<p>From what I've gathered, it's quite expensive to go to NYU - but I've also gathered that NYU seem to be a place where pretty normal people go(by normal I mean not having rich parents or being rich for themselves for some reason).</p>
<p>I mean you have to take loans, I get that, but what was your final debt and how are you doing with paying it all back today(talking to ex-students who are done)?</p>
<p>How do we normal people go to NYU?(please don't say "you don't" cause it's both snide and probably untrue)</p>
<p>Put it this way. For my freshman year alone, I have to take out around $56k in one of my private loans. After the 15 year repayment, assuming I pay the exact amount every month, I’ll have paid over $150k just on this loan!</p>
<p>I’m going to try to get through this. I’m hoping it puts me in a good job so repayment is manageable.</p>
<p>My EFC was 0 and I was lucky enough to get $50K in scholarships/grants. I’m taking out $6K in public loans per year and thankfully my parents are covering the rest as a gift. It’s such a relief to know that I get to go to NYU at a price that’s cheaper than going to my public state school! </p>
<p>But, if I had to pay more than $50K in loans per year, there is no way I would’ve picked this school. NYU is great but definitely not worth the debt.</p>
<p>-Most people get around $20,000/year from NYU. (I say this with confidence, considering published financial aid stats and also talking with my friends). That leaves about $20,000 for the rest of tuition plus about $15,000 for housing, plus about $5,000 in fees and expenses, like books, transportation, etc. =~$60-62,000/year total.
-Students usually get $3,500 Subsidized Stafford Loan for their freshman year, $4,500 sophomore, $5,500 junior/senior.<br>
-Students are also offered $2,000 Unsubsidized Stafford Loan.
-Work study offered is usually $3,000
-Pell grants are $5,550
-Some students get a $2,400 Federal Perkins Loan, as well.
-This leaves about $22-25,000 in a Parent PLUS loan.</p>
<p>Most people’s parents take out the PLUS each year, like mine have.<br>
I’m very “normal” in this regard, as basically this was my fin.aid. package. </p>
<p>I get by by working part-time during the semester, and basically full-time during breaks and intersessions (Winter, Summer). I have moved off campus, so it is a whole lot cheaper for me to live, as well. I also hook on the street corners at night to make a few extra grand on the occasional weekend. (Just kidding).</p>
<p>@laurenbanjo: so if you study for say 3 years, you will have paid 450k for taking a loan with a total of 168k? because from what I’ve heard it’s around 55k a year there?</p>
<p>@dreamer2012: well aren’t you lucky, good for you how did you get scholarships/grants? you see I’m from Europe, I have no idea how scholarships and grants work for us if we want to study there. </p>
<p>as for your last comment - isn’t it, though? I mean I want to become a psychologist once I’m done and I want to live and work in New York. won’t it be kind of ““easy”” to repay my debts? and isn’t it possible to pay chunks of money on loans rather than keep paying the monthly cost to avoid interest?(this kind of points back at you @laurenbanjo :p)</p>
<p>Thank you both for your input though!</p>
<p>PS: I don’t think I’m close enough to the application state etc just yet so all I’m really doing right now is digging for the future. I want to get an idea of what to expect.</p>
<p>@GreenwichGarcon: thanks for that! and if that last comment were true I doubt you’d need the other job(s) you moved out of campus you said - do you still live in the city or outside of it?</p>
<p>I feel kind of stupid for not pointing out I am European in my first post though as I’m not sure if I would be entitled to the same aid as Americans are.</p>
<p>Confeh, I do not think you will be eligible for Staffords, Pell, Perkins or Parent Plus (for your parents). That will make it very difficult for you, if your parents have not saved for your education or if they can’t help you significantly. If you have great stats and need, you may receive some scholarships from NYU, probably no more than $20,000 per year. That leaves a bigger gap then you can possibly earn with part-time or summer jobs. The sad reality is that for you as an international student, it is more difficult to go to school in the United States because many financial aid programs are restricted to U.S. citizens. This is fair because these programs are funded by, or subsidized by, the government and underwritten by U.S. tax dollars.</p>
<p>@writestuff54: that is indeed, fair I never expected the same financial aid as US citizens to be honest, however - I know there are a bunch of international students at NYU as well so perhaps one of you could help me out here? maybe someone knows someone who is/was an international student and could try and get them to let me know how they managed.(I can probably find information about fin aid for international students but it would be nice to hear it directly from someone who’s experienced it)</p>
<p>If I had to guess, I would assume the international students attending either A. had parents with deep pockets (ie rich) B. Are so insanely smart got some crazy scholarship (example someone that won some international award in science or humanitarism) C. Going into some type of crazy private loan debt that has interest rates along the lines of a loan shark.</p>
<p>Just possibilities off the top of my head. My suggestion find a school that gives amazing international aid that does not have a high sticker price. NYU sticker price is super high, and their aid isn’t good either. Plus my sister has a psychology degree, and a master in school administration. She couldn’t find a job in here field and is now working for the state of CA for the court system doing adminstrative work not even related to her education. I would assume there are a lot of psychology majors out there and a graduate or phd might be prereq to getting into the field. Unless you going to start at the bottom and work your way up such as being a social worker, guidance counseler etc. But lots of those require advance degrees as well.</p>
<p>@santookie: thank you for your input as well. question about your sister though… was she really determined to become a psychologist? I mean people become psychologists in New York probably all the time, I just don’t see why I would end up anywhere else if that is my true dream(you never said it was your sisters though, that’s why I ask)? plus no one’s ever shared that dark point of view of it :p</p>
<p>NYU has a program in Abu Dhabi, you should look into that. You can spend a year in NYC, and you’re getting an NYU diploma. Aaaaand graduating debt-free. Might be worth your time
But, yes, the only person I know who goes there is insanely smart.</p>
<p>I got my scholarships from NYU Steinhardt. i can’t imagine why; my stats were as normal as any other applicant and I don’t have any special circumstances. So it is possible to get decent financial aid with an average application! </p>
<p>I honestly don’t think that, besides Stern and Tisch, an education from NYU is so much better than one from a cheaper state university that it’s worth such a crippling debt. When the economy’s as shaky as it is now, I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable taking out so many loans (heck I feel a little nervous taking out $6K a year). I should add that I’m a communications major, not a finance one aiming to work on Wall Street. Of course, NYC offers incredible career opportunities as well so it’s up to you to gauge how badly you want to go there. </p>
<p>Remember that it IS very, very possible to work in NYC as a psychologist without necessarily having gone to NYU! I think it’s smarter to go to a school you can afford. The U.S. is full of really great colleges that can land you a great psychology job in the NYC if you play your cards right; either way you’ll have to work just as hard.</p>
<p>I consider myself normal however my EFC was still roughly 45k due to my parents’ savings and my college savings over the years. It really is a shame that financial aid punishes you for investing responsibly and paying off your debt. That being said, I used a lot of savings this year, accepted some of the loans offered by NYU (totaled only like 6K) and then I got 5K in scholarship (pathetic I know.) I also have a brother in college so I’m surprised it didn’t help give me anymore aid.</p>
<p>However, I know of people who got “Stern Scholarships” of 500 dollars (what a joke.) Clearly, it was a way for NYU to list a higher percentage of students receiving scholarships…</p>
how did you get scholarships/grants? you see I’m from Europe, I have no idea how scholarships and grants work for us if we want to study there. </p>