<p>Hi! I'm new to this forum so sorry if I seem inexperienced! </p>
<p>I am certainly going to college, but a major problem is the cost. My family only makes $30,000 a year, so I was wondering how much financial aid I would get. My siblings and I also get free lunch at school and have fees and AP exam costs waived and such. </p>
<p>Also, the main college I would like to get into is Rice, and I know Rice is extremely expensive. How much financial aid would I get from them?</p>
<p>Go to each school’s web site and search for the net price calculator. Use it to get a financial aid and net price estimate. Each school is different, so do not rely on one school’s net price calculator for any other school.</p>
<p>Do we know whether the OP even has the stats to be considered for National Merit status? </p>
<p>I would suggest the OP look at the threads about guaranteed merit awards…and see if she qualifies for any of those awards. Also, the OP should look into her state to see what funding is available for low income students. In addition, the OP should realistically look at her SAT and GPA numbers to see if she is a competitive admit for any of the schools that meet full need.</p>
<p>If your family’s income is that low, and they have little assets, then a school like Rice would give you full need if you’re accepted. However, acceptance is difficult.</p>
<p>HOWEVER…if you have a non-custodial parent or your family’s income is from a business, then you may not get as much aid.</p>
<p>What are your stats? What state are you in? If you have the stats for Rice, then you have the stats for large merit elsewhere. Also apply to those schools as back ups. If you live in a state that gives a lot of aid to instate students (like Calif) then hopefully you’ve applied to your state schools.</p>
<p>Be aware that MOST schools do NOT meet need. The majority will just leave a gap between your expected contribution and scholarships offered. Read the FAQ Brownparent posted.</p>
<p>Yes, I’m a junior. I haven’t taken the SAT or ACT yet though.</p>
<p>I tried the Rice financial need calculator, but I had no clue about things like tax and such that we need to enter. I tried asking my parents about it, but after coming back again and again with questions they got annoyed sooo… Yeah. They’re also not very computer savvy so they don’t even want to try and fill it out themselves.</p>
<p>Are stats like grades and GPA and stuff?
Currently I have a 4.0 GPA (unweighted) and a 6.47857 GPA. (weighted)
I’m in Texas, so Rice isn’t out-of-state.
I’m also currently rank 2 or 3 out of 578. (It’s complicated-the current rank 2 decided to graduate early, so we’ll all be moving up a spot so I’m not sure if I’m considered rank 3 or 2)</p>
<p>Bunnzies - I am sure with a great ACT/SAT score and keeping up your rank and I mean this honestly that you will probably get a full ride some where. Apply to a lot of places. You should be able to get application waivers. Private schools, public, etc.</p>
<p>Does a full ride include tuition, housing, supplies, etc.? If it does that’s great! I was really worried that it would be difficult to get money for college, since I’ve been hearing these horrible stories about huge student loans and stress because of debt and such to pay for college. </p>
<p>Also, what are merit scholarships and where can I apply for them?</p>
<p>I went to my counselor once about scholarships, but she said that I could only apply when I was a senior so I don’t know where else to look.</p>
<p>Bunnies, do you have a non-custodial parent (a dad or mom who doesn’t like in your house) or do your parents own a business? As mom2ck mentioned, those two things could complicate matters.</p>
<p>Yes a full ride includes all expenses. There are also full tuition, which you may be able to afford with a part time job, PELL grant and student loans.</p>
<p>Merit Scholarships are offered to students from colleges based on your grades and test scores. Most outside scholarships are for high school seniors, and they are usually only for freshman year. One thing you can do now is search the scholarship forum here on CC. Make a list of the local scholarships the seniors at your school are winning and see if you qualify. Apply to all that you can. You can often check nearby high schools for other scholarships that your GC doesn’t know about. </p>
<p>Begin studying for the SAT or ACT and take one or both this spring. Your guidance counselor can get you fee waivers for those. Do not wait until the last minute to ask for fee waivers or register for the tests. Fee waivers can not be used for tests with late fees. You can take 2 of each for free. When you have scores, we can point you towards schools that may offer you merit scholarships. </p>
