<p>I don’t see it as a small impediment.</p>
<p>[True</a> Stories](<a href=“http://services.housing.berkeley.edu/nss/Content/ps10OutofStateAH.html]True”>http://services.housing.berkeley.edu/nss/Content/ps10OutofStateAH.html)</p>
<p>Hi, Ryan! I will be starting college as a freshmen next year as well. Let me tell you my story. Throughout high school, I had huge plans about going to some big, important university. For me, the absolute most important thing was to move out of my home state, which I felt for some reason was holding me back (it’s Arkansas, by the way). I had Cornell, Duke, Tulane, and numerous prestigious OOS public schools on my mind as potential places to go to school. Everyone told me I had what it takes to make it into one of those kind of colleges. This year, though, I realized that it would just not be worth it to have to go so far in debt…and I decided to attend an in-state university that is ranked under “regional universities” by US News so I would not have to take out any loans. My reason was, graduate school is going to be murder no matter what as far as debt goes, so why accumulate debt now? Luckily for you, the difference in prestige between your dream school and another one you were accepted at (UNC-Chapel Hill) are not nearly as big (I think Berkely is ranked 21st nationally by US News and UNC is 30th). Okay, I know ranking isn’t everything and I am sure your reasons for wanting to attend Berkely are strong, but by going to Chapel Hill instead, you would be saving something like $100,000 in tuition alone. That would save both you and your parents from going into a tremendous amount of debt. You may not even need to do work study. You just have to look at it in a different way. Is Berkely really worth that extra hundred grand? After all, you could still go to graduate school there, instead.</p>
<p>The tuition bill in August will be the proverbial pedal hitting medal and the OP will come to some decision with or without the advice we, as parents, give…that said, nice post yaksic 13. My S3 seriously considered another public, while good in his major, but not globally known but out of state while he was accepted at an instate public that was globally known. We pointed out that at some point you are simply talking about 4 years of your life…debt hangs around for alot, alot longer than 4 years as a constant reminder of choices made. And on a campus of 40,000 kids his “high school hallway faces” don’t need to be part of his experience unless he wants them to be. I do wish the OP the best of luck but I can’t help but wonder what will happen in 100 days or however many days when the bill arrives at the house.</p>
<p>Ryan, have you visited Berkeley? I live in NC too and spent 10 years just south of Berkeley. The school is in a very urban area, and is not exactly a campus feel.</p>
<p>RyanByrd7 -</p>
<p>I you hope to replicate Angelica Kelea Ho’s experience as described in her essay about paying for Berkeley, you should be communicating with her rather than with us. Questions to ask would be how she found the various paying positions that she juggled, and how much debt she and her family took on to cover her costs.</p>
<p>Just to be clear, Ryan, your extended family is in crisis right now, and your parents are doing what they can to help out your aunt and cousins.</p>
<p>And while they’re overextending themselves trying to help, your question to us is whether it would be okay to burden them even more with almost $90k in PLUS loans! Your question (your words): “[if] the PLUS loan for my parents . . . is a good idea.” REALLY???</p>
<p>In your appeal letter to Berkeley, you described “the passion [you] possess for liberating others; for understanding others; and for serving others.” You need to take a long hard look at how you can express that passion in your dealings with your family right now. </p>
<p>I understand that you really want to attend UC Berkeley. And I understand that you’re willing to take on debt to make that happen. What I don’t understand is your willingness to entangle your parents in that debt. I know that none of the crisis in your extended family is your fault, and it sucks that it could prevent you from attending Berkeley . . . but you really need to think about whether that additional debt is something your parents can handle right now.</p>
<p>All of the UC campuses are happily accepting more OOS students, because they pay more and California is dirt poor right now, so the schools need the funding from its students.</p>
<p>If you are wanting “just a little bit” (I think that was the essence of what you said), then I suggest that you get a job NOW and start working full time the moment school is out for summer, hopefully at a company that you can transfer to Berkeley with and continue working. I would also suggest that you find housing off campus and make your own meals. BTW, when I was last at Berkeley, off campus housing was running around $1000/mo (for a bed!). </p>
<p>You can be socially active and aware and a leader at any school you attend. Frankly, you’ll get better opportunities to “shine” at a smaller school.</p>
<p>While you may be willing to take on $100k in debt, in reality I doubt that you and/or your parents would be approved to do so, leaving you still financially short and seeking other alternatives.</p>
<p>27 Racks?! Shoot just give me a college with a bunch of people lol. I live in Cali and Im trying to go out of state. Ive never even been out of Southern California so Im pretty much open to anywhere with a new experience for me</p>
<p>Unless your family has an extremely high adjusted gross income, you should be eligible for about $24,000 of federally subsidized loans if you attend any university, including UNC. One of the many great things about federally subsidized loans is that the feds pay the interest while you are in grad school. There no longer are federally subsidized loans for graduate and professional school, so it may be better to use loans for a modest-priced undergrad school and then save some of your family’s savings for grad school.</p>
