How much can I expect?

<p>Maybe you should have applied to WVU. Maybe they give better finaid to out of staters than Ohio schools. Maybe your friend got their finaid application done ON TIME. </p>

<p>Look…have you called BGSU yet? Have you talked to your parent about what they CAN afford to pay to help you with college? </p>

<p>To be honest, you’ve gotten tons of good information on this thread that you don’t seem to want to believe. You’ve also gotten some good suggestions that you don’t want to consider. </p>

<p>If you decide to go to BGSU, how will you even get the loan money that you will need to pay your bills? Who will co-sign a loan for you?</p>

<p>You’re friend probably got that money because they turned in their financial aid applications in a timely manner. Unfortunately, there is a limited amount of federal money up for grabs because of the surge of students going on to college. I don’t think you understand that the money your friend recieved is most likely gone. You might get a little here and a little there, but you will not be getting 20k. Not from the government, and probably not from the school. It’s not because of you EFC and it’s not because of the fact that you’re from a single parent household. The world is not out to get you… the money is simply not there.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>So what? You didn’t apply to WVU, and you aren’t your friend; you don’t have his grades or test scores, you didn’t write his essays, you didn’t do his financial aid paperwork.</p>

<p>There are kids on this site that got full-rides, even stipends over and above full-rides, to great schools. They aren’t you. What someone else got is irrelevant right now.</p>

<p>You have to play the hand you’re dealt, play the balls pitched to you. You don’t get to swing at the pitches your friend gets at the plate; you get to swing only at the pitches YOU get when you’re at the plate, right?</p>

<p>So, here you are. The situation in this game is that 1.) you don’t have the money to pay for BG; 2.) you didn’t get the financial aid you’d hoped for; 3.) servicing $60K+ in debt as a new college grad is crushing; you won’t have the salary to make the payments and still live a reasonable life for a young man.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Well, you could get the grades and go there – by going to a community college and transferring. You can transfer after one year. You wouldn’t be behind, you’d pay MUCH less money for your first year, you’d have two summers in which to bust your butt working (you should be able to save MUCH more than $1K working over a summer), and you’d have a second chance at getting your financial aid paperwork in on time and get more aid, especially if you bust your butt and get all As in community college.</p>

<p>You don’t like your options now, I know. I can guarantee that you’ll like your options even less if you take out $60K+ in loans to finance Bowling Green.</p>

<p>Yeah, you don’t want to go to community college. I get that. It’s not forever, though; it’s a year. Use that year to knock out the intro courses you need to knock out. Get the 4.0. Apply as a transfer to your dream school.</p>

<p>“you don’t have his grades or test scores”</p>

<p>Reading comprehension is a wonderful concept. I clearly stated that my test scores were better.</p>

<p>Let me make myself clear one last time.</p>

<p>I AM NOT EMBARRASSING MYSELF AND GOING TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE.</p>

<p>So stop talking about it.</p>

<p>Then you have only a couple of choices.</p>

<ol>
<li>Work</li>
<li>Find someone to co-sign a huge loan for you.</li>
</ol>

<p>My husband went to a community college. He was not embarrassed at all. He went for two years, got his core courses out of the way inexpensively, and transfered to a great four year school. Oh…while he went to CC, he worked evenings and weekends and two jobs during the summer. He graduated from college with not a nickel of debt. </p>

<p>I will tell you that BGSU will expect their payment to be arranged before they allow you to register for classes. This discussion may be a moot point if you can’t rustle up the money.</p>

<p>Honestly I hope you find a solution to this situation. I know you are disappointed that your school of choice may not be able to be a reality. It can be…a year or two from now, if you just let your pride not get in the way.</p>

<p>It’s clear that this kid is immature and does not have clue about how life really works. People have given you great advice. Take it or leave it. I’m not posting in this thread any more and I suggest others stop as well as the OP clearly only hears what they want to hear. </p>

<p>Sometimes you just can’t save people from themselves.</p>

<p>Well, if you wouldn’t post in a way which makes me think my mom herself sent you here, I’d respect your opinions.</p>

<p>Iron Maiden is the voice of reason.</p>

<p>One last bit… not that it’ll penetrate that egotistical head of yours since it’s thoroughly wedged in the clouds… but just to make myself feel better.</p>

<p>COMMUNTITY COLLEGE IS NOT AN EMBARRASSMENT. Your actions however, are beyond embarrassing. If one of my friends was acting this way I would be humiliated to be associated with them.
Your thread title was “How much can I expect?”… and my answer is NOTHING, because as far as I’m concerned you haven’t and seem in no hurry to work hard for what you want, therefore you deserve exactly what you got.</p>

<p>Nothing.</p>

<p>Poker, go read a book. I suggest “Paying for College Without Going Broke.” Your local library probably has it.</p>

<p>There’s a reason the adults around you are telling you the same thing – because it’s the truth.</p>

