They really should have said that when the OP was a high school senior who asked them whether she needed to pick a less expensive college among the choices that she had.
Yes, the OP has no real choice now. But it is likely that her trust in her parents’ word is compromised from now on. The parents have also effectively wasted out-of-state costs for the OP’s frosh year at UConn.
Perhaps this is another example of why parents need to figure out their financial plan regarding kids’ college costs early (preferably before the application list is made) so that they can make promises that they can keep.
The assumption being made here is that there hasn’t been a change in family finances. We don’t know that…and it’s possible the student doesn’t know that either.
Sometimes finances change…or there is a real life realization that the financial situatuon isn’t sustainable.
I am sorry that the OP is in this situation. But things happen sometimes.
The OP does need more information because it isn’t clear whether the parental budget can only cover commuting to Lowell, or whether there might be more alternatives that are manageable. For instance, the University of Maine would be more expensive than Lowell, but a lot less expensive than UConn. Living on/near campus at a different Massachusetts public college would probably cost more than Lowell but less than Maine.
Also, what is your GPA? If you did very well your first year, it’s worth looking at whether you qualify for transfer scholarships elsewhere that might bring your costs below those at UConn.
I hear no reason why the OP’s credits won’t transfer. I expect they will. Yes, it is a disappointment. I hope the OP can forgive her parents and move forward with a new plan.
@Silverempress15 : Do you plan to attend graduate school ? If so, it is best to have as little undergraduate debt as reasonable.
Also, the financial turnaround could be due to a medical diagnosis or other crisis affecting financials (loss in stocks or other investments, upcoming layoffs, business downturn, etc.) that your parents do not want to discuss openly.
Or it could just be the shock of the reality of college costs.
@intparent
I can do without the sarcasm, thanks. Obviously the student has no choice but to accept the reality. My point is that the student has a right to feel upset. The student will need to move on and make the best of the situation even though the trust in the parents is surely compromised.
I wasn’t being sarcastic. You are quick to criticize, but no one is going to pay the bill but this family. They might have to tap their home equity (which eventually would have to be paid), or dig into their retirement savings (and then the OP might need to give them a hand if they ever retire). Or if there are younger sibs, they might not get to go to college at all.
The student has a right to be upset, but she is far from the only student that this will ever happen to. And her parents didn’t do it on purpose – they made a big mistake. I’m pretty sure they feel bad. You seem to want to egg her to feel more aggrieved than she probably already does. I think most of the parents out here, while they wish this hadn’t happened to the poster, take a long view that maintaining a relationship with her parents is more important than having this fester long term as an issue between them.
I don’t think teens know everything about their parents’ finances, but seniors who know enough to ask if they should choose the cheapest option, one of which is a commuter school, know something. I think most teens have a sense of whether or not their parents can shell out ~$200k for college.
I’m sorry OP is in this situation. It must be a surprise coming so late in the year, but it’s possible that her parents thought they could borrow enough to pay for an OOS school and were approved the first year but not the second. This is probably very distressing to them too.
OP, I would start checking your options. It sounds like commuting is one. In order to find out if there are others you need to know what your EFC is and how much your parents can afford to pay without borrowing. You can take the $6500 federal student loan and if you work summers you can probably earn $3k. Do you have siblings? If so, your parents will need to plan for their education too.
If you liked UCONN you would probably like UMASS Amherst better than Lowell. You will get a better education and the campus environment will be similar. Lowell is not much of a residential college in comparison. Also, I would not rush anything for this fall. You can always take a semester off to explore options.
Take a breath. Then, consider the situation.
Thank your parents for paying for an expensive school for a year, and appreciate the fact that they are human and not rich. They tried to make you happy by paying for your first choice university. Every parent wants to make things better for their children. Sometimes we can, and sometimes we can’t. I understand where they are coming from but if the money isn’t there, it’s just not there, no matter how much we wish it to be.
You could be at an even less-expensive alternative or not attend a uni at all.
Now, discuss this with your current school; see if there are any options. If not, check out your local uni and ask about previous offers.
I’m sorry this happened to you, but you sound like you will be successful wherever you land. Appreciate that you are talented, that your parents love you, and that you will do whatever you need to do to get your degree.
I have to say that while all the responses are absolutely spot on, I’m still angry for the OP that her parents were not honest about the finances upfront (assuming there wasn’t a big change, in which case OP should talk to the financial aid office ASAP) and OP has every right to be upset. I hope there are other parents reading this thread who hear the angst of pulling a successful kid out of a school they are emerged in both socially and academically and not make the same mistake. It always worries me when posters say their parents tell them “not to worry about costs” or have no idea what of their budgets. Students - push your parents for answers even if they are uncomfortable. Be crystal clear about the total COA, not just tuition. And parents - be honest about what you can and can’t afford. Most families have a budget. It’s OK. Just save everyone a lot of heartache and be clear early in the process.
I too hope other parents are reading this thread because on top of it, OP likely had a scholarship (perhaps a BIG scholarship) and this scholarship is now LOST forever.
I too worry when parents tell kids “not to worry about costs”. Except for people who make 500K+ a year, costs are ALWAYS a concern when it comes to paying for college. Run the NPC and decide what range is affordable. It’s NORMAL to have a budget. Even giving a range helps the student make reasonable plans.
OP has indeed every right to be upset, especially since she was told so late this year. I do believe parents should explain, even if it’s “we no longer have the money” or “we borrowed for your first year and couldn’t get approved for the second”, or SOME reason, as it(d at least help her make sense of what’s happening to her.
This student is OOS for CT. Maybe she had a scholarship…but if it was a huge one, she wouldn’t be having these financial issues. UConn does give merit aid to some OOS students…but not many.
If she does have a BIG scholarship, she should head over to the school and talk to someone. Maybe they can find her another form of aid to help her complete her studies.
Things we don’t know…how much were the parents taking in loans to pay for UConn. Did the student take the $5500 Direct Loan to help pay? How much was contributed by student work earnings? Are there siblings in the family that the parents now realize they need to consider?
But most important…what are the parents saying is the yearly college budget now? Nothing? $15,000? Or what?
I agree families need to try to plan ahead. This is very important. But sometimes life happens and circumstances change. When the financial circumstances change, the family needs to make adjustments, and this includes the student. Even if the only change is “we realize now that this is not financially sustainable for our family” that is enough of an explanation.
The OP has the option of enrolling in a public university near her home which the family presumably finds affordable.
OR she (or he) could take a gap year, and then apply to colleges that meet full need for all accepted students including transfers. There are some.
I mean a freshman scholarship to UMass Lowell (assuming this because of the difference in selectivity between UConn and UMass Lowell) … she’s now going to transfer back to a university that admitted her as a freshman and likely included a scholarship that, as a transfer, she can no longer claim.
Hoping the parents don’t just assume that any freshman scholarship will be available as a transfer…and that the net cost to attend UMass Lowell will be the same as it was when this student was an admitted freshman!
Tuition at UMass Lowell is ~$15k, so the net cost for a commuter after the $6500 federal student loan and $3k summer work earnings is ~$5500. That’s not horrible. If OP’s family has a low enough income there may be a little Pell or Work Study, but we don’t really know.
(assuming this because of the difference in selectivity between UConn and UMass Lowell) … she’s now going to transfer back to a university that admitted her as a freshman and likely included a scholarship that, as a transfer, she can no longer claim.