Family income of $19K; insufficient financial aid

Paying for College
1

<p>Hello, all. I have seriously considered attending three colleges: Sweet Briar College, Agnes Scott College, and Clemson University. Sweet Briar was my DREAM school. I loved it fromt he moment I first visited. Failing that, I would love to attend ASC.</p>

<p>My stats are
-top 5%
-2200 SAT (perfect score on Verbal)
-30 ACT </p>

<p>My mother makes $10,000 a year. My stepfather, who is a loser, has been on unemployment for over a year and received $9000 in unemployment last year. We have NO assets. I attend the local junky public school.</p>

<p>I have Palmetto Fellows (state scholarship) at Clemson, which would result in a total of about $12,000 dollars of scholarships for that university (they apply extra onto PF). I have not yet received my aid letter from this university. </p>

<p>I have two scholarships at SBC with a combined value of $20,000. However, the school has not offered me any financial aid and I would have to take out $7500 in loans (Stafford and Perkins) per year, while my mother would have to take out $11000 in loans (PLUS) every year. Needless to say, this is NOT feasible on our income. We have already called the college and asked for a reconsideration, but the aid office said that there was nothing they could do.</p>

<p>At Agnes Scott, I have a $17,000 scholarship, and I was given a grant of $8000. However, I would still have $5500 in loans and my mother would have $8000 in loans. </p>

<p>At Clemson, whose tuition + room and board is around $19,000, most of my costs would be covered by the scholarship and the Pell grant, leaving me with only a few thousand dollars in loans when I graduated and my mother with none at all.</p>

<p>I know that Clemson is the economical choice but I do NOT want to go there. So, can anyone offer me some advice? Maybe some perk-ups as to why Clemson is a school worth going to?
I am really starting to feel the disadvantages of having high-school dropouts for parents. :( :( </p>

<p>Should I call the Agnes Scott Aid office too and see if there is anything to be done? I can't help but feel, though, that I'd get the same response as I did at SBC.</p>

2

<p>lohice,</p>

<p>you can certainly try to call ASC, but given the gap, I doubt they will offer enough to close it.</p>

<p>While Clemson is not necessary the highest ranked University, it is a good school. While you might feel disadvantaged by having high school drop out parents, kids from middle class families probably feel disadvantage because they don’t have the same access to federal aid you do.</p>

<p>May I ask you if there is an Honor college at Clemson. If yes, were you accepted? Attending Honor college at state University is like attending a smaller school with like-minded higher achieving kids. Even if Honor college is not an option, going to state school is not the worst thing that can happen to you. I hope at some point you will appreciate the opportunity given to you.</p>

<p>P.S. Congratulations on achieving the high stats despite obstacles you had in your life.</p>

3

<p>I am not nearly an expert on financial aid and such, but I’ll just give you my opinion, maybe you will find it helpful.</p>

<p>Firstly, you should definitely call or write a letter which expresses your predicament. I once read a sample letter in a book that basically said “I would love to attend _______, but due to financial circumstances it it impossible.” and so on. It is definitely worth a shot.</p>

<p>Another thing to look at is the percentage of need met by the colleges which you are interested in attending. Some universities will meet 60-80%, which I would say is probably average, but some meet 100% of demonstrated financial need (which basically means that they will make it affordable). You may want to look into that, but usually the universities that meet 100% of demonstrated financial need are more selective and their application deadlines have probably past for this year (assuming you are a HS senior).</p>

<p>Lastly I want to say don’t worry so much about attending Clemson. I don’t personally know much about it, but while it may not seem as nice as a private college, state colleges typically offer good educations for a great value. If you make the most of it, I think that you can have a great experience. Just don’t go into it thinking “this will be horrible”. Be positive!</p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

4

<p>^ Neither Agnes Scott nor Sweet Briar meet full need. </p>

<p>OP, Clemson is a great school and attending with minimal loans is fantastic. Hopefully Pierre (a poster from MA who chose Clemson) can chime in soon.</p>

5

<p>I do believe Clemson has an honors college.</p>

6

<p>I’m really sorry about the financial aid situation at the other schools. It just seems unreasonable. I know nothing about Clemson but just a brief glance at it’s web page, I think it has a lot more going for it than you may realize since it’s “local” for you. Some things I found interesting:</p>

<p>Clemson Orange is better than Tennessee orange but not quite as good as UT orange. That being said, no school should be orange to begin with.</p>

<p>There’s a Clemson app for your smart phone. </p>

<p>Apparently there is an ethics bowl and their team place 2nd nationally. (Have we reached a point where ethics is only valued as a competition-never mind)</p>

<p>They have their own international center in Brussels.</p>

<p>The Calhoun Honors College looks well established and extensive including honors residence.</p>

<p>You aren’t going to run out of majors to try.</p>

<p>If you don’t get involved in undergraduate research through the Calhoun Eureka program, the Creative Inquiry programs looks pretty interesting.</p>

<p>They have their own Center for Building Research and Urban Studies in Italy.</p>

<p>Just take a look at their centers and institutes and see the incredible possibilities: [Centers</a> and Institutes : Clemson University](<a href=“http://www.clemson.edu/centers-institutes/index.html]Centers”>Centers and Institutes | Clemson University, South Carolina)</p>

