Financial Aid/Scholarships?

<p>the reason that not having a heirarchy in the COC is relevant is because Pepperdine doesn't receive the financial support that a Jesuit institution might or a regular Catholic school might. They've accomplished everything on their own with the help of a few committed people like the Associated Women of Pepperdine who are one of the key doners for COC students.</p>

<p>mm i was just wondering..what exactly does fin. aid cover? i just realized that i have no idea what the breakdown is for majoring in something AND minoring in something. would it be more expensive if i majored and minored in something or does it not really matter in regards to the financial aid package? and also, since pepperdine is known for its study abroad program, does that usually cost a little more than if you just stayed on-campus and studied at school? i heard that it's about the same amount...so let's say you go abroad for one semester, it usually is the same for a semester at pepperdine...is this true?</p>

<p>I'm not positive about this, as I'm not minoring in anything myself, but I don't think there's an extra cost to add a minor. As far as I know, you only have to start paying more if you have more than 18 units during a semester.</p>

<p>The study abroad program I do know about, as I was abroad myself this past year. The tuition fee is the same as if you were to stay on campus in Malibu. In addition to tuition you pay an International Programs Charge, which covers room and board, your plane tickets to and from the program location, and the cost of your educational field trip (there's one big trip per semester that lasts about a week).</p>

<p>For the 2008/2009 school year, the International Program Charge is $8,840 per semester. In comparison, room and board for Malibu per semester is $5,240. Plus you will probably end up spending at least another thousand or two per semester while abroad on weekend trips you plan yourself, things you buy, etc.</p>

<p>Finally, an observation of mine about CoC and financial aid... Although the Regents Scholarship is said to be based on academics (at least as far as I can tell, I've never been told or read anything that gave the specifics), it seems that Pepperdine gives CoC students preference. At least among the other Regents scholars in my class, an unusually large percentage of us were CoC, when compared to the overall percentage of CoC students at Pepperdine (17%, according to this page: <a href="http://seaver.pepperdine.edu/admission/home/fast_facts_6.htm)%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://seaver.pepperdine.edu/admission/home/fast_facts_6.htm)&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p>

<p>wow, thanks for all that information!</p>

<p>^^Yes, very informative ennaxor. I was just talking to my friend about her D's package. There are a couple of things not specified in the materials. What is the minimum cumulative GPA to maintain the merit scholarship? That can vary greatly depending on the college and can be stressful for a student if on the high side. </p>

<p>Also, I assume the scholarship/grant amount isn't adjusted/bumped up for yearly tuition increases, correct? Which means the gap between aid and the cost of attendance will widen each year her D is in school. I guess she needs to find out what the average % increase has been over the past few years and add that into the overall COA.</p>

<p>RE: Study Abroad. Her D is very interested in doing an overseas term. This I'm familiar with since my S is currently abroad (he attends another college). His program is based on cultural/language immersion. Homestay placements with host families where the native language is spoken in the home. He attends a local university where no classes are taught in English and he has foreign exchange students in his classes from all over the world. I've learned that some American U's have their own branches overseas where students live and go to classes with fellow students from their own U and classes are taught in English. There seems to be little difference in the educational experience than from being on the home campus, with the exception of the travel opportunities. What was your experience? Does Pepperdine offer immersion programs?</p>

<p>Also, my S's program cost is dollar for dollar the same as if he was on campus...including tuition, R/B, flights, several excursions with an escort. Optional travel at the end of the program is extra. Scholarships and other forms of financial aid (other than work/study) are applied to the study abroad program cost. Does Pepperdine do the same with aid? Many U's do not and prospective students don't know to ask these types of questions. They later learn to their big disappointment that participating in study abroad is cost prohibitive.</p>

<p>I <em>think</em> the GPA requirement we were told for Regents was 3.5, but I've had some friends also with Regents say they give you leeway and you can get as low as 3.2. I believe they only told the GPA requirement once, at the beginning of freshman year, and I don't remember it being stressed very much.</p>

<p>I can't find my past financial aid info online to check, but I'm 90% sure that the scholarship didn't increase this year from last year. I don't remember seeing an increase, but the slight doubt is because a friend once told me it actually does increase year to year, which surprised me because I'd been pretty sure it doesn't.</p>

<p>Some of Pepperdine's programs offer more immersion than others. The only programs that offer homestay programs are Buenas Aires and Thailand (which also involves living in a tribal village for a month). In all the other programs students live with their fellow Pepperdine students. Classes in all programs are taught in English, taken only with fellow Pepperdine students, though it is a requirement to take a course in the local language while abroad (and take a semester of the language before you're abroad).</p>

