I messed up.

You might be able to make Penn State or Pitt work, by going to the closest branch campus for 2 years, commuting if possible.

You can then transfer to the main campus for the last 2 years, live off campus with roommates, which your loan and summer job should pay for, and your parents can hopefully pay the tuition.

Pitt Bradford is about $24,000 (if living on campus), they give a $7,500 scholarship, did you get that? With your student loan, that would leave about $11,000 to pay.

Sorry, I don’t know any PA schools that have a $10,000 net price unless you qualify for full tuition somewhere, or get need based aid.

The PASSHE schools are over $20,000 if you can’t commute. Some private schools are generous, but have higher price tags too.

Some of the most generous/affordable schools I have found are Kent State, Youngstown State, Lycoming, Geneva, and Susquehanna. Grove City College gave us a good net price too.

Run their net price calculator to get an idea.

You have good stats, which colleges could you commute to? Some PASSHE schools might give you good merit if you apply to honors college.

Start working as many hours as you can, starting now. Whatever job. Save it all. If you find something better give your two weeks notice and switch. Walmart I heard paid $12/he now because they can’t find workers. Perhaps not in your town but you’d make a good wage compared to fast food.
Basically you have 10k from aid 10k from your parents. up Tuition instate is 18k and r/b is 12k so right now you can’t afford to live on campus, but if you commute to a branch campus direct costs are about 16k; w/ work earnings you don’t need to take the federeal loans, save them all for when you attend main campus. The more you can earn and save now, the more likely it is that you can cut on hours while in college to ensure high grades and still can afford your last two years.
That’d be your safety.

Do you have a lot of AP credit? Maybe you can do the branch campus in one year and then finish up at main?

I can understand that Bradford campus or local PSU campus was not your dream, but visit, talk to the major department and current students. See what they could offer you for your education. It would be just a stepping stone to your future.

@MYOS1634 okay, that works. i am not able to call today but we will call this week and ask. if they absolutely can’t give me anything else at Main (i have found two scholarships applications for main but funds are limited for freshmen) then i will ask to be switched to a branch campus and considered for Honors. we actually got our fafsa filled out at the branch campus i may have to go to and we discovered they may have messed it up as both my parents educations are listed as “college and beyond” even though one did not complete a degree. idk how much that affects aid and we’ve already had to revise it several times for similar mistakes.

is doing something like PSU behrend where i could still live on campus and actually make friends my first two years significantly cheaper than main, or is it not worth it?

If your parents are unable to contribute much, if at all, Pell grants can usually fill in those gaps. I would look at Pitt again. If not, then you can just go to community college for a couple of years, then reapply

i got the 7500 scholarship from upitt bradford. when i was given my estimate over the phone they told me it would cost 5k year out of pocket after everything. i dont have any ap credit as i dont test well and the exams are expensive. i just refreshed and saw your comments about living on campus and everything. i have 1 PASSHE school i could commute to, its about 15 minutes away. the NPC says the PASSHE school would cost me 13k after everything, and im betting educationally its worse than pitt-bradford.

@coolguy40 my estimated pell grant is only like, 3k. idk where i’d get a 20k pell grant at.

You don’t have low stats. See if you can still apply to IUP and Cook honors college.

OOS would not work as well, unless the net price is close to $15,000. Because you would lose your state grant.

Ok, good, if you have a $3,000 then you get a partial Pell and PHEAA grant too.

You can earn almost $6,000 before any of your income affects your FAFSA EFC. Your parent income must be pretty low too if the EFC is $3,000.

So get a job, in the summer at the minimum. So that you have some spending money, money for books and such.

my parent income is just above 50k, made by 1 parent (not split between both). i will get a full time summer job and hopefully work part time during the school year. my exact EFC is 3410. my parents have for whatever reason discouraged me from getting a job previously.

i emailed IUP and asked if they were still taking applications, would take a SAT that’s on my transcript, and would give me a fee waiver. if not, 2+2 or pitt+transfer looks like my best bet. also depends on the NACAC college list, but i’ll have had to make a deposit somewhere before that comes out.

Behrend is a great school. But housing would add $$$ to the cost. Not sure what the off campus housing costs there.

I would try to go to the local branch and save as much money as possible, get your gen eds out of the way with a high GPA, then transfer.

So unless any of the Ohio schools or private PA schools I suggested come in lower or interest you, you have three choices.

Pitt branch and then transfer to main. (you could live on campus at Pitt Bradford, off campus at Pitt main)

PSU branch and then transfer to main. (your biggest savings would come from commuting to your local branch, then live off campus at main)

IUP or other PASSHE school (honors college) that would give you a big enough scholarship so you could live on campus/off campus all 4 years.

im also thinking about doing the pitt branch and transferring to penn state main after 2 years. i dont know how many transfer applications they accept but considering i was accepted as a freshman i think it would give me an advantage? housing is 3k semester/6k year at behrend.

The nice thing about the branches would be that you have smaller class sizes and easier access to your professors at a smaller campus with fewer students.

Join student government, newspaper, activities council an other clubs to get involved.

I don’t know if all credits would transfer, or if there would be any problems with transferring from Pitt to PSU.

IUP app fee is only $25. SAT report is $12.

You would have to see if honors still accepts apps too.

You have to write an essay for honors, but mostly so they can get to know you.

Honors has their own residence hall. It used to be a bit cheaper than the suites.

i am planning on visiting so that would be something to discuss when i go up there.

Yes the NACAC list will have schools that still accept apps but you wouldn’t know if they are affordable.

My nephew did not get into the main campus at Penn State but got accepted to Penn in Abington. He was hesitant to go there but ended up loving it. He joined lots of clubs, played tennis and while his orginal plan was to transfer to the main campus after his second year, he stayed at Abington. You can make friends as a commuter, join clubs, get involved, set up study groups in the library, eat lunch at the café, you can do it! I know it is not your first choice, but give the options you can afford a try.

that is true but if i find any “match” schools on there i will email and ask if FA is available and it might be worth applying. but i am not doing any of that without putting down a deposit somewhere else, as the list comes out after deposit day. ill probably either do pitt-bradford and transfer after two years to pitt main, or do the 2+2 program at penn state and try to get schreyer, whether thats a commuter campus or somewhere like behrend. i dont really want to waste all my hard work on community college but if worst comes to worst and that’s my cheapest option i can work hard there and transfer to penn state or pitt or even a college that denied me as freshman.