<p>Hi everybody I'm new here,
I just finished my first year of college and I really don't like the college that I'm at. My parents made me stay at home and commute for my first year (I live in NY), and I really hated it, making me want to move far away now. </p>
<p>For my freshmen year I had a pretty good GPA of 3.68, and I really want to study engineering at another school (so far I'm looking into schools like University of Washington, Michigan, Wisconsin, Rice, etc.). I know that it's too late to switch schools for next semester, so I'm looking to transfer by Spring or Fall 2008.</p>
<p>Now, my question is what type of financial aid package can I expect to get from some of these out of state public and private schools? I had pretty decent high school grades (93 gpa, 1370 on SAT's), and I'm just looking to go to the school that will give me the best deal (because money is a big issue). Please give me advice on colleges to look into (good schools with engineering programs and good social life please because my first year of college sucked) and colleges that will give me a good financial aid package.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for your help, I have found that this is a helpful online community.</p>
<p>If money is an issue, OOS publics will most probably be a problem, most give little to OOS candidates.</p>
<p>You really have to give more info. Is money a problem because you have a high EFC or because you are poor? Are you looking for need based or merit aid?</p>
<p>oh darn. Money is a problem because I have a moderately high EFC and because my parents are going to make me pay for most of my college, and I don't want to take out too many loans. Also I am looking for **both **merit based aid and need based aid. Would I get better aid on OOS public schools or on private schools?</p>
<p>Private. Rice is generous, though all is dependent on your EFC. WashU gives out merit scholarships, even to transfers, if you have the stats. I would add some private schools.</p>
<p>Actually, you'd be surpised at how many state schools offer in-state tuition to kids applying from out of state who have a strong GPA like yours. </p>
<p>I know, my daughter is one of them, she is going to University of New mexico. But some on the east coast do this as well.</p>
<p>Since paying the EFC seems to be the problem, you need merit aid. This means you should be looking at schools where you are at the top of their pool stats wise. To be honest, it won't be easy. Your best shot at a decent price will probably be your state schools.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses. Do you guys know of any other *generous * private schools good with engineering (along with Rice) that I could apply to.</p>
<p>Also, sunshadow, do you know of any other state schools that would allow to pay in-state fees, because of my GPA.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I think you're going to have a hard time. Most merit aid is for incoming freshmen, and some is for seniors who have excelled in their majors. I doubt that there is very much merit aid for transfer students with the exception of students transferring from in state community colleges to in state 4 year colleges.</p>
<p>My advice is to scour the Internet looking for private scholarships you may qualify for. You are fortunate to be in a science major, and there are some nice private scholarships for outstanding science majors. Such scholarships tend to be for entering freshmen, and rising seniors. You may have to take out a big loan for junior year, but may not need as much for senior year.</p>
<p>Your best chance for a college transfer that wouldn't load you down with sky high loans is probably to go to an in state public, which would likely be your cheapest alternative.</p>
<p>Some colleges don't even give need-based aid to transfers.</p>
<p>
[quote]
WUSTL merit scholarships for transfers are only for students coming from 2-year instituitions:
[/quote]
</p>
<p>While that may be what is stated on the website, I can assure you that I received a 19k named scholarship that was quote "based on academic merit and financial need." When I presented this FA award to Wesleyan to try and use as leverage, I was informed that this specific scholarship was primarly merit based and that they would not match it.</p>
<p>However, the state schools I mentioned do not offer in-state tuition to out-of-state kids based on financial need. My daughter received it and our EFC is 40k.
Try schools like UMASS Amherst and COllege of Charleston. There are MANY.</p>
<p>brand,
I believe you. Can you give any more information about the scholarship? Did you apply for it separately? I see by your back posts that it is called the Eliot scholarship, which they don't mention on their website at all. However, this is would not be the only scholarship WUSTL doesn't advertise on their website, they have the Danforth too. Since you went to a CC, it still doesn't rule out the possibility that WUSTL only gives scholarships to CC transfers. I'm not sure I understand why WUSTL feels they have to be so mysterious and have these "hidden" scholarships. It makes more sense to me to advertise them, then people can consider WUSTL's merit scholarships when it comes to financing their education.</p>
<p>As others have said, we have found colleges not very generous with transfer financial aid. We did hear from the financial aid officers that my D might have done better if she had more credits (she was a 28 credit rising sophmore). So if you're stuck at your current school another semester or two you are only improving your chances of more money and maybe a better school if you can keep up your grades.</p>
<p>As a tip - maybe coincidence, but the schools that offered the most, were also those listed in collegeboard.com profiles as 85-97% need met. The one listed as 56% (American U) only offered 44%. She goes to McDaniel in MD. (100% need) Merit aid there for over a 3.5 is a pretty sure thing.