<p>You can’t afford BG. You don’t have the money, you don’t have the aid.</p>

<p>So you can develop a new plan to get to college in the fall, or not. Your choice. Which is more embarrassing, going to community college, or not going to college at all? If you pick “going to community college,” you’re a fool.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>Again, I like how you can be so matter-of-fact about how much I’ll get considering you don’t know who I am. If what you said was true, no lower-middle class kids could go to college, which is obviously false.</p>

<p>I’m not stupid, and your scare tactics aren’t working.</p>

<p>You already know how much you got.</p>

<p>No, I don’t, because the report didn’t come in yet.</p>

<p>You Sent In Your Fafsa yesterday!!!</p>

<p>there. Is. No. Substantial. Federal. Money. Left. To. Get.</p>

<p>I suggest you expect nothing more than you already got. Maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised.</p>

<p>In the meantime, while you are waiting, read this thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/377143-preparing-finaid-applications.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/377143-preparing-finaid-applications.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Since you have to file for financial aid EACH YEAR of college if you want financial aid, you might pick up some tips for next year. </p>

<p>Good luck, and Iron Maiden was right. I’m done here.</p>

<p>"You Sent In Your Fafsa yesterday!!!</p>

<p>there. Is. No. Substantial. Federal. Money. Left. To. Get."</p>

<p>I didn’t know you had a connection with the federal government.</p>

<p>Here is a link to the BGSU web page about financial aid
[Financing</a> Your Education - BGSU Admissions](<a href=“http://go2.bgsu.edu/choose/aid/]Financing”>http://go2.bgsu.edu/choose/aid/)
this is the link for need based grants that are available for students.
[BGSU</a> :: Student Financial Aid :: Student Financial Aid](<a href=“http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sfa/page43882.html]BGSU”>http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sfa/page43882.html)
It lists
Federal Grants
State Grants
University Grants</p>

<p>Federal Grants
Pell
SEOG
ACG
SMART</p>

<p>Pell. As stated before you will qualify for some Pell grant. As you seem to think we are making up random figures here is a link to the Pell table that shows how much Pell your EFC will qualify you for.</p>

<p><a href=“http://ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/attachments/P0801Attach2008paysched2.pdf[/url]”>http://ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/attachments/P0801Attach2008paysched2.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>believe it or not I did not spend my evening drawing up the chart to lie to you about how much you would qualify for. According to the chart you should qualify for $2281 in Pell grant based on your EFC of 2436.</p>

<p>ACG - this requires an academic component that is based on the State you graduated high school from.
[Academic</a> Competitiveness Grants (ACG) Recognized State Rigorous Secondary School Programs of Study - 2007](<a href=“http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/about/ac-smart/2007/state-programs-07.html]Academic”>http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/about/ac-smart/2007/state-programs-07.html)
If you qualify the maximum for ACG is $750.</p>

<p>SEOG - your EFC is probably too high - most schools award it to students with zero EFC. Last year my daughter’s EFC was in the 700s and we did not get SEOG.</p>

<p>SMART is for 3rd and 4th year students only so you do not qualify.</p>

<p>State Grants
Are for OHIO residents only</p>

<p>University Grants
It states you must file by March 1st. The falcons soars grant listed is for Ohio residents only.</p>

<p>There is another page for loans
[BGSU</a> :: Student Financial Aid :: Student Financial Aid](<a href=“http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sfa/page43898.html]BGSU”>http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sfa/page43898.html)
If you follow the links you will see the loans previously mentioned by myself and others on this thread:
Perkins
The maximum Perkins is $4000 a year. Priority is given to students who file early.
Stafford/federal direct The maximum for a freshman is $3500
parent PLUS loan</p>

<p>Also listed is Work Study which has also been mentioned.</p>

<p>No one has said you won’t get aid. Everyone is trying to tell you your grant aid will probably be limited. The rest will be Work Study and loans. That will be a lot of loans. However loans are still considered financial aid. Perhaps your friends aid also contains a lot of loans?</p>

<p>This website
[FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>http://www.finaid.org/)
also contains a lot of details about students loans,
grants and their maximums. As you seem to think we are making up information about financial aid (though I can’t for the life of me imagine why any of us would) take some time yourself to look at the finaid site and the BGSU financial aid pages and try and figure out for yourself what sort of aid you may be eligible for.</p>

<p>Swimcatsmom and Thumper1-you two have wonderful patience and have really attempted to help this individual. My hat is off to both of you. Personally, I don’t have much patience for this type of behavior.</p>

<p>Poker-I am a parent and, although I don’t know you, had you been my child, the only help you would be getting from me would be community college tuition and, books, gas and home. I made it clear with both of my kids that their part was to earn the grades, mine was the money. In our house, anything under a 3.2 (unweighted) would need the CCollege with good grades to prove to my husband and I that they were ready and serious enough to take on the gamble of college. Your mother is incredibly generous to offer you $10,000.00 based on the income you have shared with the board.</p>

