<p>The college I had my heart set on going to only offered me a $2600 stafford loan. I would still need $20,400 more. I applied for tons of scholarships and didn't receive any of them, even though I have good grades and am graduating cum laude. Unfortunately, my mother is a single parent and a teacher, so she only makes $35,000 a year, therefore we didn't qualify for Pell grants but still don't make nearly enough to afford college. I may end up having to go to a community college and then transfer into another university. I'm worried that it will be hard to enter as a transfer student. </p>
<p>Is it hard to transfer into BFA programs at good MT schools?</p>
<p>I'd love to help you but am not sure I fully understand the situation. it sounds like your expected family contribution is $20,400 after any grants/loans or financial aid the college offered? That just does not sound right for someone whose parent earns $35,000 per year. Is there another parent, noncustodial, whose profile shows a higher range of income which makes the EFC as high as you mentioned? Can you discuss this with the school? Is your mother willing to take out a PLUS loan (parents may borrow up to the total amount needed for tuition/room/board) for some of this? Can summer earnings contribute? I'd have to hear the whole package and EFC and so forth to understand it all. Just cause a college says your family can afford X amount, it does not mean the family really can shell all that out in given year (I know we cannot) and it might mean taking a PLUS loan for some of it. Can you talk to the college for advice? Can you meet with mom and maybe even a financial advisor to come up with a plan? She let you apply to college in the first place and while she did not know exactly what financial aid you'd receive, she must have intended for you to go and had some preconceived notion of how she would finance it....loans, whatever. See if you can meet with her and maybe one other person to strategize some plans. Does she want you to go to community college? What is she saying about all this? Was she expecting a much larger package? I still do not get if the school says you need over $20,000 more, how that came out that way on that income level. </p>
<p>Many folks, like us, do not make enough to afford college but also do not get all the financial aid we need. It means coming up with some plan to pay it off over time....combined with other things like summer jobs, work study, family gifts if that is remotely possible, and so forth. Work with the college on this and see what they suggest. Have you already put down your deposit at this college? Did you approach the FA office to advocate for more? Did you get into a second college that offered a better package which you could have asked this school to match? </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Dramaaddict--Did you get into OU? Or are you talking about a different school? I agree with Susan. Something's wrong. These schools usually do a much better job of that at finding help for people, even if it's a combination of loans, grants, and work-study.</p>
<p>Well, I'm still on the waitlist for OU's Drama Department. However, after talking to somebody on the phone within the department, it sounded like there was a possibility for me to be accepted off of that waitlist, but I don't know for a fact YET. I should be hearing any day now.</p>
<p>and I'm on a waitlist for Sam Houston State University as well. and unfortunately, I will not know about that one until late July.</p>
<p>Well, I wish you the best with the waitlist situation, as well as the financial one. How difficult the wait must be -- 2 waitlists yet!</p>
<p>I assume the small loan is based on the FAFSA or the other similar form (can't think of its name at the moment) used by private schools? I have to agree, this makes no sense that you did not get something more with the income you stated. </p>
<p>Double check all your records and make sure the school does not have some wrong information. A small typo can make a large difference on these things. </p>
<p>You should not be afraid to press your case in a very assertive fashion. Others do that, and so such you.</p>
<p>Soozievt wrote:</p>
<p>"I'd love to help you but am not sure I fully understand the situation. it sounds like your expected family contribution is $20,400 after any grants/loans or financial aid the college offered? That just does not sound right for someone whose parent earns $35,000 per year"</p>
<p>There is NO way that an EFC is $20,400 based on $35,000/year in income. Something is definitely wrong here. I think perhaps the poster meant that the cost of attendance at this university would leave him $20,400 short after the Stafford Loan to attend THAT particular school.</p>
<p>My niece is a senior and going off to college next year. Their household income, as per tax returns and FAFSA is $38,560. Their EFC was $2,500. We were also under the impression that the EFC was something we were expected pay out of pocket, but were told it's just a number that is used to determine need for need-based aid, including Pell grants, Stafford loans, etc. </p>
<p>But, I don't know the entire family situation, and their may be money from other sources, i.e., ratio of income to loans, etc., or other money in savings, etc.</p>
<p>Definitely go to the financial aid officer at the school and talk with them. Something is not right.</p>
<p>Dramaddict, I read on another thread that you got accepted at OU! Wahoo! Let us know if you have been able to talk to the financial aid office to explain your financial situation and to negotiate what you can. Congratulations for getting accepted and I hope you can work out the financial plan. We will be rooting for you.
CollegeMom</p>