Travel expenses are estimated at over 3500.00 a year. OP lives in a neighboring state and would most likely not require a travel expense that high. The Room and board is estimated by mid point rates. She may have to consider a less expensive dorm or meal plan. She may consider renting textbooks rather than purchasing them. I guess what I’m saying is there are ways to get the COA down, they may not be desirable options for the OP, but there are options. I’ve also included a link to departmental scholarships that her daughter may qualify for that require writing additional essays . Some deadlines have passed, but others haven’t . One in particular that she may be eligible for is the Ketner scholarship whose application does not open until March. Good luck @sdl0625 . Feel free to PM if you have any questions about the school.

http://finaid.cofc.edu/types-of-financial-aid/scholarships/specialty/index.php

@carolinamom2boys

Also, this student has $70,000 in a 529 which is about 16,000 a year.

Add to that the $5500 Direct loan, and there is $21,000 already covered for College of Charleston (or any of the other schools). That would leave $24,000 or so to pay out of current earnings.

I was unclear about the OP’s price point. Did it include that $16,000 per year in the 529?

If D has $70,000 in 529, if she takes max student loans of $27,000 and earns $12,000 over 4 summers, she would have $109,000 for the 4 years, that’s $27,000 a year.

So now you have to look how much you can comfortably contribute every year for her and sibling.

Instate schools and some of the PA LACs with merit should get you around that $30k mark.

I’m not clear on that either @thumper1 .

I included the 529 in my thoughts. Since the costs of CofC and Indiana are the same, D would prefer Indiana.Past Freshman year, I know that housing can be reduced if good apartment with roommates is found. D is applying for different scholarships and I know that some are only first year, but that would help for the other years. Internships in later years, or better jobs D told me that she really doesnt want to go to UGA even if she could get in(did not like it when visited), so if we stay in state it would be with KSU then transfer. Indiana did give 2K merit at this point.
I just cant believe that 40K a year would not be enough.
Someone asked previously about other child’s 529 and FAFSA. I believe the form said that you had to include it, so we did.

If she could get free tuition through Hope instate, she and you are willing to give that up?

Make UGA your “parent pick”.
The way things are shaping up, you’ll end up with unaffordable choices or UGA or gap year. A that point, UGA may not sound so bad.
(If it’s because of partying/sports, a wellness/substance-free dorm is possible).
Apply to Agnes Scott: I believe they have a HOPE scholarship equivalency, it’s part of a consortium, and it’s very respectable academically.

Housing depends on availability, and close to campus can be pricey. And you have extra costs for utilities, and leases are for 12 months, not just for 2 semesters. For us first year dorm and meal plan was $11,000 second year on campus apt and food is about $10k. A $600 a month apt and food might still cost $9k a year. I wouldn’t count on much savings there.

Yes, you have to list 529s as it is an asset.

Money offered at the time of freshman admissions is rarely offered later as a transfer.

I’d start buying some lottery tickets.

You and H need to sit down and look at finances and decide if you can afford to contribute $106,000 to your children’s education over the 6 years that they are in college. About $15-20k a year is what it is going to take.

Here is what you have to work with. If their colleges cost $40k a year and they are in college together for 2 years (year 3 and 4 for child 1?).

Child 1: take $15k, $15k, $20k, $20k out of 529 in year 1-4
take $5,500, $6,500, $7,500, $7,500 loan in year 1-4
work every summer and earn $3k

Child 2: take $20k, $20k, $15k, $15k out of 529 in year 1-4
take same amounts of loans in year 1-4 and earn $3k each summer

Then you would contribute to child 1: $17k, $16k, $10k, $10k (total $53k)

and to child 2: $12k, $11k, $15k, $15k (total $53k)

So in the 6 years you would contribute: $17k, $16k, $22k, $21k, $15k, $15k ($106k total)

If this looks doable then $40k schools can stay in play, if not then they need to apply to more affordable choices.

Of course this does not factor in tuition increases.