<p>I think all of you are right. I should go to FMCC for a semester or two and transfer to a four-year (even though I was always under the impression that transfer students do not receive good aid). It’s the most responsible option. This is so, so disappointing.</p>
<p>give the college of wooster a call. they’re still taking apps and have
aid available. It’s an excellent school and with your stats the finaid
package will be better than Depauw, closer too.</p>
<p>The aid package would still be okay even though it’s way past the deadline?</p>
<p>It’s worth a phone call and I don’t think there’s a fee. Tell them
you were accepted at Depauw but it’s not financially doable. See
what happens.</p>
<p>I just called and had to leave a voicemail. I’m going to be obnoxious and call again now.</p>
<p>Oh, Skull. Do pursue the Wooster option–it’s an excellent school, very underrated. Otherwise, yes, CC and transfer; but you are also right that transfer aid is usually worse than freshman aid, so you will likely have to take on significant loans anyway (maybe not QUITE as significant as 12k/year, but still a burden).</p>
<p>What kind of a package did Depauw offer you? Do keep in mind that transportation there can be expensive, and because it is so far away, you are likely to have to buy a lot of stuff there instead of bringing from home. </p>
<p>A lot of kids we know coming from well to do families who are paying their college expenses are commuting. Room and board can be very expensive. SUNY tuition is about $10K a year which is manageable by you even without any grants. </p>
<p>Are you working? My kids work a lot of jobs in the summer to have a nice nest egg for September. They also worked part time in school (except for the first semester). Are your parents able to contribute anything towards you at this time?</p>
<p>hey Skullduggery,
USC (Southern California) offers excellent financial aid, they offer the same aid to transfers as freshmen, and they accept a significant number of transfers. I know it isn’t the location or really the “type” of school you have been looking at, but the point is: schools like that exist. If there is one, there is likely to be more. I just wanted to offer some hope. (You asked on another thread about schools for your brother - maybe it is something he would like?) I really hope everything works out for you and you get the college experience you are dreaming of - best of luck!</p>
<p>Skull, I’ve read some of your other posts over the last months and was under the impression that you were Pell and TAP eligible. Sorry if I was wrong and offended you. Every kid I’ve heard from this year with a low EFC, received 100% need met packages from SUNY, even without merit aid. Maybe a fluke, or a different mix of SUNYs, but could be worth looking into if you’d consider it. </p>
<p>If you did have a low EFC, you might check to make sure your TAP award was included (that you applied for separately). Some of them weren’t until the budget passed. Ask about SUSTA (SUNY only) awards, and ACG, FSEOG, and Perkins loans as well.</p>
<p>Sk8rmom – it’s okay, and I understand why you said what you did. Earlier this year, I did feel sort of a sense of entitlement of “well, I worked, I should get to go to college,” and I was accepted at every college that I applied to except for one, but now it’s less entitlement than feeling let down because I did work, and albeit I didn’t reach 90, I’ve spent uncountable numbers of nights either doing 8 hours of homework or not sleeping altogether. I was disappointed and upset and all of those other mood-impacting factors, and I probably came across differently in that post than I had intended, so you had every right to respond how you did. No hard feelings. I will look into all of those options and give Oswego a call this afternoon (I was accepted at Fredonia but denied their offer earlier this year).</p>
<p>I just have to say – what’s wrong with a gap year? I was planning on either joining Americorps (which looks like a great option) or working to build my own credit and re-applying to better-selected universities for the next fall in addition to giving flute lessons, finishing my book, and volunteering. Apparently, that’s not the thing to do. What’s wrong with it?</p>
<p>Skull,</p>
<p>I am sorry this has happened to you but my recommendation is that you need to learn how to live to fight another day. Just because Depaw did not work out, you still have options as there are many roads that will take you to the same place. You are not bound to SUNY for the rest of your life. </p>