<p>Unlike many schools, it posts some information about it’s NSSE results [National</a> Survey of Student Engagement : Clemson University](<a href=“http://www.clemson.edu/academics/nsse/]National”>http://www.clemson.edu/academics/nsse/)</p>

<p>They’re developing a car sharing program.</p>

<p>There are over 30 club sports including an equestrian team, paintball, water polo, and ice hockey.</p>

<p>I know how disappointing it is not to be able to go to your first choice schools because of financial aid-it happen to me as well. But if you take a little time looking at Clemson rather than how it’s not like the other schools, you might find yourself warming up it to a bit more.</p>

7

<p>If you really, truly, are unhappy with your options, consider taking a Gap Year and making up a different list to apply to. With your stats, you qualify for decent merit-based aid at some of the places on this list, which in some cases could be combined with need-based aid: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>University of Alabama may still have merit-money available for this fall, so check up on the scholarship there. Here is a link for you to start with: [Entering</a> Freshman Students - Undergraduate Scholarships - The University of Alabama](<a href=“http://scholarships.ua.edu/freshmen/]Entering”>http://scholarships.ua.edu/freshmen/)</p>

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<p>I would definitely try contacting Agnes Scott - they have better statistics in meeting financial need (although still not 100%.)</p>

<p>It’s true that Clemson is very different from the small women’s college that you envisioned for yourself, but it is a good school, and if you get into the honors college, you will have a “smaller college” experience in that way. There are lots of advantages to a larger school - lots of resources, an array of classes, access to top research, great athletic facilities, entertainment options etc. At a larger school, you can find your own niche.</p>

<p>I would give it a try at Clemson - you can always try and transfer next year if you are truly unhappy, and look for colleges that have more funds to fully meet financial need (Smith and Wellesley, Bryn Mawr and Scripps are all women’s colleges that will probably offer you much better financial aid.) You need to see though, if these schools will consider your stepfather’s income or your bio-father’s income, since that will reduce your perceived need. Clemson, as a state school, uses the FAFSA formula which is most advantageous for your situation.)</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

9

<p>If you are willing to take a gap year, then you have the stats to apply to different schools that may offer you more merit scholarships or meet your full need. This source is a few years out of date, but it is good place to start: [Project</a> on Student Debt: What’s the Bottom Line?](<a href=“http://www.projectonstudentdebt.org/ncoa_chart.php?sort=b.range_1]Project”>http://www.projectonstudentdebt.org/ncoa_chart.php?sort=b.range_1). </p>

<p>Smith, Wellesley, Mount Holyoke, Bryn Mawr, and Barnard are women’s colleges that have “deeper pockets” for need based financial aid.</p>

10

<p>Second happymom1. You unfortunately didn’t apply to any schools that meet need. Your status as a low income child of non college grad parents combined with your stats would get you enough aid at many schools that meet need. Look at Smith, Bryn Mawr and Mt. Holyoke for starters.</p>

<p>A year off may be worth it.</p>

11

<p>If you are going for a gap year, do not take any college classes next year. You generally need to be a true freshman for the best merit money.</p>

<p>Did you limit yourself geographically?</p>

12

<p>OP, are you also receiving a Pell Grant? I didn’t see that listed in your post. That would also help. And, what about work study? Was that a part of any FA offers? That would be money you earn during the year to help with books, personal expenses, etc. That could help toward meeting the COA. Do you work now? You could also earn at least a couple thousand this summer, which you could put toward tuition payments, books, etc.</p>

13

<h1>At Clemson, whose tuition + room and board is around $19,000, most of my costs would be covered by the scholarship and the Pell grant, leaving me with only a few thousand dollars in loans when I graduated and my mother with none at all.</h1>

<p>Clemson is a great school. Pretty, strong academics.</p>

<p>Frankly, it doesn’t sound like you were advised well because with your stats you could have gotten some affordable offers at other schools as well, if Clemson wasn’t a favorite choice for you.</p>

<p>That said, visit Clemson again. Make appts with people in the dept of your chosen major. you may find that it will be a good choice.</p>

<p>And, also contact Clemson and see if they can give you any more aid/merit.</p>

<p>Did you apply to USoCarolina?</p>

14

<p>I got into ASC when I applied (and visited during their scholarship weekend) and they are really good at negotiating gaps. They tend to give out large scholarships to try to compete with higher-ranked women’s colleges like Mount Holyoke and Wellesley, and then when some students turn them down, they give that money to their lower scholarship recipients. Like I said, I visited during the scholarship weekend and many of the girls there were comparing their full-rides or full-tuition scholarships with acceptances from Ivy Leagues and top women’s colleges. My best friend went to ASC and she was initially only offered a partial tuition scholarship, but she negotiated with them and got a full tuition scholarship. Combined with some outside scholarships and grants, her full costs were covered for her first year at ASC. (She also worked for them for work-study, and told me later that if I had negotiated my full tuition scholarship I might have gotten at least some of my room and board covered. She said that many women who negotiated got their packages adjusted, especially in April when people started turning them down.)</p>

<p>I loved ASC, it was my second choice. Had my first choice not offered me more merit money I would’ve gone there instead of the school I ended up at (which was another women’s college), and would’ve been just as happy if not happier there. Since quite a lot of my high school friends went there, I was on campus quite a lot. It is a really lovely school, beautiful campus, huge dorm rooms and super-friendly students. Great traditions, too. And women’s colleges are awesome. It’d be my dream to teach there :smiley: Call them!</p>