If this is the wrong forum, forgive me and please redirect!
Looking for schools that give lots of merit/financial aid.
Background - Up until about 2 years ago, used to be “poor,”- food stamps, medicaid, etc. Although my income is far from astronomical, we’re now closer to middle class but we have no assets, other than a car worth about $5k. Just did the FAFSA forecaster and our EFC is about 5k. My daughter is eligible for a 2k pell grant, too.
Her SAT (super-scored) is a 1570 and GPA will be a little above 3.8 (she attends a competitive, nationally-known public school).
Our state’s flagship has a very low acceptance rate for nursing and doesn’t give much aid. NPC says we’d pay about 19k/year.
Does anyone know of other schools we can look into?
Your daughter’s stats are excellent. It sounds like she will be competitive even for highly selective schools. Your best bet is probably schools that meet 100% of need (or close to it) and have nursing programs. Unfortunately, some of these schools (particularly the smaller LACs) don’t have nursing programs. She may also want to consider schools that offer automatic and/or competitive large (full tuition or more) scholarships for high stats students.
Some CCs also gave nursing, where you can begin your nursing degree there and finish up the final years at the flagship U for a fraction of the price if having attended all 4 years. Several students I know have found if a very affordable way of getting their RN degree.
Thanks! I thought it was almost impossible to transfer into a nursing program junior year? Seems like most of what I read says direct entry is best option (obviously you have to afford it for it to work, though!).
If you get your associates degree in nursing at a community college and pass the NCLEX, you wouldn’t be a regular transfer student. You would already be an RN and could work while you pursue a RN to BSN program (many are entirely online). I do think that your daughter should concentrate, though, on finding direct entry 4-year BSN programs that will give her significant financial aid.
UT Tyler offers a full ride scholarship with a highly rated nursing program. University of Kentucky and University of Alabama also have very generous scholarships, especially with those stats!!
What state is the student a resident of? What year in HS is she currently? This can help folks give more useful responses. It sounds like she’s a stellar student! Different CCs have different relationships with their Us to allow nursing students from CC to get their BSN degree. Getting a BSN degree will allow the student more opportunities for promotion and going into management and other options.
If you happen to be Florida residents, some of the community colleges offer BSNs. Very affordable, and as you may have noticed if you read much on this forum, becoming an RN is about passing the NCLEX and school name/rank is relatively unimportant.
Upenn is the only school that meets 100% of demonstrated need without loans. Tough admit but you never know.
Boston college, Northeastern, Emory, UVA, Case, Georgetown, Berea and maybe a couple more meet 100% of need but with loans. So at one of those schools you will pay about 5K but your student will end up with about 28K in loans total. University of Michigan also offers aid to out of state students but not sure if it is workable. Those are competitive admissions but your D with her stats have good chances.
Umass Amherst has a 12% admission rate but the average SAT for nursing is 1360. From what I have seen your D will most probably get admitted. The NPC is disappointing but do apply just in case more aid comes through.
Another idea is to look at competitive full rides. For example Villanova has the presidential scholarship. Simmons college has the Kotzen scholarship. Northeastern has a special full ride scholarship for Boston high school students (not sure if it applies but worth looking at). I assume there are other full rides out there so if you keep digging you might come up with some more. Those full rides are ULTRA competitive.
UmassBoston will offer full tuition and fees to your student so worse case scenario your D can commute and get a free BSN. No need to look at CC. UMass Boston has a fine nursing school and access to Boston hospitals.
Umass Lowell will most probably offer full tuition + more. Room and board might be workable depending on the offer you get.