Hello everyone, I am a new poster here. This past application season I applied to about 9 schools and I was accepted to all but one (WL). From the start, my parents severely limited my application list by location (nothing past a 2 hour drive), but told me I was not allowed to commute anywhere. That complicated things. They also told me after I applied to all of my schools that they were planning to cosign almost the entire amount. They said that that is totally normal and that all of their friends do it. My parents are definitely UMC but I qualified for Fa at some schools. btw Im first gen. I applied to a Patriot League school but I was WL.
I I have been lurking on here for years and always thought that cosigning was a bad idea. Anyway so cost wise it came down to a rural private and a better Jesuit private that would be cheap and I could commute to. I turned down two top 50 state schools, both around 35k/year because I couldn't stomach the debt. Parents said no way to cheap (15k/year) Jesuit private, said I had to go away. I pressured myself to choose small rural (24k/year) private, committed, and now I deeply regret it. It looks boring and I keep reading bad reviews about it and I terrified of owing 100k. Fortunately my parents will be paying the interest on any and all loans. I declined my other options at this point so I have no choice but to go there. My parents won't get me a car to commute anywhere, although I could bike to Jesuit Private (5 min away) or community coll. I already turned down jesuit private though so doubt they'd let me aback in. I'm in tears lol. Is there anywhere, in the United States, that I could still apply to that would give me near full tuition? I'm desperate. My stats:
1310 sat (680v, 630m)
98.2 W gpa (top 5% of class)
5 ap classes total
I’m sorry, this sounds like a tough situation. I can’t help with financial/loan/co sign info but I imagine you will get replies with advice for that. Does the nearby Jesuit not have dorms? Also, I’m not sure that just because you already declined doesn’t mean you can’t try to get into the nearby Jesuit school (if you get the stuff with your parents worked out). Especially this year when probably so many people are waiting until the last minute. Same with other declines. I wouldn’t consider them completely impossible until you have called each school to find out if you can still deposit and accept.
Thank you for your reply, it does have dorms but they would be another 20k or so per year. I suppose I can talk to my parents about letting me go there if I get back in to just dorm for the first year. I’m not too concerned about the religious part, its just to distinguish between the other rural school. Both schools have about same stats but Jesuit one is sought after and has a better rep.
One issue is what @ts0104 hinted at: Just because you attend a college that is 5 minutes from your home does not mean that you need to commute. If you live on campus you can get the “full college” experience and it will be like living in a different world even if you are very close to home. Living on campus for one year to get to know people and then living at home for the last three years to save money seems like a good option.
It is hard to say whether a “small Jesuit” college is good or not without knowing the name of the school. However, there is a current supreme court justice who graduated from a small Jesuit college in Massachusetts. To me this suggests that you can be very successful graduating from a Jesuit college.
Otherwise it is hard to say much without knowing a bit more. $100,000 is a lot of debt. Whether you can find anything less expensive seems unlikely unless you take a gap year and reapply to schools with cost being a major factor. If you did take a gap year, then whether you could find anything less than $100,000 for four years will depend upon a long list of factors such as your grades and whether you qualify for need based aid. We found schools costing less than $100,000 for four years but it was based on the very unusual factor of having dual citizenship.
There are also some very good small private colleges. However, again without knowing the name of the school it is hard to give much advice.
Contact the local Jesuit school and tell them that you had a change of heart and ask them if they would be willing to accept you, even though you initially declined.
There are people still trying to make decisions and the universities are aware that the COVID-19 has affected everyone, so get on the phone or email them. I would prefer to call a human being, but that’s me, and tell them you have an easier commute, and talk to admissions to see what they say. Don’t give up until they tell you “no”.
You may also be able to dorm there. All you can do is ask so don’t give up. Try it! Good luck!!! let us know how it goes.
No, co-signing debt is NOT a normal thing that parents do. If you’re coming out of school owing $100,000 then you need to high-tail it out of there before it gets any worse. There’s no bachelors degree worth that kind of money, and I guarantee that it’s going to cripple you for a very long time, especially when you settle down and start a family. If this is coming out of your own pocket, I would suggest going to community college, then transferring to a state university.
OP: Need to know the names of the schools to which you applied. Some posters might be able to help you view your current options in a different light.
From an earlier post, it seems that you want to major in accounting & finance or something else related to business. There are options, but they are too far from your home.
Some schools are worth $100,000 in debt, but they do not appear to be among your options.
The Jesuit School is one of the following: University of Scranton, Saint Joes, Loyola Md, or Fairfield. I’d rather not say which, but it is one of those. I received around 30k in fa grants +merit from this school, plus I assumed I would commute, so it is about 15k. That excludes a car or first year dorms, which is one of the reasons why my parents are saying no. They vetoed most of the schools I got into, which they paid the app fee for…
I cannot offer any reasonable insight based on the limited info. provided. For confidentiality, consider listing the 9 schools to which you applied–even the Patriot League waitlist–and meaningful advice can be offered.
P.S. Basically, you are seeking advice & comfort. Posters will offer comments about all 9 schools in light of your intended major & with your situation in mind.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s chief epidemiologist, went to that same small Jesuit college. So yes, you can be very successful graduating from there or one like it. LOL.
Thank you for your kind words. I really don’t want to paint my parents as horrible people; aside from the debt they are not abusive or unsupportive in any other way. They are usually frugal. I actually applied as bio/pre-med but I was able to switch to biz at nearly every school I applied to.
Schools I applied to and got into:
-University of Scranton
-juniata
-Fairfield
-Udel
-Binghamton
-State Flagship
-different Small catholic uni on the brink of closing (commuting distance)
-School I committed to: In Landmark conference
Are the net costs at all of these affordable without loans exceeding the direct loan you can take of $5500 for freshman year?
I would suggest you choose an affordable option…the one which will leave you with the least amount of debt.
Are you saying the Jesuit school you want to go to is on the brink of closure? Or do you have two Jesuit colleges within commuting distance of your home (I would find that unusual). Do not choose a college that is on the brink of closure.
Do not take on $100,000 of undergraduate debt to attend J.C. Don’t do it. Even though your parents will pay the interest, you–it appears–will be responsible for $100,000 of debt plus the interest after completing your undergrad education. Do not do it.
Your parents restrictions seem unreasonable & crippling. This debt could handicap you for decades after earning your BA/BS.
Consider taking a gap year & an SAT prep course. Raising your score above 1350 & closer to 1400 should result in life changing opportunities due, in large part, to affordability.
The only schools which are (maybe) affordable on direct loans
I live near if I commute via used car or bike all four years
2-Small catholic college that would be 12k/year in tuition. It is in very bad shape. Pre-covid it has an endowment of like 8k per student. not aascb but I might change majors.
3-Jesuit one. around 15-16k/year. Has a rather good rep regionally, not struggling. Has an endowment of 50k+ per student.