<p>GOB -- when you say you are "getting outside money" are you referring to a scholarship or money that another source (uncle, grandparent) will be be providing?</p>
<p>I ask because scholarship money is usually reported to the school (and usually made payable to them for your benefit) and it usually reduces the loans/work study portion of your financial aid package. It does not usually count towards paying off your EFC or allow "extra" money for additional travel or expenses. You would need to check with each individual school to see how the scholarship money is handled.</p>
<p>Money from other sources (a family relative or friend) is not counted in the formula or expected in any way -- so that is money that you are free to use to supplement any way you need.</p>
<p>As far as a job as a source of money -- you financial aid package will most likely include a significant work-study award. The money you make at that award is figured into the Cost of Attendance, so there wouldn't be any "extra" money from work (unless you plan to take a second job -- and I don't recommend it). Summer jobs are not factored in -- savings from those are usually expected to go towards the EFC or the student contribution (depending on the school).</p>
<p>I just want you to realize the way that colleges approach the money situation so that you aren't caught out in the cold when you get there. I think it will all work out -- but you don't want to plan on something that isn't going to happen.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I have a job and have been saving for 2 years
[/quote]
</p>
<p>there is going to be an expectation that 25to 35% of what you have saved is going to be calculated into your EFC, and a good part of the balance will be used toward your student contribution. Also don't forget the startup cost associated with beginning college: moving stuff, setting up a room, books computer etc.</p>
<p>GOB -- my assumption was that you when you used the EFC calculator, you included your savings under student assets -- and that is why the EFC is at $3,000-$4,000. Is that correct?</p>
<p>Also -- consider spending down some of that savings on vital start-up expenses (computer, etc) before filing the FAFSA and Profile to reduce some of that savings -- thus reducing the EFC.</p>
<p>You're definitely a good shot for a STRIDE Scholarship at Smith...great research and other opportunties but probably a lower merit aid amount than available elsewhere. Still, the program is terrific and I'd investigate.</p>
<p>If your father is well enough to go back to work your EFC could shoot up in subsequent years. He may have debts which need to be paid off before paying for your education. Merit aid at a "lesser" school may be a safer bet than need aid which could disappear later on. Think carefully about the long haul of expenses here, not just the freshman year.</p>
<p>This 11/10 post from the OP on the Chances board scares me because it's obvious that she hasn't been listening:</p>
<p>" I seriously cried when I got my scores. I had 1370/2100 before, which was okay, but now its just like life changing. I can get merit aid and go to practically any school I want to, except like obviously ivies... "</p>
<p>And here's the list that she posted:
applying to:
-- UVA
-- UNC, chapel hill
-- U south carolina
(all 3 OOS)
-- Vanderbilt
-- University of Dayton
-- University of Scranton
-- UPENN
-- Cornell
-- Brown?
-- Emory?
-- St. Louis University ($$??)</p>
<p>nsm, don't sigh too soon. I can't tell for sure what class she's in. On this thread she said
[quote]
nope im a senior. sorry i copied and pasted it.
[/quote]
when someone asked if she was a junior.</p>
<p>After much effort public and private I have come to the conclusion that the OP is being completely honest about what she wants us to do , find her some schools that will give her full tuition to full ride money for her stats . Everything else that is offered in the way of advice doesn't seem to be making much of a dent, and naysayers need not apply. </p>
<p>Her working list isn't that bad but I don't see the financial safeties in what I would consider a true sense of the phrase.</p>
<p>Oh lordy, she's gotten SO much advice already on all these threads and all the old ones too that if I were her I'd be TOTALLY overwhelmed by now. Sometimes there is such a thing as asking for help a little too often. </p>
<p>I don't know, maybe she really just wanted to share her new SAT scores with someone.</p>
<p>GOoB, you <em>must</em> apply to some state schools if you really need aid. You don't want to find yourself completely stuck because you cannot afford any of the schools that accepted you.</p>
<p>For merit aid, you might want to look at Dickinson. As others have said, American U. sometimes offers good merit/need aid. I've known two kids who have attended Drew University in NJ on scholarships, one on full tuition, but I don't know think many applicants get offered this. If you truly have as low an EFC as you posted, then you should look at Smith since they are known for enabling the economically disadvantaged a shot at a top LAC education. As others have noted, a full tuition ride is rare, especially at the schools you've listed as possibilities. </p>
<p>Listen to the wisdom here. I don't want to be reading in the spring about how you cannot go to college because you didn't get enough aid.</p>
<p>Merit aid is scarce at UVa (less than a third OOS) and UNC (15-18?%OOS) and admit standards for OOS kids expectations tend to begin at your new scores. Still the Echols at UVA is a wonderful program sans merit money and UNC actually has a highly developed classroom program for OOS kids. I am acquainted with kids with higher scores who got zip merit offers anywhere private who were probably in the running for merit packages. </p>
<p>It is best to take a hard look at your bottom line if your EFC is met by your colleges.<br>
Prepare mentally to pay your EFC at all of your schools. Prepare your essays with extreme care and thought, because you are a contender at all your schools. Visit your references and try to be a good communicator with them about your college list and why you might thrive at schools AB and C. My point is that you need to present a whole package at this juncture to bolster your lovely test scores. Don't rush your essays till you know they are good examples of you. Think hard about what you may offer a campus and find a way to communicate the essence of you and what you add to a group.
