how is it plausable to afford out-of-state tuition?

Paying for College
1

<p>I'm looking at the costs I will be needing to pay (if things go smoothly next year) and my tution for the first year will be ~$20,000!</p>

<p>I cannot go to an in-state school, none have the degree program I am seeking, and the degree program will need all 4 years.</p>

<p>So even with a FAFSA EFC of 0, that only gives me roughly $4,050. Stafford and Perkins loans don't seem to cover it, and even if it does, and if I manage to get the following 3 years as "in state" tuition, that's another ~$40,000 on top of the 20k!</p>

<p>that leaves me about $45,000 in debt, not including interest, when I graduate? (This is taking off about 15k for the FAFSA)</p>

<p>I don't have much money to afford tens of thousands in tuition, let alone thousands on my own.</p>

<p>It seems as though if you do't have parents to help you, or a nice fund set up, you're screwed.</p>

<p>:mad:</p>

2

<ol>
<li> If EFC is truly $0 (have plugged numbers into a calculator; parents situation will count even if they won't contribute), consider private colleges that have your program. You might find one with more generous financial aid. Public institutions aren't always the most economical at the bottom line, especially for oos. </li>
<li> Work and save.</li>
<li> Move and work a year before starting school. It will be nearly impossible to change your residency after you start, so establish residency before you apply.</li>
<li> You didn't say what kind of program. Are you sure you can't start in your home state and transfer after one or two years? Or get bachelors in home state and do one year of graduate work to be qualified/credentialed in your field.</li>
<li> Consider military. All the services have some kind of education benefits. Of course, active duty service means delaying education; and reserve or national guard service risks interupting education for a deployment.</li>
</ol>

3

<p>
[quote]
1. If EFC is truly $0 (have plugged numbers into a calculator; parents situation will count even if they won't contribute), consider private colleges that have your program. You might find one with more generous financial aid. Public institutions aren't always the most economical at the bottom line, especially for oos.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>private institutions are not really an option at the moment.</p>

<p>
[quote]
2. Work and save.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I'm on it</p>

<p>
[quote]
3. Move and work a year before starting school. It will be nearly impossible to change your residency after you start, so establish residency before you apply.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That is not so easy to do, I have a family and it' salready going to be difficult being away for months at a time</p>

<p>
[quote]
4. You didn't say what kind of program. Are you sure you can't start in your home state and transfer after one or two years? Or get bachelors in home state and do one year of graduate work to be qualified/credentialed in your field.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Meteorology, there are only about 80 programs in the country, and almost all have met classes that begin in the first semester.</p>

<p>
[quote]
5. Consider military. All the services have some kind of education benefits. Of course, active duty service means delaying education; and reserve or national guard service risks interupting education for a deployment.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>been there, not going to happen again. :)</p>

4

<p>If your program of study is not offered at any school within your state, check on reciprocal agreements with other states. My state has some of these. They allow you to attend an out-of-state school that offers the degree you want, at in-state tuition rates.</p>

5

<p>I checked, and reciprocals are unavailable for any of the near schools.</p>

<p>There's not going to be a way around me paying the out of state tuition the first year, I've accepted that. Has anyone ever been able to cover it with grants and loans, and no scholarships?</p>

6

<p>JCampbell -- you need to do some thinking about all four years. Most likely, you will be out of state for all four years (schools rarely grant in-state residency while you are attending school). That means that you have to come up with a solution for the whole four years -- not just the first.</p>

<p>Why are private schools not an option? Because of their endowments, they have more options regarding financial and merit aid.</p>

7

<p>
[quote]
JCampbell -- you need to do some thinking about all four years. Most likely, you will be out of state for all four years (schools rarely grant in-state residency while you are attending school). That means that you have to come up with a solution for the whole four years -- not just the first.</p>

<p>Why are private schools not an option? Because of their endowments, they have more options regarding financial and merit aid.

[/quote]

I hope to technically have residency outside of the campus after getting there. I'm not sure how they'll not grant it, is it once you're out of state you always will be?</p>

<p>Most private schools will probably be a reach for me, and to be honest OU is actually the best school in the field of meteorology to attend. it's the Harvard of met students in my opinion.</p>

<p>the amount of met schools are low, in fact here's a link of accredited programs:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.ametsoc.org/amsucar_curricula/curriculaState.cfm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.ametsoc.org/amsucar_curricula/curriculaState.cfm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>as you can see, the vast majority are state schools, and schools like Yale are just not possible.</p>

<p>So if I can't fix residency, then I will probably have to just stick it out and hope I can get covered with grants. So far, i've found $8,000-$10,000 per year in grants that I have an excellent chance of getting (I've already qualified for the full amounts beforehand). So I'm not panicking as much, but I'm still left with $10k to $12k, and I'll be cutting costs however I can, i.e. opting out of meal plans, seeing if I can get school employment for a tuition discount, etc.</p>

<p>If I do well enough maybe I can get a scholarship for much of the remaining years.</p>

