<p>Hey folks, I would really appreciate any advice here.
I started my college search halfway through the tenth grade. I wanted to get the best, most challenging education I could afford. My school counselors told me it's okay to pick a pricier school, the debt will be worth it as long as it's not overmuch. I was accepted into the six schools to which I applied, and chose Wheaton (IL) over Davidson, Rhodes, Furman, and two in state schools. As a National Merit Finalist, I got 1000 bucks- a free ride at those in state schools. Financial aid (which they assured me would make this affordable) was 2500, bringing my yearly total DOWN to a whopping 30,000. So now I'm about to move 1000 miles away from home to attend a school I and my family know I cannot afford. I plan to get special permission to take 20+ hours every semester to graduate in three years, which, along with my college savings, brings my total debt upon an early graduation to about 60,000. This is before graduate school (which my school counselors said would pay for itself in scholarships/work study, etc?) or a ph.d. I'm eventually heading towards International Journalism or Diplomacy- not necessarily an easy way to pay off major college debt. The financial aid person we spoke to basically said she didn't think I should borrow money, and she thinks my family should sell our family farm to pay for this! Other schools I passed up practically offered to pay me to go there. My school basically said they don't really care. Needless to say, I'm more or less distraught. So what's the truth? After three years of people saying aim big, is the bottom line that I just can't afford to? Someone please be honest with me here, I'm tired of people pretending "anything is possible if you work hard enough". Thanks guys.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>Other schools I passed up practically offered to pay me to go there. >></p> </blockquote>
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<p>It sounds, from your post, that you knew the options, and you also had a number of different choices. "Anything is possible" as can be evidenced by the fact that you were offered great finaid at a number of fine schools. You aimed big and got rewarded. Unfortunately, you chose to go to the school that didn't reward you as much as other schools. That was your choice. I'm not sure what you can do about this now. Davidson meets full need, the instate schools were going to be free. It seems to me that if finances were a huge issue, you had options that could have been considered. Wheaton (IL) does not meet full need. And you knew this when you got your finaid packages. I don't have any pearls of wisdom to offer, but this is a good post to alert others...IF financial aid is a significant consideration, first...apply to schools you can afford to attend, and second, when you are comparing packages choose a school that has given you finaid that makes the school affordable to you.</p>
<p>you don't have a lot of choices at this point -- but I agree, borrowing that amount of money is foolish (especially if you have grad school looming in the future -- it doesn't always "pay for itself" and you will most likely end up taking out more loans).</p>
<p>I also don't like your plan to only attend for three years -- one of the reasons to go to a "better" and more-costly school is for the better academic experience and part of that experience is the interaction with peer groups, internships and volunteer opportunities, and extracurricular activities. You aren't going to be able to really take advantage of what you are paying so much for if you load up on classes and graduate early. Particularly if you are interested in journalism and/or diplomacy, a study abroad program will be of great value -- and you can't do that and graduate early.</p>
<p>I would suggest you contact some of the schools that offered you affordable admissions and see if the offer is still open (most likely not, but what do you have to lose?). Or take a gap year, re-evaluate and reapply.</p>
<p>Gap year is good. Or reapply to the cheaper schools for second semester or second year. You won't get the same financial aid, but it's better than racking up so much debt.</p>
<p>Ouch. I'd frantically contact one of the cheaper schools that seemed to really want you and beg and plead your case.</p>
<p>r counselor mislead you this way. $60K is not reasonable debt for undergrad with your career goals and while some grad programs don't cost, many do.</p>
<p>Your choices are probably to start at a community college and transfer or take a gap year. I also go for asking the colleges that accepted you if they would still take you with the same packages offered. Good luck!</p>
<p>I would say the same thing. Get all of the core courses out of the way at a community college.</p>
<p>I agree with Stef that OP should take a gap year and re-apply. </p>
<p>Op should also use a bottoms -up approach first picking a financial safety (especially if this is a rolling admissions school) that if admitted student would be happy to attend and the school is a financially feasible option for the family.</p>
<p>Student should also contact the schools that s/he applied to with the good aid packages and discuss the possibility or re-applying (some schools will have your application on file so you may only have to supply an addendum and an updated transcript). Should you go this route, speak to your GC (Come
to school and meet with them before the official first day of class when things are quiet. They will be able to advocate on your behalf).</p>
<p>If student is a National merit finalist, student should really start researching again schools where s/he stands a good chance of getting merit money.</p>
<p>Also look at other schools that have generous need based FA with low loans and generous institutional aid.</p>
<p>good luck to you.</p>
<p>What about one year at Wheaton and then reapplying to the schools in which you can afford? </p>
<p>No clue why your GC would tell you it's OK to take on that kind of debt. When D1 began her college search, we made it perfectly clear that financial aid would be a MAJOR factor in her college choice. No matter where she was accepted, if the offer wasn't in our range, she'd have to turn down their offer.</p>
<p>I would first follow Weenie's advice, begging often works. Option 2 would be a gap year. Option 3, community college - try their honors program.</p>
<p>My son graduated from Wheaton (IL) College last December - 3 1/2 years after he graduated from high school. He never took less than 18 hours of classes per semester until his last semester when he only needed 16 hours to graduate. He majored in philosophy and minored in theology. </p>
<p>I wasn't all that happy about him pushing himself to finish early but there was little I could do to talk him out of it. I think for him it was an OK thing because now he is ready to start grad school in September and I'm not sure he would have been if he had just graduated in May. When he graduated, he wasn't sure what he wanted to do, however, working in Chicago from January to August as a tutor in the Chicago public high schools under the "no child left behind act" has made him psychologically ready, if not eager, for academic life again.</p>
<p>He left Wheaton with $19,000 in school debt. He had $16,000 in scholarships from our local high school (basically the cost of 1 semester). The rest was Stafford Loans, financial aid including Wheaton grants, and family contribution (my husband & I still have some debt from that!). I thought the Wheaton financial aid office was pretty good at helping us figure out a way for him to attend. I'm sorry you feel they are indifferent to your needs.</p>
<p>I don't think you should view the current financial picture as the total deciding factor. If you are sure God wants you to go to Wheaton (and it may be that you are not sure about this), you can proceed secure in the knowledge that He will provide a way to make it happen. But that doesn't necessarily mean it will be without some debt.</p>
<p>My D also applied to many hgiher priced colleges. I had her apply to a state school also. I wish she had applied to more but we got bad avise from our high school guidance dept. She was accepted at many collges and the fin aid pkgs were horrible. Some of them included pkgs. that had a Parent Plus loan for 15,000 included in them. Some had her weighted down with loans and work study and still came out with a 15,000 balance. It came down to 2 schools a state and a private. The private had extra loans for her and work study and a balance of 12000 a year. The private had lots of merit some need the Stafford loan no work study and a 4300 balance. We left it up to her and thank God she made the decision to go to the State school. She didnt want the extra loans and chose wisely. You should probably think about transgerring ourt after the first semester.</p>
<p>Since you are a national merit finalist I would suggest that you take a gap year and reapply to schools instead of losing your freshman status (especially in the transfer process where your chances of getting merit aid will be few and far between because it is usually reserved for incoming freshmen). </p>
<p>There will be some schools next year that you will be able to get merit money (if you check the threads you may be able to find schools that offer full tuition scholarships to national merit finalist).</p>
<p>If you do decide to apply again, definitely do not sleep on the womens colleges where you may be in the market to get some merit combined with need especially at Smith (STRIDE Scholars) and Mount Holyoke (who has leadership awards ranging from 5,000 to 25,000 per year).</p>
<p>If you can tell us a little more about your self (post on the parents forum) we may be able to suggest some schools.</p>