Colleges have specified transfer admission counsellors. Cruise their website and get their names or numbers and just call and ask a few the "how can I make this happen for me at your school" question.</p>
<p>I did not apply for any scholarships separately. They really should make these things more public as it would most certainly draw more transfer applicants. </p>
<p>As you've noted, it is called the Eliot scholarship and came in my regular financial aid award folder. The amount, to be exact, was $18,800 and I was told that it is renewable for each year that I would attend. I am not sure if it is tied in any way to the fact that I transferred from a community college but that certainly could be the reason. The exact wording, if you're interested:</p>
<p>
[quote]
"I congratulate you on being named a 2007 Thomas H. Eliot Scholar. Thomas H. Eliot served as professor and chair of the Dept. of Political Science in the College of Arts & Sciences at Washington University from 1952 until 1960, when he was called upon to serve as the dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. Dean Eliot became vice chancellor and dean of the faculties the following year, and in 1962 he became the twelfth chancellor of Washington University...He went on to serve in Congress as a representative from the State of Massachuesetts, and then practiced law and taught in Boston before coming to St. Louis and placing his invaluable imprint on Washington University. Your award is based on two factors: academic merit and your family's financial circumstances. </p>
<p>The financial assistance awarded to you expresses our belief in the strong talents that you will bring to Washington University and the contributions that you will make.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>So no specific mention of it being tied to community college. You might contact them, to be sure, as they are very open and helpful. My main surprise is the amount which WashU offers to transfers in merit aid. My family has a high EFC (32k total) and I only received 10k in grants from Wesleyan after arguing with them. WashU, on the other hand, gave nearly twice as much. I, by the way, was not a fantastic applicant by any means - probably a fairly typical "turn around" student - so I can only imagine that such awards are not atypical. If they are solely for CC students, which may be the case, College Confidential members currently at community colleges should DEFINITELY look into Washington University, especially if your EFC is higher.</p>
<p>I guess I don't understand why the OP isn't looking at IN state public options. NY has a ton of in state universities and surely more than one has engineering as a major. Also, geographically, if you live in eastern NY and go to college in western NY, you are as far away (or farther) than you would be going OOS in some cases. </p>
<p>Yes, some schools do offer in-state tuition to students with high GPA's but this usually requires the receipt of a scholarship in excess of a dollar amount. In many cases, these scholarships are not given to transfer students but are used for entering freshmen. </p>
<p>The OP will also need to check the websites of the schools he/she may be interested in applying to. Many schools, both public and private, offer either none or very limited aid to transfer students (and yes....there are those which do offer aid to transfers...but you do need to know this information). </p>
<p>The school that will give you the "best deal" is one of your own instate universities.</p>
<p>Oh...added thought re: engineering...some schools are sort of funny about wanting their engineering requirements met at THEIR school (this according to DH who IS an engineer). By tranfering, you may be not be able to complete your degree in four years. </p>
<p>And just a thought...I know you want to "get away" but is there a chance you could live on campus this year at your current college?</p>
<p>Thanks Thumper. I guess I could stay in New York, but I really want to get away. Since my grades are respectable, I am hoping that some university out there will give me good aid. If not, then I will probably end up staying in New York =(. But I definitely don't want to stay in the school I'm at now, because I really hate the atmosphere and most of the people there.</p>
<p>brand_182,
Thanks for your thorough explaination of the WUSTL scholarship. That's great information to have! It is particularly informative that your EFC was relatively high, as it appears that this scholarship is not only for low income students. Thanks for sharing your experience. EM</p>
<p>I didn't think I would get much transfer aid, but I was pretty surprised. I went to American University as a freshman. As a transfer I was offered 28k from JHU, 26k from Georgetown, and 29k from Boston College. My EFC also is like 14k. So, I guess it is possible.</p>