8

<p>The only time you can fix residency is before you go. It is nearly impossible to change status once you're there-- even if you live there year-round, register to vote, get your driver's license, etc. (Believe me I tried, and after being away from my home state for six years in military; even joined the NG.)
If you were in the military, did you sign up for education benefits? Does UO(?) have special programs or benefits for veterans?
If you think your residency status will change after first year, you are likely to find yourself in a deeper hole than you expect.
You might have a lot of good reasons for option A, but sometimes options with certain drawbacks still end up being the best option.</p>

9

<p>JCampbell -- this is why this forum is so great, you find out things that will help prevent you from making a mistake that you can't fix.</p>

<p>You will not have in-state residency in Oklahoma unless you move there before going to school and live there a year:</p>

<p>"Resident status is granted to financially independent adults who are permanently residing in Oklahoma and who have been physically and continuously present in the State of Oklahoma for at least one calendar year prior to the first day of class attendance at any Oklahoma institution of higher education; and who, during this one-year period, resided in Oklahoma for some reason other than primarily to attend classes at a post-secondary educational institution"</p>

<p>here is the link to the info: <a href="http://admissions.ou.edu/residency.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://admissions.ou.edu/residency.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>If you served in the military, you are an independent student -- so you don't have to worry about your parent's residency. If you were a dependent student, you official residence is wherever your parent's reside.</p>

<p>Would it be possible for you to go to Oklahoma and live there a year before going to OU? It would save you tons of money and most likely increase the amount of financial aid you would receive. </p>

<p>Make sure you take a look at the financial aid page of OU and read through the scholarships they have available -- you might qualify for one. </p>

<p>I hate to give you bad news about the residency, but it is better to know now rather than later.</p>

10

<p>:(</p>

<p>I've checked before, none of the scholarships they offer there would be available to me. I'm not fresh from highschool, and to be honest my grades haven't been stellar.</p>

<p>moving there for a year is not really easy. I'm not exactly rich where I am, and I have responsibilities that would make moving there hard.</p>

<p>I can't get into too much detail, but it seems that I'm going down to 2 choices:</p>

<p>1) stay in state and change my major
2) suck it up and pay OOS tuition for all 4 years</p>

<p>If I go to a community college there, I'd really have only 4-5 courses to take at the very most. I have a family, and it's going to be hard enough to be gone for 5 months at a time, but to go for a whole year or to try to move and set up roots without knowing the costs is too much.</p>

<p>it'd be like someone asking thier parents to move for a year to do the same thing...</p>

<p>ugh, why oh why do I have to live in a state with no met program at all :(</p>

11

<p>I have however come across a HEAPS grant that would work in PA, if I chose Millersville (a current second choice match)</p>

12

<p>well, I don't know what to tell you. I would not advise that you take on significant debt (like what you would get if you spent 4 years OOS at OU), especially with a family.</p>

<p>Is there any type of online program you could take (or at least start with)?</p>

13

<p>Nothing.</p>

<p>The only thing I have is the option to work study, and with the degree I'm persuing working with NOAA or the NWS is viable, as well as working while there.</p>

<p>I figure I could earn an additional $3,000 - $4,000 per semester or so working. I have a friend that's either finishing there or has finished there who has been OOS all 4 years, I'm waiting to hear back how he did it.</p>

14

<p>I looked at the OU web site-- meteorolgy looks hard with all that math and science.
I noticed that there is only one meteorology course freshmen year, and it only has to be taken the first year you are on campus. So, you might cut costs if you go to school at home your first year (but first check odds on admission as transfer). This is assuming you won't move your family.</p>

<p>Asking spouse and kids to move is not the same as asking parents to move. </p>

<p>I also noticed that OU has a graduate meteorology program that looks like it could be done in one tough year. You could major in physics where you are and see if you still want to pursue meterology after four years. It might be that four years undergrad local plus one grad at OU works out better financially than four years at OU. And you would have only one year away from your family. It's a possibility, but maybe a nogo since you are probably anxious to get in the professional workforce as soon as possible.</p>

15

<p>The debt you're proposing is pretty heavy, especially if you already have a family to support. There is no way to be SURE what scholarship/grant money would be awarded ahead of time, but I agree that it's important to get all the info before you jump into your educational plans. I'd suggest you look into job & living options at OU, if that's hwere you're seriously thinking of attending & you think you'll be admitted. Often competition for grants & scholarships makes it difficult to KNOW what you'll be awarded. Even for renewable grants/scholarships, there are often conditions which have to be met for renewals.</p>

<p>Is there any college counselor you could speak with in your home state to help you map out your options & the pros & cons of the different scenarios so you can choose what will work best for you & your family?</p>

16

<p>
[quote]
I looked at the OU web site-- meteorolgy looks hard with all that math and science.
I noticed that there is only one meteorology course freshmen year, and it only has to be taken the first year you are on campus. So, you might cut costs if you go to school at home your first year (but first check odds on admission as transfer). This is assuming you won't move your family.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I've been in a CC for 2 years now, and I'm at the limit of what the CC here can offer in math and science. </p>

<p>
[quote]

