You should know that “in-state” and “out-of-state” only makes a difference for public schools. For published cost purposes, private schools don’t care what state you live in.
http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com
Can you improve your ACT score?
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Won’t they cover the gap that my family can’t afford if I am accepted? I would like a school similar to pepperdine, Baylor or TCU that offers enough aid to make attendance possible.
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You’ve said that your family has medical bills and is very bad with money. That VERY likely means that they will NOT be able to pay their EFC of $9k per year (which is the MINIMUM that they’d be expected to pay…often more.)
Do you understand that $9k per year would mean that EVERY month for 48 straight months, your parents would have to come up with about $800 a month to put towards your college costs. Each month for 48 months. That would be like your parents buying two new cars and making payments on them. Doubtful.
PLEASE ask your parents how much they’ll pay EACH month for 4 years towards college.
Well now that is the problem, isn’t it?
What you feel and what really happens are two completely different things.
Schools are under no obligation to provide you with funding because you “feel” it.
Parents are generally expected to cover mosts of the costs of college. If they can’t afford to send you out of state, you look at your in-state options.
As for work study, it is part of a federal aid program and generally is limited. They have a formula for work study and it goes to the students with really low income. That’s if you can find a work-study job.
If you can’t make merit at most schools, you can’t afford to be picky.
We all want great schools, but if you don’t like your in-state schools and you don’t apply, you may end up with nothing. Don’t rely on OOS schools if your parents can’t afford them.
BTW: Pepperdine and USC are very expensive. I don’t think they will provide decent merit aid if you don’t have great stats. Even if you have great stats, they limit what you get.
As a senior, this is almost the end of Nov, the time for looking and discussing this stuff was in the summer/last year/along your highschool career. If OOS was ever a real possibility you would have applications locked in by now. What scholarship will get at the U of U? The generous scholarships require higher stats even in state. How are you going to pay for instate? Will you live at home?
If your EFC is $11k, I don’t think you’ll qualify for a Pell grant or Work Study. Does your state offer any grants? If so, find out if you qualify.
You can only borrow ~$5500/year (the federal student loan) on your own. If you work every summer you can probably raise ~$3k. Plus you have ~$2500/year from your current savings. That gives you a budget of ~$8-10k/year for tuition and travel. Are there any schools within commuting distance of your home that are affordable on that budget? If so, make sure to apply there as a safety.
Can your parents pay anything? Don’t “assume they will be able to pay their EFC.” Ask them. If not, the only way for you to attend college OOS is to get enough aid to dorm. I’m not sure a 30 ACT will qualify for much merit aid, but there’s a thread pinned to the top of the financial aid forum with schools that offer guaranteed merit. You can check there to see if you qualify for any grants.
The reality for most kids whose families can’t pay a lot is that they have to attend college closer to home. Some can piece together enough aid to be able to attend an in state residential college, but many begin at a cc or commute to a local 4-year school. Put apps in and see what happens, but make sure your list has some safeties (schools you can get into, that are affordable, and that you’d be happy to attend).
What do you want to study? What is your intended career?
You want to get UG degree in a cost effective manner.
Duke, etc are all out of reach. Both financially and stat wise.
Is it realistic to raise ACT score to 32 in Dec sitting (the last one UA would take and that is with application in and scores sent right away; that is the needed score for full tuition scholarship by OOS student).
I like the post in this thread about the types of opportunities you can have with in-state school. Sounds like you haven’t explored information.
You are really hitting things up here on CC late.
Examine what options you have for colleges/universities. Perhaps you will need to attend a school close to home (CC or commuter school) to keep costs down.
Looks like you worked hard in HS. If you work hard in college and are goal driven, you will succeed where you are planted. You need to have a good attitude in the process and where you land.
If your parents haven’t saved any money so far, how can they magically start coming up with almost $1000 per month for FAFSA EFC?
To answer another of your questions, yes, Bama is a good school. It will be what you make of it.
If the reason for getting out of one state is due to it being a conservative bubble, going to Alabama would seem highly ironic (both schools, I am sure, operate within their own little bubble. SLC proper and the U is certainly pretty liberal).
Correction EFC is 4016, I apologize. That is a significant difference I know.
Thank you for the update.
That just tells us that your parents have a modest income. You’ve already told us that they have medical bills and are bad with money.
That suggests to us that they have NO EXTRA money at the end of the month and probably live paycheck to paycheck. If so, then they will not have the $300 per month for 48 straight months to pay their EFC.
PLease ask them how much they can pay EACH MONTH towards college.
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My families income is 85,000 a year, but we spend 2,000 a year on child support as well as 12,000 a year on medical bills.
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I just saw this.
Unless you have a sibling in college, your EFC is not likely $4k.
My parents are also divorced and we have next to no assets. That was the EFC given to us after my mother filled out the FAFSA
If your parents are divorced and don’t live together, only your custodial parent’s income will be used to calculate a FAFSA EFC. Which parent do you live with, and what is that parent’s income?
But do be aware that schools that use the CSS Profile will most likely look at the income from both parents (there are a couple that don’t).
Ok…so who will be paying the $300 a month for your EFC??
Yes, the 300$ a month is manageable for my family. My father refuses to fill out the non custodial form associated with the CSS so there is no way for us to specify all of his information. I live with my mother and step father. Their combined income is 85,000 but my mother’s alone is 34,000
Your stepfather’s income needs to be reported on your FAFSA. I find it unlikely that your FAFSA EFC is $4,016 if your household income is $85,000.
Sounds like you didn’t understand how to fill out the FAFSA. You live with your mom and step dad who are married to each other, so you include their total combined financial information on your FAFSA.