<p>I was in the London program, so I didn't have any extra language requirement. Most of our classes were taught by local British professors. The London program actually holds classes in the same house that we lived in, so students could just stay inside all day in the Pepperdine "bubble" if they wanted. But just about everyone did a lot of exploring the city, and we found plenty of other ways to connect with the culture. For example, some of us attended a local church every week, which was a great way to meet people.</p>

<p>And yes, Pepperdine's financial aid takes the program charge into account, so loans, scholarships, and so on are applied.</p>

<p>^^So, it appears friend's D will have to build quite a bit more $$ into her budget for the study abroad semester. She'll definitely have to get clarification on the GPA requirement for the scholarship as it appears to be quite high.</p>

<p>Thank you for your helpful responses. They are flying out next weekend to visit the school so now they'll have a better idea of what questions to ask.</p>

<p>DH and I wrote a letter to the Academic Scholarship Committee requesting a second-look at our D's lack of merit $. Her stats appear inline with many of last year's Regent's as well as other scholarship recipients this year. We received a lovely letter from the Chair of the Committee stating that while D's credentials were impressive, she was not in TOP 12% of applicant pool and therefore, would not receive merit $. </p>

<p>So, anyone who is receiving grants, scholarships, etc. are very fortunate. According to the letter the school awarded 7.5 million dollars in merit money-which if I am reading correctly from prior posts-may not include funds made available to CoC members. Since D has received generous $ from every other school she has been accepted, Pepperdine for 2 kids is a HUGE stretch.</p>

<p>Does anyone know about departmental scholarships? I heard that you can receive more money based on how well you do within your area. I'm assuming these are for the very top performing students...but how likely are these dept. scholarships in general? </p>

<p>I'm very torn between two schools just because of financial aid. Is Pepperdine really worth the extra 15k? I hope so! Pepperdine is still my number one and my parents told me not to worry about it...but I still feel guilty and obligated to research more before I commit to the school. </p>

<p>Btw, to answer the previous question from GoBlue...the tuition increase is 5-6% yearly (yeah, it's pretty insane). I called Rebecca Lyons, the head of financial aid, AND Kristy Collins, my admissions counselor. I received the same letter that Georgiatwins did. I cannot receive any more merit scholarship money because I didn't make the "top 12%" of the school. What about need-based grants? Does anyone know?</p>

<p>Also, I was talking to my friend from another private, and she assumes that as long as I do not exceed taking 18 units, then there's no additional cost? Ennaxor, can you confirm this?</p>

<p>Ennaxor, would it be okay if I emailed you or PM'ed or something because I have A LOT of questions! Thanks!</p>

<p>I really don't know much about departmental scholarships. I do know a few people in the theater program who received some sort of scholarship, which involved going in for an interview and/or audition, but I have no idea how scholarships would work in other areas.</p>

<p>Yeah, as far as I know, there's no extra charge unless you go over 18 units.</p>

<p>Sure, feel free to pm me! I'd be happy to answer any more questions!</p>

<p>The theater dept does have quite a few scholarships available by audition. I too don't know about other depts, but perhaps you can email the dept chair. As ennaxor said, a minor does not cost you more, it is based on units, with 18 being the max per semester.</p>

<p>Also regarding the IP program. It is also possible to go overseas in summer which my D did. Her regular percentage of financial aid still applied, but the IP fee is separate. The value of the dollar is what is so difficult right now. The exchange rate is insanely bad. We underbudgeted for her extra expenses and travel....but it was the best experience o her life! She was in Florence and the visiting professor was the President Benton. He and his wife still has reunion bbq's for all the students who were with him last summer:)</p>

<p>Regarding the tuition increase, I believe it has been closer to 4 - 5% the past 2 years, and that is pretty much in line with private schools in the area. D did get a slight increase in one of her grants, not quite covering the increase in tuition, but it was a nice surprise:)</p>

<p>So I just spoke with one of the people from the music department and he asked me what grants and scholarships i received from the school, and what type of loans. Apparently the federal PLUS loan (I didn't know this until 2 minutes ago) is a NON-need based loan. He said that it could have been because my parents' IRS papers did not match up with the ones on the fafsa? But, we took the numbers off of our tax papers to fill out the fafsa. Is it possible that Pepperdine made an error? If anything, my loan should be a need-based loan, right?</p>

<p>What test scores and GPA did you have to get the Pepperdine Regents?</p>

<p>This might help</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pepperdine-university/528992-those-who-got-what-were-your-sat-act-scores.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pepperdine-university/528992-those-who-got-what-were-your-sat-act-scores.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Can you tell us what it took to get the Regents Scholarship from Pepperdine in terms of grades, SAT scores, ECs, etc.?</p>