Just ran NPC for College of William and Mary and god, they seem so stingy with FA! COA 66000 with self - help 33,000!!! Didn’t even bother to question my merit.
@Publisher, any suggestions & advice on my case (wrt #96) is appreciated!
I cannot help much today as we are celebrating. Nevertheless, University of South Carolina Honors International Business is as good as it gets. University of Alabama as well as Pittsburgh are worthwhile. UT-Dallas is excellent.
You need to look at
1° public universities (including HBCUs) that offer full rides for stats. The minimum stats are usually published.
2° full need private colleges, especially LACs in the Midwest where you’ll be considered a URM
3° competitive scholarships at Top 50 public and private universities
in that order. Universities outside these three categories should be last in priority.
Seconding USC Columbia Honors, UAlabama Honors, Pitt, UT Dallas.
Had to drop off USC (Carolina) as it’s Net Price is the highest in the list at $12,000. Next highest is Arkansas at $7.5, the rest are below $5k. Not yet sure what to with Arkansas.
Checked out the LACs. I initially shortlisted Connecticut College and Gettysburg College (Mathematical Economics) but unfortunately both of them require NCP info. I may get it waived, but I’m very pessimistic about it, but will still try. If it works out, I’ll try Williams, Amherst and few other schools. Again, that’s only possible if I get the CommonApp fee waived, else it’ll be impossible.
Other than in Midwest, the NPCs of Trinity (TX), Southwestern (TX) and St. Lawrence University (NY) had a favorable output on my updated list. A bit skeptical about Berea College and it’s value. Minor issue is that I’m also giving a slight importance to colleges which are nearer to Int’l airports and are in a city setting, though some of them on my list aren’t.
@MYOS1634, I’d be very thankful if you could help me out with a couple of doubts in post #177. With that, I can get one issue off the table and hopefully begin work on it.
However, USC Columbia has excellent merit scholarships for stats (Top Scholars). DO keep it on the list.
I already responded regarding the fee waiver.
Berea is an excellent college. Not sure why you question its value.
Pursue the process with the affidavits for the NCP waiver.
@MYOS1634 This one-
Post #177
Two small doubts though -
- Is there any duration or time frame in which I should procure the CommonApp fee waiver? I read that the CommonApp for fall 2019 semester opens this August 1. Do I have to get the waiver only after that date or can I get it ASAP?
- I had to change my high school 3 times (9-10th in one, 11th in another and 12th in another). Can I get the fee waiver from any high school or only the one that I attend currently?
Really appreciate your advice & time taken to respond!
- I think you misunderstand what the "fee waiver" is: you don't "secure" a paper that says "waiver". It's just a box to tick - the person who manages your transcripts and writes about your qualities, will check it for you, ie., "meets lower income guidelines" (that person should do it automatically since your EFC is zero. You'd only have to show them the EFC result, or explain it.) They check that box, and it's done for all 20 applications you may place in the commonapp dashboard. Obviously if your subsequent financial aid application shows your family makes 100K there'll be a problem but otherwise up to 45K a year you're covered. They'd do it after they've started filling out their part of your application (school profile, transcripts). You must check "fee waiver"/"income" on your application first.
- Whoever you choose for that role should have access to your full transcript so it should be someone from your latest school.
Thank you very much for that info. Here in India, every grade of HS has a separate marksheet or transcript. I’ll get it from my current school. This sounds the easiest of all!
seeking clarification
What grade are you in now? Are you currently in 12th grade? Do you plan on changing schools again next year?
If you are currently in 12th grade, why didn’t you apply to college for this fall? Do you plan on taking a gap year?
@sybbie719, Yes, I’m currently in 12th grade. No, I don’t plan to take a gap year. I can’t attend college this fall 2018 as I’ll still be in HS. In India, the academic year starts in March 2018 and ends in May 2019. So since I’ll be graduating next year May 2019 (the final exams will be in March 2019, the results come out in May-June 2019), I can only attend college in fall 2019.
Dropping Mississippi State University off my list. The net price for 1st year is below $4.5 but since the housing scholarship is only for a single year, net price for the consecutive years will be around $12k. And it’s in remote town.