<p>My policy may seem drastic but I’ll offer another community college story for you. 2/3 (66%) of my CCollege students are “reverse transfers” meaning they started at a 4 year, bombed out and returned home with huge debt loads after the year or two they spent at the four year (we have stats on this from my cc). Most had GPAs similar to yours from high school and will quickly tell you that they went to college so they could have a great social life or not look foolish to peers.</p>

<p>Your anger, insults and sense of entitlement suggest to me that you are far from ready to seriously take on college. I looked at your earlier posts on another thread and your grades from high school only reflect a modest improvement from the F’s and D’s your posted as your freshman year grades. Your were accepted to the colleges you were because college need $$$ and anticipate that they will loose a certain percentage of poor performance admits (but still fill their dorms for a year). Do you really want to be “filler” for BGSU? They have nothing to loose, you have plenty to loose and owe. .</p>

<p>Poker- why are you here? You came asking for answers- you reached a grup of parents who do not know you, your mom, or your life; but we do know how we have seen financial aid work. Therefore, you are getting most likely reasonable answers to your questions.</p>

<p>If you don’t like the answers, don’t come here, the answers are not going to change to indulge your irritation and frustration.</p>

<p>Two of my kids went to public schools because we have lower income and higher home equity, therefore and Profile school wants more $ from me than I am comfortable paying.</p>

<p>They would have really enjoyed a private school but that was not in the cards. My youngest D really wanted a private university- she sacrificed, she went to CC for her first two years, whilst living at home. This saved a lot of money. She is now heading off to a private university, FAFSA only so some aid, also lower tier so some merit, but it will still cost us for two years what here sister’s schools cost for four years. So, that was the only way to do it.</p>

<p>D was embarassed to be a CC, it seemed beneath her, it was for losers, etc. She did not whine and complain, but I we agreed that was the scary part of the big plan we made. Now is it two years later, 4.0 most terms, Dean’s list every term, it has been fine. No it was not a dream 4 year college experience, there were a lot of kids who viewed it as HS with ashtrays; there were a lot of people with non-traditional lives, girls with kids, etc. So, no it was not perfect. But, DD kept her eye on the prize and will soon leave for that four year school where hopefully she will finish in 2 years.</p>

<p>We had contact with an admin at her “dream” school regarding all classes so everything she took at CC fulfills an expensive general ed req. If you have a major, the school will still have GE courses required which you can take at CC.</p>

<p>If you were my child and I read this I would not invest any of my hard earned money in your first year of college, I would want to see proof that you were truly ready.</p>

<p>You tell us we don’t know you and we don’t, we only know what you say, and we are less than impresed with your attitude and demeanor.</p>

<p>YOU should have worked harder in HS to have better grades, to give you better options. Sometimes it seems the better schools give better aid!</p>

<p>YOU should have researched your application options better, some schools give better aid than others, learn & find out, and apply to the best aid offers, apply where you would earn merit aid- except your grades and scores are not likely to result in merit aid.</p>

<p>YOU should have learned the finaid timeline and ensured it was followed. People are not making it up when they say there is a deadline and some catagories of aid run out.</p>

<p>These are the things a teenager does when they are READY to go away to school and live on their own.</p>

<p>Good luck</p>

<p>Well, Poker, you can see where you would be with some other parents. If you are going to be successful in college, you are going to really have to step it up.</p>

<p>To the other parents: I see your point, and feel it as a parent, myself. I’ve seen so many children go off to college and just fall on their faces. The money is then gone for nothing. But I have also seen some kids turn around when they get on their own. Sometimes the home environment is just not conducive to study, and getting away lets the person grow up, focus and start his own life. You just don’t know how things are at home for a given person. </p>

<p>Also, many of the kids I know, do not research their aplplication options as well as Poker. Some of these kids are ones applying to, accepted to, and going to top schools. And most of them do very well. I was just at a family’s house where none of the 4 kids lifted more than a finger on college apps. The mom did them and pushed the kids to sign and do what absolutely had to be done by the kids. All of the kids have graduated from great schools, done well and are self sufficient at some enviable jobs. They are not the exception to the rule either. At 17, 18, they just could not get the college thing going, but once there at school, they were fine. So though I agree that Poker should have done more, it is not atypical that it was not done, nor does it necessarily mean failure at college.</p>

<p>You should probably know more about my mom before you make any opinions about her…</p>

<p>She will only co-sign a loan if I go to a school she approves. For example, if I had the grades to apply to PSU-Main, she said she would have gladly done it. Funny that PSU-Main is more expensive than out of state BGSU tuition.</p>

<p>She doesn’t think anything involved with me or college is any of her responsibility.</p>

<p>She refuses to drive me to moving day or orientation.</p>

<p>She applied me to a college behind my damn back, and not only that, a college that I have told everyone SINCE EIGHTH GRADE that I do not want to go there. What kind of psychotic person does that?</p>