And you have to face your EFC dead on and grasp that merit awards at highly selectives are very competitive and often are used to "fill out" a class in deliberate ways..ie, we need Engineers, we want someone from the Pacific Northwest, we want a leader in our Dance Clubs or for our Debate team. Merit money is not a rational process, and what they are "looking for" is not that easy to predict each year for those merit awards.</p>
<p>That means sitting down with your parents over Thanksgiving and doing the paperwork. Vandy merit money seems to me to have been going a good bit into partial scholarships for kids who would beef up their engineering program a couple years ago and stats were extremely high for merit money.<br>
Did you say you wanted a college with 5000 kids?<br>
I am a bit confused on your list and also about what kind of social scene you want in college. You need match colleges where you are sure to be admitted and know you can get your EFC met. Build your match list with care.<br>
Don't forget to get to know the colleges on your list by doing research and talking to anyone who has attended. How well you understand a college can come through in your application.</p>
<p>With state schools, why should I bother? I'll be in more debt coming out of one of those than a private that's got money to boot for need-based aid, like Vandy. My scholarship at SUNY Albany will only be 3,500. That still leaves r&b and another 1-2k of tuition.</p>
<p>Can't I just take out loans to cover room and board, too? </p>
<p>Curmudge, what would a TRUE financial safety look like?</p>
<p>Btw list as of now in order of how I see them financially safe:</p>
<ol>
<li> Indiana U of PA (robert e. cook honors college)</li>
<li> U of Dayton (applying for their full tuition berry scholars program)</li>
<li> U of Scranton (they give out 5 full tuitions to their top 5 students in freshman class)</li>
<li> U South Carolina (if I get mcnair, will get 15k a year to cover instate tuition and r&b)</li>
<li> Vanderbilt (met with my area rep recently, says they meet 100% need, and cap loans)</li>
<li> St. Louis U (i could snag their full tuition prez scholarship)</li>
<li> UPenn (so much $$ to give in need-based aid)</li>
<li> UVA (wont get merit aid, but good need-based, will be lots of loans tho..i know)</li>
<li> Cornell (no merit, obviously...and too many loans to meet need. won't go here...but I'm being made to apply here...and I get a fee waiver so <em>shrug</em>)</li>
<li> UNC (no shot at merit aid, and who knows about need. Again, I had a fee waiver and I love the school, so why not?</li>
</ol>
<p>room for 2 more schools.</p>
<p>thinking: xavier u in cinn -- provides a bunch of full ride scholarships
u pitt -- offers a couple full tuition i have the stats to be competitive for</p>
<p>Not necessarily more debt at SUNY. There are merit scholarships available. Also TAP awards.
Also you said your dad is better and working again - your initial package will be based on this years income but if/when his income rises next year (my impression is he recently went back to work) you will see your need based aid go down next year.
But I guess you are considering Indiana, Dayton, and Scranton your safeties instead of the SUNYs.</p>
<p>Just like I can't tell you which schools will give you merit aid of full-tuition or higher, I can't tell you what your financial safeties are. By my definition, a financial safety depends on the answer to this question-if everything cuts against me , can I still go to this school? </p>
<p>For my D that was our state schools, Ole Miss's Honors College, Hanover College, and Westminster College in Missouri. The first two because they were cheap enough for us without aid. The second two at the time had specific merit policies that guaranteed certain levels of scholarship for certain grades and scores. Once D visited Hanover, liked it (and had the scholarship amount verified face to face ;)) she was free to look for schools that might appeal to her even more (though she liked Hanover a lot). </p>
<p>That is the beauty of a financial safety you are happy to attend. The weight is lifted. You know you are going to a great school you want to attend and then it's O.K. to go for schools where it is not as sure that the $ will be there,. And that's true whether they be merit reaches, admissions reaches that are need only, or both. </p>
<p>You've got to have that financial safety first before all else.</p>