So…your father earns $70,000 annually…but his taxes say he only earns $12,000 annually.
But he can pay $30,000 a year for you to attend college?
This makes no financial sense at all.
There are US students whose parents don’t own homes or property and can’t contribute $30K annually for a college.
You are asking for aid as a non resident. I don’t think you will get transfer aid.
Does that feel right to you that someone who has paid taxes, may not get funding?
Reading through this thread, I am thinking that your best bet might be to find a university whose full cost is less than $30k per year, and don’t apply for financial aid.
In the US, need based financial aid is frequently difficult for students whose parents own their own business or own multiple properties. Add to this the fact that you are an international student, plus the risk of getting your father into trouble.
I am not sure what is available in the US for less than $30k per year. This may depend upon where you are willing to apply and what sort of merit based aid you qualify for. However, there definitely are very good universities outside the US with a total cost for international student below US $30k per year.
What is your major?
You can use The College Navigator search engine to find something with your major that is likely to be under 30k each year. As an International student, you want to search broadly, then narrow it down later for location. With Tuition&Fees of $15,000 or less, you should have enough money left over to cover housing, meals, books, materials, travel, and other personal expenses. Check each of the places to find out which are still accepting applications.
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
Select: Bachelors, Public, Private Non-Profit, 4-year
Click on “More Search Options”, then under Tuition&Fees, select $15,000 and Other
Here is the list that search pulls up: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?s=all&l=93&ct=1+2&ic=1&tx=15000&ts=-2
Click on “Browse for Programs” to find your major.
Just checking for clarity…
Your parent says they earn $70,000 a year…but they pay taxes on $12,000 a year.
AND you own the house in which you reside…and another second house worth $200,000.
And your parent says they can pay $30,000 a year for you to go to college?
This does not add up.
If your parent makes $12,000 a year, how would they pay their family living expenses, fund their business, pay for two houses, AND have enough money left at the end of it all to fund $30,000 a year in college expenses?
This does not financially add up.
I don’t think you understand how our financial aid works. This is not an optional program whereby there is unlimited funding and anyone can ask and get money. It doesn’t work that way. The dollars are limited and usually fund US students. These programs are intended mostly for US students, with high stats, who don’t have the means or any funding to attend a US university.
All of this exclusionary use of funds sounds deceptive, which US schools do not take lightly. Applying for aid, as a transfer international, already heightens your application. Trying to make the numbers fit, will make your request for financial aid very suspicious…
Your parent can afford to pay $30K per year; the US has thousands of students who can’t afford that amount and you want to apply for “aid” for limited funds??? Where is your moral sense?
Maybe a financial statement of your dad’s business would provide the answers. I’m not at all familiar with this application so I have no idea if it is possible . But for argument’s sake, let’s say his business earns $70k but he spends $40k on employees, trucks, fuel, etc. Just because $70k passes through doesn’t mean it’s profit.
It’s likely the dad had itemized deductions and that some payment is in cash.
In most countries, 11k/year is upper middle class. In entire swaths of the world, not the poorest but the developing ones, a monthly salary of $250 is not bad. $700/month means middle class in a developed country outside the richest ones.
I agree that it’s likely 70k isn’t income per se. If it’s how much the business makes, once you’ve taken out the employees’ salary, overheard costs, etc, the benefits with which your dad says himself may well be 11k. Or he may be defrauding your government, which I know is a national sport in many parts of the world. But no the college would not report anything. Colleges are ready connected to the government in the us. They’ll ask for a certification of finance. You’ll prove with bank statements and a value evaluation on your secondary home. Done. No need to submit the tax form.
Your best bet is to apply to colleges where your stats guarantee you a scholarship, if the deadline’s not passed.m - UMaine, UMW, UMN- Morris…
However, colleges that admit 10-20% students - among the most selective in the us - are unlikely to admit more than 2-3 international transfers. The odds they’d be offered financial aid are low.
Also, in May there will be a list of colleges that miscalculated yield. With 30k you could be able to secure a place there - your common app needs to be ready to go because placed at the best colleges are snapped up within days.
Just be aware that typically there’s no financial aid for international transfers at most colleges. Therefore, apply widely.
I totally understand that the business probably doesn’t NET $70,000 a year.
What I don’t understand is how this family can pay $30,000 a year for college if that net income is way lower!
“What I don’t understand is how this family can pay $30,000 a year for college if that net income is way lower!”
I am guessing that there might be creative accounting going on.
This does lead to the issue regarding how this will appear on the financial aid forms (which I still think would best be avoided in this case).