No, the consecutive years will assume that you live off campus where renting and cooking will be cheaper than room and board on campus. They do assume that if you get a top scholarship at admissions you’d be able to get a departmental scholarship based on your results, which is not certain.
Working upon my list, decided to drop Trinity TX too as Net price is $7.5k. That’s the least they’d expect me to put in. Deciding upon Southwestern TX now.
Also working on a new list of schools which are generous in aid and where I can get the NCP info waiver request accepted.
MSU has only one other, departmental scholarship for my major - H. Stennis “Judge” Little Sr. Endowed Scholarship. I wouldn’t expect this scholarship to bring the NP below $5k. Also, the nearest airport is in Atlanta, GA, 300 miles away.
How can you get a NCP waiver when you talked to your dad in January and you have his email and phone information? Since he paid child support over the years I’m not sure what the basis for the request would be. Lots of kids have absentee fathers who don’t want to pay for college or anything else. It’s unfortunate, but I wouldn’t count on getting a college to cover your dad’s share just because he says he doesn’t want to pay.
@austinmshauri, It’s been 2 years since NCP last talked and emailed and paid child support (2015-16) in which he actually stated that he wouldn’t support anymore. He never bothered to ask about me, my interests, health, academics, goals. He doesn’t even know which grade I’m in. Never participated in school PTA. Made fun and rebuked I was faking about my serious leg fracture in 2016, just to pull more money from him. He met me only twice in lifetime. Now blocked me on every social platform. His men tried to harm me while I was walking one day, luckily escaped. Though he paid child support very irregularly, it was only 25% of my living expenses and school fee, which my mom bore the rest 75% my entire life. Is this good enough for getting a NCP waiver? I have 2-3 people including my counselor, attorney, doctor, community head and others who can write very powerful letters on this issue and non-participation of NCP in my life. I have call and email records. One of them clearly has his voice stating - ‘Would love to see you and your mom suffer as much as possible’. He talked to me last in January this year but it was full of scolding and whining. So this doesn’t count as a communication. The only last proper communication he did was in 2015 November just to wish birthday and cut off the call after. I believe it’s a good ground (though unfortunate) to try to turn these disadvantages to advantages. Anyways, I’m going to get the CommonApp fee waiver so no problem in trying it out at 1-2 schools before trying at the bigger ones. And if it won’t pass, I already have the under-development list.
From what I can see on yournlost of dropped colleges…it appears that younare looking for a full free ride to college here. Is that correct?
You need to apply BROADLY…very broadly.
But you also need to understand…those totally full ride awards are not particularly plentiful. You might get one…and you might not. And also, many full rides still require a student contribution.
Listen to the folks who are telling you that schools in the very cold upper plains states, or cold upper Midwest might be good choices as at those, you would bring some diversity to schools who are seeking it. I realize the weather will be a shocker for you. But you may have to make a choice about this…money…or warm weather.
@thumper1, yes basically a full free ride, but no problem with the other colleges where net price is below $5,000 per year.
I’m already considering Connecticut College, College of Wooster, Gettysburg College but those require NCP info, which as @MYOS1634 suggested I’ll try waiving them and if it passes, I’ll try at bigger ones. The only problem I have with them is the airport connectivity, which if the aid package is awesome, I’ll let that go.
Conn College is in New London. Check to see if they run shuttle service to airports.
Have you looked at Vassar? Might not have your major of choice…check that.
@GuessME5, Your dad doesn’t sound like a very nice person. But you have more than one post where it sounds like you’re planning to fiddle with the facts in your applications. You’ve stated that you’re contemplating claiming he never paid child support because he did some sort of direct wire transfer that you don’t think is traceable, and you wondered if you’d get found out if you claimed you haven’t spoken to him and don’t know how to contact him. Just answer the questions truthfully. And I’d be careful about claiming that your dad sent people from TX to India to try to physically harm you unless you have some sort of proof. If you know nothing about your dad and these men didn’t catch you, how do you even know they work for your dad and that he sent them to hurt you?