<p>Hi, I'm gonna be a senior in august and my family makes about 30-35k/year (mom, dad, me)....would that qualify me for a fee waiver at most colleges?</p>
<p>I don't qualify for free/reduced lunch cuz my parents make like a couple of thousands above the yearly cut off rate. Where should I start when searching for fee waiver forms, qualifications, etc....</p>
<p>Additionally, would a fee waiver look bad on a college app? I didnt think it would until I saw some of the posts on this site that it would affect college decision...do the ad min officers even know if an applicant has a fee waiver or not? </p>
<p>I'm trying to maximize my chances while spending the least money possible...lol. My parents can't pay for colleges since we're pretty poor so I'm hoping to qualify for need based aid...thx for your help</p>
<p>You, your mom, and your dad make 30 grand all together? Like, that is the one lump sum you guys make when you put your earnings together? I am curious about that, because I could not figure it out from your post.</p>
<p>I think that if you do some fee waivers, no one is going to mind a whole hecka lot, eh? Be honest and sincere when it comes to applying to Universities, but do not let your financial status be the main focus of any essays you might be required to write for the addy heads or anything like that. </p>
<p>However, is there a community college near you? You could work really hard at one of those for a good year and a half or two years, and then transfer wherever you feel like. You can do like a AA in Liberal Studies and as long as you make sure it is University parallel ( and that you take as many electives possible which pertain to your intended University major), then you are saving big bucks because you are cutting the tuition at a super good four year uni in half, you know?</p>
<p>yes my mom and dad combined wages come to 30-35k/year (only 3 members in the family...as I mentioned)...I babysit and tutor at kumon part time but that doesnt account for much</p>
<p>I do not want to go to community college since i think (from ECs, scores, etc..) i have a good shot at a tier I school. I took some community colleges classes already and I feel that they do not challenge me very much</p>
<p>To clarify, would having a fee waiver affect my chances? I do not want to make my financial status a problem since many kids do have it worse than me but I still want to save some money. Some colleges have forms that counselors would sign...the forms dont specify the wage limit for waivers...In addition, is there a universal form or should i keep searching the college's website</p>
<p>Your financial status is going to become a HUGE issue when it comes to your college decision. If you're applying for aid, then using the fee waiver isn't going to hurt. Colleges just use it as a way to process your application, it can't hurt.</p>
<p>You aren't expected to contribute but a few thousand to your college education, if even that. You are one of the most neediest students on these boards. Run an EFC calculator, see what yours comes out as. I bet it's going to be around 3-4 thousand, if even that. Some even have it as 0 with income around yours.</p>
<p>Financial aid works like this (you may already know this). Cost of attendance (including personal expenses, travel expenses, room + board, tuition, books) - EFC = need. Colleges use grants, scholarships, loans, and workstudy to get that need for you. </p>
<p>If I was in your situation, I would make sure that your desired college would be able to offer you a package that would meet 100% of your need. What do you mean by Tier 1? Top 25, US News top 117? Many top 25 schools meet 100% of need, look into it.</p>
<p>You submit an application. It cannot be processed unless someone does it for you or you pay online. I know that when I applied to U Miami, I couldn't submit my application online, as it required you to pay. I sent them a fee waiver, and my application still couldn't be processed until I called them and they processed it for me. There was no difference between fee waiver and non-fee waiver applicants.</p>
<p>first, there is a difference between submitting a fee waiver and checking the box marked "applying for financial aid". The fee waiver indicates that your family income is very low. The other box is checked by just about everyone who can't pay a full ride (including students with parents making over $100,000). I can't tell you if that will make a difference in your application, though. At some schools, assistants process all the paperwork and your request for a fee waiver may never be seen by the admin. You just don't know.</p>
<p>As far as financial aid -- yes, assets will count at schools that use the institutional methodology or profile. The amount of equity your parents have in the house will be used in the calculation. Also, any savings or stocks or bonds. Use a good EFC calculator and sit down with mom and dad and figure it all out NOW! before you pick your college list.</p>
<p>you will need colleges that meet 100% need, at the very least. don't even apply to any that don't.</p>
<p>consider some schools where you would be eligible for merit aid in addition to financial aid.</p>
<p>do alot of reading of past cc posts on FA and you will learn alot!</p>
<p>Thx for the help...so each college treats the income level for fee waivers differently? I guess i'll just have to keep looking at the colleges website then...it's just so hard to find...pretty much buried under a bunch of other stuff</p>
<p>I'm gonna use the EFC from <a href="http://www.finaid.org%5B/url%5D">www.finaid.org</a> - is that ok? it looks legit from the website. My parents have almost no savings...pretty much everything went to buying the house and they never own stocks...we'll see how that calculate out i guess...Thx</p>
<p>Make sure that you maximize your chances of getting into some colleges that you can afford. Since you are very low income, being accepted by colleges that you can afford to go to will be of maximum importance.</p>
<p>Every year on CC we see students who applied without taking finances into consideration and when April came, some were heartbroken to realize that all of their college acceptances were to colleges that they couldn't afford to go to.</p>
<p>Consequently make sure that you apply to at least one financial safety -- a college that you know you'll be accepted to and can afford. Often financial safeties are 4-year or 2-year public colleges in one's hometown: One can live at home and commute to college.</p>
<p>I didn't say that I was in a bad situation...I know plenty of ppl that are worse than me...I'm not looking for sympathy, just advice on how to save a few bucks on college apps</p>
<p>well, in my opinion, fee waivers don't affect the decisions at all, the thing is that when people get rejected, they become bitter and they look for a scape goat. I'd say if you qualify, use them.</p>