<p>Hey all!</p>
<p>I am from New Jersey and I have some interest in studying Aerospace Engineering. The problem is that the only college in New Jersey that offers it is Princeton, which I probably won't get into anyway.
The closest one I can try to apply to is UMD in Maryland. As a state college, I would be paying a lot because I am from New Jersey, however I do have a uncle (or 4) who live in Maryland. Some people say that just using their address would work, but is there anything else I would need, especially since I attend HS in NJ xD</p>
<p>You don’t need to major in Aero to go into the Aerospace industry. Mechanical engineering will work. NJIT, Rutgers, Stevens all have Mech.</p>
<p>You cannot establish residency by using your uncle’s address. And it will be easy for UMD to figure out. Your high school transcript will come from a New Jersey public high school, not a MD high school.</p>
<p>You are not a MD resident.</p>
<p>Yeah… I kind of got it now 
@Erin’s Dad, Does NJIT have some sort of specialization in Aerospace Engineering for those studying Mechanical?</p>
<p>@h2ooooooo What are your stats? Perhaps someone can suggest a school with the program you desire where you could get merit aid. ACT? GPA? SAT? PSAT?</p>
<p>What are your stats and what can you afford to pay?</p>
<p>@madison85 SAT is not that great, 1580 overall (Math scores are great though, 630)
GPA… 3.5 (both weighed and unweighed oddly enough)
PSAT was 151
I haven’t taken the ACT (yet). Still considering it.</p>
<p>@Bobwallance my twin is heading to college and I have no idea how much we can pay. It looks like my parents might not give any financial support at all for my education, which is why my last resort is a loan.
Although I do not want to disclose specific financial info, we are a family of 5 which makes less than 70k annually.</p>
<p>You, the student, will be able to take a $5500 loan in your name. Maybe you will get a couple thousand more in. Perkins loans in your name. Beyond that, any loans would need to either be cosigned or taken by your parents. </p>
<p>Is there a college within commuting distance from your home?</p>
<p>Then you need to stay in NJ and get the state aid there.</p>
<p>with 2 in school with that income, you may qualify for state aid. Try the NPCs and see.</p>
<p>and yes, MechE is fine for that career goal. </p>
<p>YOU cant borrow much without cosigners and most parents wont do that. YOU can borrow 5,500…not much.</p>
<p>What state aid does NJ have for lower income students? Do they have any aid programs similar to TAP, Hope, or Calgrant? </p>
<p>Look at the public universities.</p>
<p>@thumper1 NJIT, Stevens, and Rutgers (Newark & NB campus) are all a train ride away from where I live (and have an engineering program). I’ll be living with my parents if I do end up in those three schools.</p>
<p>I have looked deeply into public universities, however I have no idea on whether or not TAP, Hope, or Calgrant is offered or what I can get >.<</p>
<p>A commutable train ride? That would be terrific for you!</p>
<p>@Thumper1, NJIT and Rutgers Newark are really a 15 minute train ride or a 15 minute car ride. 
NB campus and Stevens would take 30 minutes by train or 45 minutes by car due to the traffic they usually have.</p>
<p>Try this New Jersey Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) calculator (the information required looks the same as what you need for the FAFSA; so sit down with a parent and your tax return and your parents’ tax return, and recent bank and investment account statements - but not retirement plan savings - ):</p>
<p><a href=“TAG - Student Status Questions”>https://www.hesaa.org/TagEstimator/NetPriceCalculator/studentstatus.asp</a></p>