<p>The grass is always greener. UNC-CH is an outstanding school that meets full need for its instate residents. I just can’t imagine taking on debt to attend Cal when you have such an outstanding and affordable instate option.</p>
<p>This thread is heartbreaking. Ryan, everyone here can see that you are willing to work hard and do whatever it takes to reach your goals, we are just worried about what will happen the day the bill comes due.</p>
<p>As you pursue this dream please humor us by NOT declining at UNC where you have already committed until and unless your parents’ PLUS loan is approved for UC Berkeley. Regardless of how hard you are willing to work throughout the school year, the fact is you can’t START classes until you pay the bill. If your parents are denied a PLUS loan you will be eligible for an additional $4,000 in Stafford, but that will not cover your costs.</p>
<p>Best of luck</p>
<p>*And count me among those recommending you let go of the idea of Berkeley for undergrad - sorry :(</p>
<p>Ryan bro. I understand where you’re coming from. My dream colleges are Michigan and USC but there’s absolutely no way my family can pay for it. Nothing I can do about it but reconsider. It’s even more frustrating for you because you were accepted too.</p>
<p>Ryan: I know of no other ways for you to pay this bill. Our grand state of California is out of money. Asking for California state funding as an OOS student, will not get you anything. Since you don’t want to hear why you can’t afford Berkeley, because it’s your “Dream school”, I suggest that you accept Berkeley. It seems to me that it won’t be real for you until you can register for classes there. </p>
<p>When you register for classes there, during your pass session, you will be asked immediately to pay your bill. That’s when reality will finally hit hard, and you will realize that they will drop you from classes for nonpayment. Yes it will be harsh and, I’m sorry that NC will not hold your spot. Reality will be CC.</p>
<p>On top of not being able to pay your bill, did you choose an overloaded underpaid major? I forgot to mention, I work in a job that has non-paid Ph.D internships for: social work, MFT and psych candidates; they are begging for jobs! One gal owes over $140K in loans and she is trying to find a job to pay that bill. She and her husband live with her parents. They can’t afford to move and she can’t find a job and was asking me about my field.</p>
<p>Not sure what kind of advice you are looking for to help reduce the debt you will have - if you plan on going no matter what. If you read the article you linked to - you are pretty much given your options. Work, as many jobs as you can - we can’t tell you where to find them. And graduate early. And don’t spend on anything not absolutely necessary to survive, no pizza or burgers out, no movies with friends, no new clothes, no trips home. All those things cost $s and every dime you spend will be an extra dime in debt that you have. The residency thing doesn’t sound like it would help much, except maybe in your 4th year - if you can get the residency and decide to go 4 years. But I don’t know how complicated it is to get it. You will need to do the research on that and make sure every step is closely followed.</p>
<p>This student will NOT be able to gain instate residency in CA if he moves there to go to college. He would have to demonstrate that he is providing ALL of his own support including his OOS costs of attendance. If he could PAY those costs, he would not be here asking questions.</p>
<p>I’m from the northeast which is a hub for excellent schools it seems. Kids from this are would LOVE to attend UNC CH, but the acceptance rate for OOS students is low and competitive. Why is it that do many excellent students from HERE want to attend UNC CH as OOS students, but this student doesn’t see the affordability of an excellent school in state?</p>
<p>thumper1 - I agree with you. It’s just he doesn’t seem to want to hear it. He doesn’t want to hear why he should pick an affordable school or why it’s a bad idea to go into debt or that he may not even be able to do it. His last post was basically “leave me alone about not going because I am - just tell me where to find money” That’s not something any of us can do …</p>
<p>Regarding in-state residency: </p>
<p>The student in the article the OP linked had a plan to attain in-state residency . . . but was quickly forced to abandon that plan because it could not be done! Attaining in-state residency means working full-time and being fully self-supporting - endeavors that are simply not compatible with being a full-time undergrad.</p>
<p>I have to add that even though the student in the article ultimately succeeded in graduating a year early, one has to wonder at the cost. She worked as many hours as she attended class, was forced to limit class selection in order to achieve early graduation, and had to take whatever summer classes she could get. Yep, she graduated with a UCB degree . . . but it sounds like a pretty lousy experience. If the OP chose Berkeley because of the full range of curricular and extracurricular opportunities available there, this certainly wouldn’t be the way to take advantage of them.</p>
<p><<<<
Most of my loans are subsidized for Berkeley, so interest will not be that big of a factor.
<<<<<</p>
<p>What are you talking about? Most of your loans will be private/Plus and they will not be subsidized. About $80k of your loans will not be subsidized.</p>
<p>Your parents earn between $80k-100k. I’m not even sure if they’ll be able to pay the $18k per year that they’re supposed to pay since they’ll also helping that other family. </p>
<p>(BTW…you’re lucky that Cal didn’t google your story. They would have found that your “dear, benevolent” uncle had a rap sheet violent history so your claim about how surprised you were at his most recent violent crime would have caused them to roll their eyes.)</p>