<p>I am at a huge dilemma. I absolutely do not want student loans, but my parents say they cannot afford for me to go out of state to Georgia Tech or the University of California. Here's the kicker: they make over 150k combined. I am not on the level to get merit based scholarships from either of these schools, and with my parents' income, other scholarships are essentially out of the question. What are your opinions on this? I feel like they should be able to pay for me, seeing as they make a lot more than people who manage to send their kids out of state/ to private schools. Please help</p>
<p>There must be a reason they won’t pay for you to go OOS that they’re hiding from you.
Dig deeper, and find out.</p>
<p>They want to, but they are really bad with money. I feel like if/when I get into an amazing school like Georgia Tech they will change their minds. The ‘underlying reason’ is that they both had to pay their own ways through college, but I’d like to believe they aren’t that shallow.</p>
<p>That is not a “kicker”…earning $150k doesn’t mean that they can afford to pay $50k per year for a UC (or a bit less for GT). After paying taxes, etc, if they also had to pay that much for tuition, that wouldn’t leave them very much to live on. </p>
<p>“I’m not on merit level”…</p>
<p>Well, maybe they don’t think you deserve to have that much spent on your education at an OOS public.</p>
<p>I feel like they should be able to pay for me, seeing as they make a lot more than people who manage to send their kids out of state/ to private schools.</p>
<p>You don’t know those people’s situations…maybe those kids got FA or merit. maybe they have grandparents paying.</p>
<p>All I know is that I’ll do all I can when I grow up to send my kiss to their dream school.</p>
<p>First of all, a combined income of $150k yields an EFC that is less than the cost of those schools for OOS students — and most sane people consider the typical $150k EFC to be pretty darn steep. Personally, I would not pay that much to send my kid to a state school at OOS prices - and I did pay for my kids’ schooling. Surely there must be some less expensive options in your own state - you can leave your state after you get your degree.</p>
<p>Yeah I just love Georgia Tech. But most people say it’s okay to get a bachelor’s degree at any college. I’m going to end up at Uva Or Vtech, which are both great schools, respectively.</p>
<p>Oh PLEASE! Other posts say you live in northern Virginia. Many folks would sell their souls to the devil to be instate students in Virginia with its plentiful variety of instate public universities that are terrific.</p>
<p>The grass is always greener! </p>
<p>Im having trouble feeling sorry for you…and your feeling of being trapped in Virginia. Sorry.</p>
<p>I’m am completely with your parents. They pay taxes for the excellent public colleges in Virginia - why should they waste money on a whim to go to an OOS public school? </p>
<p>Come up with a new “dream” - kids from all over the country “dream” of going to UVa, W&M, and other colleges in your state. </p>
<p>Or find OOS colleges where merit aid will equalize the cost to in-state. If you have the stats to get in to Cal from OOS you can get merit from many schools.</p>
<p>Yeah I get it. I’m asking for more when I already have enough. I’m honestly fine with these schools, I just feel that Vtech is too easy and not a great fit for me, and Uva doesn’t have as highly ranked of a engineering college. I could use advice on that too. Uva vs. Vt engineering</p>
<p>It depends on how sure you are that you want engineering. Engineering is really hard, and many students who think they will be engineers end up in other majors. If you were to attend UVa, you would have a lot of options in case engineering does not work out. I am not saying that you wouldn’t make it in engineering - I don’t know anything about you! - I am just pointing it out because many students don’t realize what engineering really entails & they do opt for other majors after a short time.</p>
<p>Engineering rankings are worthless. I’m on the faculty at Georgia Tech, and I promise you UVa engineering is great.</p>
<p>Thanks. I am pretty confident in Uva (assuming I’m acceped) because of the reason you said. I mainly started this thread for everyone’s opinions, which you have shown are what I expected you to say. You guys have sounded like jerks, but that’s probably what I needed to hear.</p>
<p>“I am a rising senior and I plan on applying to Virginia Tech, UVa, Georgia Tech, and other schools like those (for engineering). I have a 4.0 weighted gpa, at the end of this year I had 5 ap classes, and I am signed up for 5 more and a dual enrollment (multivariable) next year. Now for the question: If I have a sat score of 660 critical reading, 760 math, and 730 writing (2150), should I take subject tests in the fall or try to bring up that critical reading score? Also, any other schools I should think about applying to?(I live in Virginia, so east coast would be preferable) Thank you so much in advance!”</p>
<p>Those stats will get you merit scholarships at many colleges. Not in California, but in other states.</p>
<p>And we sound “like jerks” because we aren’t giving you the answer you want to hear. Unfortunately for you, parents are not required to provide you with an education. And many that do require their children to take out federal student loans so that they are contributing something towards their own education.</p>
<p>You can apply for merit money at GT and see how it goes. They do have some great scholarships, but the competition for them is steep. My friend’s DD did get some money from them, however, so it is a possiblity. Nothing wrong with giving it a go, as long as you understand that the finances are going to paly a big role in where you go. Make sure you get the application and the separate scholarship process going early, because the dealines for the Presidential awards are in October, very early, I believe.</p>
<p>You would get a huge scholarship from 'Bama…with an extra stipend for engineering, I believe. It would be a huge bargain…and would get you out of Virginia.</p>
<p>Thanks you soo much. That is actually so helpful coming from someone at Georgia Tech. And thanks everyone, you have given me a ton of great information.</p>
<p>Another jerk weighing in–When you have GREAT instate options, blowing money for oos is something only an irresponsible fool would do. This is no small chunk of change you are talking about. This is serious money and you are completely out of line to think they should indulge you at great expense to their security and retirement. You are coming from a position of having no clue. Do well in your undergrad and you can spend your own money going to those ‘dreams’ for grad school.</p>
<p>A little late to the party man. I don’t consider myself a “jerk”, and I am soo sorry for asking informed people what they thought about something. I know that it is more expensive and was looking for opinions, not people like you telling me what I already now. So I appreciate your attempt, but you haven’t done me any good.</p>
<p>Brownparent was not calling you a jerk but identifying with the rest of us that you labeled as jerks! </p>
<p>You wanted our opinions, and we all pretty much have opined that yes, it is unrealistic of you to expect your parents to spend 1/3 of their annual gross income to allow you to go out of state to college, with no loans of your own, to get an education that you can get in Virginia.</p>