<p>When your parents do their taxes in 2014, make sure they keep a copy handy. If you apply to CSS profile schools, you will need this information in the fall. You’ll want your parents to file their taxes ASAP in 2015. Fill out your FAFSA early next January. Use estimates until their taxes are done. </p>
<p>You can get fee waivers for college applications. College Board gives 4. After that you or the GC can ask the colleges directly for a waiver. Private colleges are easier to get waivers from than state schools. But remember you’ll still have to pay to send score reports; use your free ones by listing them to schools your interested in when you sign up for the ACT and SAT.</p>
<p>Oh, also my mom does have a small business, but it’s just a little alterations shop where she makes about $1000 a month. My dad is a flower delivery guy with $1500 a month. He works for our aunt & uncle. Does that change anything about the financial aid situation? (& both my parents have custody of me, if that’s how u say that)</p>
<p>So your parents are divorced or separated? What will matter for FAFSA for government aid is which parent you live with the most. CSS Profile will ask for both parent’s financial information. Those are the two financial forms you will have to submit next year to get need-based finaid from Rice and other top schools. Does your Dad get paid via W-2 wages, i.e. get a paycheck where taxes are withheld? Hopefully he isn’t being paid under the table which will cause major issues. Is your Mom’s $1000/month after expenses? For the self-employed some expenses that can be deducted from taxes aren’t allowed by the schools for finaid. Do they both file tax returns each year?</p>
<p>Congrats on your GPA. However, the students that get the most in merit aid also have high ACT/SAT scores. Did you take the PSAT this fall and if so, what was your score? Plan to take the ACT and SAT this coming spring, see which you do best on, and take that one a second time in June or early next fall. Prepare for these tests, don’t just take them cold. The results will have a lot to do with where you can be admitted and how much aid you can get.</p>
<p>I hae to laugh, because I have a friend who has a little alterations business with net business revenue into the 6 figures and I guarantee you she doesn’t pay “herself” much of a salary, and another friend who “delivers flowers” and her husband is one of the family members in one of the country’s larges floral businesses. Use the net price calculators - sit WITH your parents to do it so the questions get answered correctly…financial aid is not only about Salary it’s about assets and other aspects of the family finances.</p>
<p>Yes, the business could make a difference and it’s very hard to predict. I am a sole proprietor-- so I work for myself-- and what I did for the NPC was do them twice: once with the numbers off of my income tax form and the other time using the business revenue as income, just to see what the upper level could be of what they could estimate. No one came near that top number but it gave me a worst-case-scenario idea. </p>
<p>I am not sure if you’re saying that your parents live together not. If either of your parents is married to someone else, it could add another complication. The FAFSA takes into account the parent you live with and any stepparent you live with. In addition to that, some schools (particularly the top meet full-need schools) do also ask for information about anyone to whom the non-custodial parent is married.</p>
<p>Oh, sorry about the wording. I meant my parents live together with me and are married. </p>
<p>Umm, I’m not sure about the taxes, but my dad does get a paycheck. My mom said that the $1000 is after expenses. She said it was the net income. </p>
<p>I did take the PSAT, and the scores are in at my school. They’re not going to give us our scores until after our Christmas Break which doesn’t really make sense, but yeah.</p>
<p>Most of Texas public universities will give you finaid close to full ride if you are low income and have high stats.</p>
<p>Even UT Austin and A&M will give you close to full ride if you are VERY low income and have high stats. </p>
<p>You have to get a copy of your parents tax income and see what they paid in taxes.
You have to take SAT/ACT and get your scores .</p>
<p>WHEN/AFTER you have financial information and test scores you may ask your question again.
Right now any advice here would be pure speculation because you provide insufficient information.</p>
<p>If you take the PSAT check out the National Merit program! If you think you did well there’s a chance that you really did do well and if that is the case you might get some good scholarships through this programme!!</p>
I was really worried that it would be difficult to get money for college, since I’ve been hearing these horrible stories about huge student loans and stress because of debt and such to pay for college. </p>