<p>Keep the CCC to CSU/UC option open. That may be your most financially feasible option.</p>
<p>I’m considering it now, seeing there’s almost no hope in me attending a university next year, thank you. But I applied to many many colleges. I might get accepted to those and get an even bigger scholarship from them. It all depends. Dominican is not my only option. I guess I’ll update you guys on more acceptances, and maybe I’ll be able to attend those schools. </p>
<p>Apologies is I repeat anything already said or asked.
Is your share of the rent $965 or two of you would split that? Does it include utilities, do you know if this apt place has space available and is in a safe, quiet location, near public transp and whether those busses run on a schedule convenient for getting to classes? </p>
<p>If you need info about applying or the Calgrant, you need to head back to that web site, find the app and instructions. Seems you need to confirm with the college, if they expect your to live on campus and whether living off-campus changes your aid award. (Applies to other colleges as well. Some won’t subsidize your choice to live off-campus.) You also may need to verify that the amount of aid will remain consistent, each of your four years.</p>
<p>The full amount of missing money will be hard to find, whether it’s 17k or the higher figure. A few posters showed how different grants or loans can add up. Some parents will take the Parent Plus Loan; some kids will then take on the repayments for them, when they graduate- but that’s dependent on you having a job, being able to pay your own loans, plus theirs, plus living expenses… And the usual plan is payments on the Plus loan start in spring of the academic year they apply to. </p>
<p>You’re right to be looking at all this, trying to piece it together. But our usual advice is not to load up on loans (beyond the student Direct Loans,) without the certainty you have a way to pay them back.</p>
<p>Also,make sure these student Direct Loans are not already included in the fin aid award you saw. </p>
<p>Just for some additional Cal-Grant clarification. Your FAFSA and high school GPA need to be submitted by March 2nd, 2015. There is no exception to this date. If you miss it, you will not be able to receive the Cal-grant. At a private school like Dominican, it will pay $9084 a year if you are eligible. </p>
<p>The Cal-A requires a higher GPA (3.0) and has a higher income ceiling. A family of 6 can make up to $105,200 and and asset ceiling is $70,400. The Cal-B has a lower GPA requirement, but your family also has to be lower income. A family of 6 or more can make up to $57,800. The asset ceiling is the same for both awards. </p>
<p>If you get to know the area and the deals, in some areas you can beat on campus housing/meals by a goodly amount. But you may be trading a safer place, a cleaner place, less issues. Two of my kids saved a bunch of money living off campus. Two of them did not save any money. My current college kid is paying about the same for rent, electric, internet, cable, cleaning supplies, things needed for an apt for 12 months off campus as he would have for a double dorm room. But he got a high lottery number for housing and it was likely he’d end up some distance from campus and without someone to pull him into an arrangement, be assigned with people he did not know. This way, he’s with an apt mate he chose who is reliable, and that he gets along with, and he found an apartment within a decent distance of his classes without having to rely on the shuttle. He also wanted to stay there over the summer. He’s also disciplined about spending money, fixing meals, shopping and eating out only once in a while. He totes his own water bottle and coffee cup, for instance, and packs a sandwich for lunch most days, after eating a breakfast at his place. If you are not carefuly, you can spend waaaay more living on your own. His roommate prefers to eat out and frequents Starbucks, buys from the soda machines all of the time, and it’s costing him more than what freshmen are paying for room and board. </p>
<p>The ones who saved money lived in dives that I do not recommend. It wasn’t my idea, and I would have preferred to have paid for university housing and it’s still a sticking point that they chose to live in such conditions, that were also dangerous. Some things are just not worth scrimping on, and safety is one of them as well as sanitation. </p>
<p>You also have to furnish and furbish an apartment. My college son was lucky enough that his current apt mate and he were financially compatible, so that things got split evenly, and there were no issues about who paid for what or whatever. This can become an issue when the arrangement is lopsided. But they needed pots, pans, spatulas, dishes, shower curtain, mattress, desk, sofa, dining table–the apartment was empty. We brought a big car load of what we had at home which put a nice dent in things but the big items still had to be bought as well as numerous small ones. Also there is laundry to be done, and cleaning in the apartment. All of this costs money. </p>
<p>The second year, the landlords jacked up the rent over market. They did not want to move–found out that no one gets their deposit back, which means antying up another deposit, So they could have saves some money with another place, the trouble was more than they wanted, so they are paying more than they should for that place. When they move out next year, the landlord will likely lower the rent to catch another set of students. This is a business that is fed by student money. Sounds all grown up and exciting–well, there is a lot of rip offs in there too. </p>
<p>Good luck, OP! You sound like a mature person with a good attitude about this very frustrating and not very fair process. I hope everything works out for you!</p>
<p>Thank you so much @dustypig I really appreciate it (: </p>
<p>I have read through all the previous posts. It sounds to me that you have Gucci tastes on a Target budget.I think that it is insane that you are considering a $60,000 / year private university which is not that highly rated tobegin with in US News & World Report. You are looking at a private school that costs $240,000 over 4 years & presently you only have $92,000 of that covered by FA. So, you need $148,000 more which means you will come out of college substantially in debt - maybe over $100,000 - absolutely INSANE!!! You would be much better off in the UC/Cal State system or going to a 2 year CC & then transferring to a UC or Cal State school - most of them are ranked much higher than the private expensive school you are considering. UC, all 4 years, would run about $140,000 & Cal State schools about $100,000 over 4 years & with FA pending or attending CC for 2 years then your actual costs would be much less. In-state California residents are extremely lucky to have an excellent public higher education system - take advantage of it! Also, what do you plan to major in? Maybe figure out what you want to study than trying to figure out how to pay for your unrealistic dream school which can turn into the financial nightmare school very quickly. You need to be realistic but at 18 or so you also need to listen to good solid advice by adults who are fiscally educated and know what they are talking about especially if you are not getting that at home - don’t try to make something work that is doomed from the beginning. If you get yourself in major debt from a college education, it could take you 10 - 20 years along with much stress and anxiety to get out of it.</p>