How to afford UC Davis?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Davis
1

<p>Hello all,</p>

<p>New poster here. I have some serious questions about UC Davis and, as you can see, how I can afford it. I currently attend Sierra College and want to transfer. Here is some background:</p>

<p>High School: All A’s (4.0 unweighted), top 20 in class (4.3 weighted), played a varsity sport, not too involved in community activity.</p>

<p>Money: Family makes around $65,000</p>

<p>College: First year at Sierra, plan to still keep (or close to) all A’s</p>

<p>Now, my big question is how I can afford UC Davis. The financial aid calculator says I would get about $13,900 (about $1000 short of the total tuition and fees) which I assume is due to the Blue and Gold plan. My main concern is the cost of living: I have looked at the various apartment costs and such, coming up to around $500-600 a month (as I would be with a buddy, reducing the cost), but how much is it really? With the cost of food, electricity, water, etc… I just have no clue. And for loans, do they cover off-campus housing?</p>

<p>My parents would like me to attend CSU Sacramento as it is the cheapest option (and I would be commuting), but the education at UC Davis is far and away superior to Sac State (unless some one can correct me on that), which is why I want to attend there.</p>

<p>I know there are regent scholarships and others, but I am not sure where to start. How can I tell how much UC Davis will give me? Do I apply and get information back in the Spring? Is it feasibly to attend there? Since I am transferring after two years, I would basically only be paying for off-campus housing for two years, which shouldn’t be too much in loans.</p>

<p>Any information and guidance would be greatly appreciated!</p>

<p>-King2011</p>

2

<p>After you’re accepted, you’ll see your financial aid offer. Yours will probably look something like this:
Cost of Attendance ~ 29K for an off-campus housing student</p>

<p>They will expect you to pay for it as follows:
12K Cal Grant or Blue and Gold
6K Expected Family Contribution
3K self-help (you work and contribute)
8K loans</p>

<p>But the real cost of attendance can be much less than their stated 29K
15K tuition and fees
5K share a room for 12 month lease
2.5K food
.6K books and supplies (with rentals and online buybacks, much cheaper than they quote)
.1K transportation back home a couple of times here and there</p>

<p>So, if you have your own health insurance through home, your real COA is more like 23K. Since you’ll get 12K grant and 8K in loans (20K), you and your family will need to kick in only 3K per year. Of course, after 2 years you will have borrowed about 16K.</p>

<p>Your family home is in Sac. You could continue to live at home and take YOLObus to Davis. There’s also a bus from Davis Medical Center in Sacramento to the Davis campus. These are free or very cheap and would save you tremendously. You might not even need the loans. Yes, you’d be living at home. Yes, you’d miss some of the college experience.</p>

<p>Hope this helps</p>

3

<p>My apartment right now costs me $395 a month. We have five people in a 3 bedroom 2 bath (I’m in a double). We pay for PG&E, which seems to come out to around $20-30 per person (you can find apartments that pay it for you, though.) Food is around $200 a month. The Blue and Gold plan pays for all tuition I believe (it does for me at least.) So you should just be paying for housing, unless I’m mistaken.</p>

4

<p>Thank you both for your comprehensive replies.</p>

<p>I have decided that commuting will be the cheapest and most affordable option, as I would only be paying for gas and books (and maybe a few other fees). I didn’t realize the Blue and Gold plan would 100% sure pay for the tuition for those making under $80,000. </p>

<p>Thanks again,</p>

<p>King2011</p>

5

<p>Smart decision. The ARC is now free to all Davis students. Also, find activities and clubs that suit you. There are ways to have a very rich life on campus while living at home. Good luck.</p>

6

<p>King I currently attend Sierra college and I have tagged to Davis and plan to attend there Fall 2013. If you can, try your best to get into UCD over Sac State. Sac State isn’t terrible but it has some problems which caused me to reconsider. I plan on commuting if I choose UCD but I live about 15 miles from Sierra. Its a 45-1hr drive to Davis. Pm me if you want more information about anything. I don’t know all that much about financial aid but I could offer advice or whatever. Good luck.</p>