<p>Can you guys who are OOS students tell me about what you got from your financial aid package and also some information like your family's income, etc.</p>
<p>I'm just curious because I've heard that OOS students get like no aid.</p>
<p>You heard correctly, at least as far as our family is concerned! Our daughter is a freshman at UF, and we’re footing the entire bill! OOS tuition will take your breath away, but I’m sure you know that already if you’ve looked at the tuition rates. We are not a super high income family, but the FAFSA “powers that be” decided that our contribution should be her entire tuition, apparently because we have some savings. Although we were fairly certain we wouldn’t qualify for grants, we hoped for scholarship money, based on our daughter’s excellent academic record. The info we were given is that UF’s scholarships are awarded based on need (determined by your FAFSA score), which I think kind of stinks. I think since grants are awarded based on need, scholarships should be based strictly on academic merit (and may the best students win)! I believe they (UF) first determine scholarship eligibility based on academic merit, but then they award whatever money is available starting with students who demonstrate the greatest need… I’m guessing there’s probably a formula to determine which students “missed the cut” for Pell grants but still have financial need, & they get the first scholarship money. Who knows? But in any case, we get to pay 100%. :(</p>
<p>I realize this goes off-topic some, but in case this is your 1st college-age child, you should (maybe) be prepared. Our daughter was a straight A student in high school, but she’s had academic culture shock BIG TIME at UF, so her grades aren’t wonderful. She made her first C Fall semester. I jokingly say that while she was at it, she went ahead and made her 2nd one, too… Not funny, really, but I figure I can laugh or cry. ;)</p>
<p>Although my hubby was VERY unhappy, I wrote it off to adjusting to being on her own for the first time, far from home at a really big school where she knew absolutely nobody, and in a very competitive environment. She promised to manage her time better, visit her professors during office hours (I think it matters), and take advantage of more tutoring opportunities this semester. And she has followed through on those promises. Hopefully her Spring grades will reflect these changes… fingers crossed! </p>
<p>Good luck to you, and I hope this has helped some! :)</p>
<p>I somehow thought you were referring to UF scholarships. </p>
<p>You have to fill out the FAFSA online to qualify for any type of financial aid, and that’s a federal government program. So if your family qualifies for financial aid based on your FAFSA score, it doesn’t matter whether you choose an in-state or OOS school. You’ll get aid (or not) in the form of Pell grants, subsidized student loans, etc, strictly based on your family’s income, savings, and net worth. I don’t think your eligibility for federal aid has anything to do with the school you choose. </p>
<p>But forgetting government aid, my first answer applies. I was strictly referring to scholarship money awarded by UF, not government grants and/or loans. </p>
<p>Hope this helps! :)</p>