Asking spouse and kids to move is not the same as asking parents to move.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>here in WV we're quite comfortable with the cost of living, it's the job and education outlook that is bad. If I go away to school, living here they will be fine. If I drag them to OK to live, the situation has too many variables in terms of cost of living, etc. In fact the reason I've waited until now to go to school is because I wasn't in a position in which the family was able to live perfectly fine with me in school full time.</p>

<p>
[quote]
I also noticed that OU has a graduate meteorology program that looks like it could be done in one tough year. You could major in physics where you are and see if you still want to pursue meterology after four years. It might be that four years undergrad local plus one grad at OU works out better financially than four years at OU. And you would have only one year away from your family. It's a possibility, but maybe a nogo since you are probably anxious to get in the professional workforce as soon as possible.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>One option I have been considering is to go to Millersville, which is out of state but a neighbor so some grants, such as the HEAPS grant, can be covered. In addition it's only 5 hours from here so it's not extremely far. After that I would attend graduate studies at OU, and can do much better. However Millersville is OOS and not private so tuition isn't much different.</p>

<hr>

<p>
[quote]
The debt you're proposing is pretty heavy, especially if you already have a family to support. There is no way to be SURE what scholarship/grant money would be awarded ahead of time, but I agree that it's important to get all the info before you jump into your educational plans. I'd suggest you look into job & living options at OU, if that's hwere you're seriously thinking of attending & you think you'll be admitted. Often competition for grants & scholarships makes it difficult to KNOW what you'll be awarded. Even for renewable grants/scholarships, there are often conditions which have to be met for renewals.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>this is one of my worries, I know I'll get aid, but I'm unsure as to how much. I was hoping someone who has gone to an OOS school for 4 years would have replied but I guess they're more rare than I thought?</p>

<p>
[quote]

Is there any college counselor you could speak with in your home state to help you map out your options & the pros & cons of the different scenarios so you can choose what will work best for you & your family?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>The only person is my CC advisor, who isn't a ton of help really, especially since I'm transferring out instead of finishing the IT dregree I was going to get here. I think he's a bit miffed about it.</p>

<p>I don't think I'll end up with $80,000 in debt. However, unless I can somehow manage to keep my debt to $40,000 and below with a 10 year repayment and at least a good portion of the interest subsidized, I don't know what to do.</p>

<p>Scholarships are so hard to get, especially for a Buddhist white male who has been out of school for 9 years and an average highschool/CC record :(</p>

17

<p>You might research how much/little it will take for you to complete your IT degree. That might open options for your to work while attending college at the next level & increase pay as well.
Scholarships are hard to get for everyone, because colleges are so expensive that very few can afford the full-sticker price these days. That's one reason folks try to distinguish themselves with good grades, extra-curriculars.</p>

<p>One thing to consider is trying to get employed by someone who will pay your tuition--some employers do.</p>

<p>By the way, I assume you've already researched job prospects for meteorologists & qualifications? Hopefully you are strong at math/science, since it sounds like the field requires a good deal of both.</p>

18

<p>
[quote]
You might research how much/little it will take for you to complete your IT degree. That might open options for your to work while attending college at the next level & increase pay as well.
Scholarships are hard to get for everyone, because colleges are so expensive that very few can afford the full-sticker price these days. That's one reason folks try to distinguish themselves with good grades, extra-curriculars.</p>

<p>One thing to consider is trying to get employed by someone who will pay your tuition--some employers do.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I just need to get my CCNA and I'll have another 16 credits applied to my degree. Unfortunately it's not easy (I took it once and scored an 809 out of an 849) and expensive at $125 each test.</p>

<p>I would hep, but not a lot as I couldn't go full time to school and work, and working part time if you're lucky to get hired you are unlikely to be eligable for work-supplemented tuition costs (I know this very well as I've been working in It for a good amount of my adult life)</p>

<p>
[quote]

By the way, I assume you've already researched job prospects for meteorologists & qualifications? Hopefully you are strong at math/science, since it sounds like the field requires a good deal of both.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I've been asked this twice now :)</p>

<p>I don't have a strong background in math, i.e. I haven't taken a lot of AP courses and just barely meet the entrance reqs for the program, however For some reason when I'm taught math and science, it comes to me naturally <em>shrug</em></p>

<p>so I'm not really worried about the level of math involved.</p>

<p>i've also been studying meteorology as a hobby for about 20 years now, I've known what I wanted to have as a career since i was about 7.</p>

19

<p>OMG OMG OMG</p>

<p>(I know that sounds corny, but look what I just found!!!!</p>

<p>
[quote]
The Academic Common Market (ACM) is an interstate agreement for sharing academic programs through an exchange of students across state lines. Students have access to selected programs not offered in their home states without having to pay out-of-state tuition. The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), of which the University of Oklahoma is a member, coordinates the activities of the Academic Common Market.</p>

<p>Students are initially approved by their home state for an Academic Common Market non-resident tuition waiver. Interested students should contact the appropriate state coordinator listed below for initial application and qualification information.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>and look what is offered!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>

<p>MSM 1913N Meteorology AR, KY, TN, WV, VA </p>

<p>i can't even concentrate right now</p>

20

<p>Yippee! Good luck & let us know how everything turns out for you.</p>