<p>In reality, it will just be a year and you can transfer sophomore year for junior status somewhere else. If you are TAP eligible, my recommendation would be to stay in NYS so that you can have the benefit of getting the $$.</p>
<p>This is what I would suggest…</p>
<p>Have your GC contact Fredonia tomorrow to see if you could be reinstated. </p>
<p>Did you apply for EOP?</p>
<p>Also have your GC ask if you are EOP eligible? Remember you must be both academically and financially eligible.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.suny.edu/student/downloads/pdf/2009_eop_profile.pdf[/url]”>http://www.suny.edu/student/downloads/pdf/2009_eop_profile.pdf</a></p>
<p>Gather up all of your stuff tonight and bring it to school with you tomorrow; your essay, your recommendations, SAT scores, your tax forms, W2’s, verfication sheet, etc.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.fredonia.edu/finaid/forms/verificationdependent0910.pdf[/url]”>http://www.fredonia.edu/finaid/forms/verificationdependent0910.pdf</a></p>
<p>and have your GC fax what ever information the school needs to them.</p>
<p>Remember if you get in through EOP, your benefits transfer any where in the state. This means if you decide to transfer to a school the has a HEOP program, your EOP will change to HEOP.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.highered.nysed.gov/kiap/COLLEGIATE/HEOP/04-05DOCS/INSTITUTIONALROSTEROFHEOPPROGRAMS.pdf[/url]”>http://www.highered.nysed.gov/kiap/COLLEGIATE/HEOP/04-05DOCS/INSTITUTIONALROSTEROFHEOPPROGRAMS.pdf</a></p>
<p>Even if you are not EOP eligible, do your best and shoot for Cornell, Columbia, Barnard, etc as a transfer student as these schools meet 100% of your demonstrated need and will not gap you in FA. If you continue to be as determined as you are now, you will have options in the future.</p>
<p>hope this helps</p>
<p>I think that if you do a gap year and you are doing something meaningful during that year – such as working with Americorps (hopefully with your parents’ support, as they don’t pay much) or working independently and saving money – that’s fine. Americorps will give you a nice-sized education grant and in addition, a lot of schools have extra merit aid for students who volunteered with Americorps programs before they came to college.</p>
<p>People say no to the gap year if you’re just going to be working a minimum wage job and playing video games for a year, but since you’re planning something definite, that’s ok. Also, I vote no on gap years when kids are mad because they didn’t get into their dream school – like some kids on here who wanted Yale, but got into like…Northeastern or American U or something like that with good aid and they want to do a gap year to try again for Yale. This is a different situation than that.</p>
<p>Cpt, I’m pretty sure SUNY tuition instate is $4,970 for 2009/10, mandatory fees run another $1500-1800 depending on campus, and roughly $10K for R&B. If I’m wrong please tell me quick, 'cuz that’s what UB’s estimated COA was based on!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Imho there’s nothing wrong with a well-planned gap year.</p>
<p>Given that you are too intelligent for a CC, you can probably do the math. Listen to Kayf. Get in touch with your state universities. Some of the most intelligent people in the country have gone to state universities…if you are in that subset you will get all sorts of recognition and your professors will be delighted to have you in class and you will have all kinds of extra opportunities should you choose to pursue them.</p>
<p>Good news – got in contact with Bard after receiving their updated aid award (yesterday, a month late? Guess it got lost in the mail?) and they’re letting me in – only have to come up with $4000 a year outside of the $4500 they’re giving me in federal loans – my family would be much more willing to cosign $4000 than $12000, yeah? I’m thinking that I’m going to Bard. I’ll be in more debt than a CC, but this is much, much more doable.</p>
<p>Congrats! Btw, shouldn’t they be giving you $5,500 in Stafford loans?</p>
<p>Oops! Sorry, I totally misread that. It’s 1,000 in Perkins and 3,500 in subsidized Stafford loans. (No unsubsidized? Well, whatever works.) I’m so, so happy. This also means that I can keep up with my orthodontic treatment, too, because Bard is three hours from home. :]</p>
<p>Congrats!!!</p>
<p>I am glad that every thing has worked out.</p>
<p>The worse case scenario is that even if your family is found ineligible for a Plus loan, you will still be eligible for the $4,000 unsub stafford loan which would fill your gap.</p>