<p>I really want to go away for college. I have recently been accepted to UCF for fall of 2012 but I my top choice is FSU....waiting for December 14th!!</p>
<p>My mom and I have run the numbers, and we're still not sure if I will be able to afford it. I will be receiving the Florida Academic Scholars award which covers $101 per credit hour and I also have Florida pre-paid WITHOUT local fee or tuition differential, I do not have a dorm plan.</p>
<p>I have researched and discovered that is pointless to purchase a meal plan so I will not be doing that. I am hoping to be able to live in the cheapest dorm at $2,150 a semester in order to save some money.</p>
<p>I'm willing to take out the $5,500 loan but it would be great if I didn't have to take out quite that much.</p>
<p>My main point is will FSU give me grants or scholarships? Here's my stats.</p>
<p>Do I stand a chance at receiving financial need based or merit based scholarships? FSU preferably, but I am not completely against UCF if it saves a lot of money.</p>
<p>I have no idea about need based aid, but I don’t think your numbers are quite high enough for merit aid. But others who received merit aid can comment on whether they had scores similar to yours. Likely the BF money will help cover local fees and tuition differential, so that between Prepaid and BF you will have tuition covered. So it is down to room/board and expenses. If your parents will help pay for food (as their grocery bill will surely go down, as will other out of packet expenses) you can use the loan money for dorm. Yoiu will have no problem getting in the lowest price dorm, one that does not require a meal plan if you get in in Dec and apply for housing that day. Just put as your top choices the lower cost dorms. </p>
<p>Buy books used on craigslist or Half.com or amazon used. You can save big bucks. Live frugally. You can probably make it if you cut out the frills.</p>
<p>2 years ago my daughter received the $2000 per year merit scholarship. She had a 4.3 GPA, a 28 on the ACT, and a 1920 on the SAT. She received her honors college invitation within a few weeks after her acceptance and the scholarship offer near the end of December. Hope this helps!</p>
<p>Danielle, the cost for housing will likely go up for 2012-2013, as well as the local fees and tuition differential. And I hope you’re not counting on Bright Futures to pay $101 per credit. If some Florida lawmakers have their way, it won’t be around for long. Even if it is available for 2012-2013, the amounts for the scholarships will certainly be less than the 2011-2012 awards.</p>
<p>Historical Facts:
Prior to 2009, the Florida Academic Scholar Award paid 100% of tuition costs plus a $300 college-related expense.
The awards have been reduced each year, as follows:
2009-2010 Florida Academic Scholar Award: $126 per credit
2010-2011 Florida Academic Scholar Award: $125 per credit
2011-2012 Florida Academic Scholar Award: $101 per credit
2012-2013 Florida Academic Scholar Award: ???</p>
<p>As Tallalassie has said in her posts, everyone should be contacting their legislators and tell them to keep Bright Futures!</p>
<p>If I may add a bit of my personal experience.
Both my parents are physicians and they also like
yourself had to pay their way through school. Unfortunately,
both their student loans mounted to 385,000 dollars and it took them several years to pay off the loans. If you can possibly swing it with the assistance from federal subsidized loans and graduate with FSU with only a 22,000 loan ( price of a car ), I think that you are way ahead of the game. Good Luck !</p>
<p>I’m sorry, Erika, but the only changes that are set for 2012-2013 are the test scores needed for eligibility and the updated community service requirements.</p>
<p>The new award amounts will not be set until the 2012 Florida Legislative Session, and there is a possibility that Bright Futures scholarships will not continue as need based:(</p>
<p>For the 2011-2012 school year the new awards were decided at the end of April 2011.</p>
<p>CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS AND ASK THEM TO FIGHT FOR MERIT-BASED BRIGHT FUTURES!</p>
<p>I think what Nolette was saying was that it’s still quite possible that Bright Futures’ awards will be cut yet again next year. Just look at the history of what’s been cut the past few years, and it would stand to reason that the odds are certainly in favor of that happening again.</p>