Hi, I am an international student and I have some questions about CSS profile. I think parents can help me to figure out!
This is really confusing and stressful, please help me.
Ok, my parents divorced in 2003. I have never heard of or received any financial support from my dad. I’m living in the North with my grandmother and my aunt, and my mother is living and working in the South (She has a own home there and has never married again). Although my mother will also pay for my studying in the university, my aunt is the person who will mainly support my academic tuition.
In CSS they ask which parent I stay more with during the last 12 moths and I chose my mother because I still meet her 3-4 times during a year. But then, my mother income is not so high. It is about 6000$/year. I’m afraid that the schools might think that I can’t afford US education and it can cause my chance of getting in. How can I fill in the CSS that I receive big help from my aunt?
I think about choosing “neither parents” when CSS asks about which parents I stay with more, but then it demands information about noncustodial parents and obviously I have no noncustodial parents so that choice doesn’t fit my circumstance.
My aunt told me that she can support me 15000$. It’s not much compared with other students, but it’s higher than my mother’s income so that I’m afraid if I answer 15000$ to the question ''enter the amount of money your parents think they can afford for your 2016-2017 academic year", the school admission might think it it inconsistent => might hurt my chance of getting in.
What should I do??
About my application, I think I can gain scholarships. My cumulative GPA is 3.8/4, SAT CR+ Math is 1300, and I have got a pretty impressive resume with many ECs. Some schools already told me that I can gain president scholarships up to 20 000- 24000 US$. I think I can try harder to gain scholarships so that my family won’t get any burden left after I come to the US. But at the same time I’m afraid with the need-aware selection, my chance of getting in might be seriously hurt.
Please help me.
Thank you very much for reading this.
Is the $15,000 per year? Or total? If it is total, I don’t see how it would make any difference at a US college that costs $60,000 per year. So you would only need $56,000 of aid per year… that isn’t going to really help you get past the admissions barrier at most colleges that make it hard for internationals who need aid to get admitted. If it is per year, it could make a slight difference. You don’t say what schools you are applying to.
Others may be able to speak to reporting the support you get from your aunt now, and how to explain the amount she provides in future years if you attend a US college.
Also, if the college requests a non-custodial parent form, you have to get a waiver from each college to get out of providing that. Each school has the own procedure for that, so you have to ask each financial aid office how to do that. You may or may not get the waiver.
@intparent My aunt can support me 15000$/year. I’m applying to Millsaps College, Augustana College, Babson, Drexel, TCU, Ohio State Uni and Miami Uni. Thank you for your response !
So I think none of those colleges “meet need”, even for US students. And if you get merit aid, some schools just take away need based aid for that amount (it depends on the school, and you often have to ask them to understand how they handle it). I think I would just put $15,000 as the amount you can pay for next year. I doubt they will ask more questions. But if they do, you can explain.
If none of the schools end up being affordable, do you have a back up plan for school in your country?
You should have the option of “neither” then “guardian”. Your aunt would be your guardian, not parent 1 and 2. Then you would indicate your mother as a parent/other adult.
You have the right idea, targeting midwestern and southern colleges that seek to increase their international representation and where you’re well above average. However, you need to apply to more colleges - look into Gustavus Adolphus, Hendrix, Lindenwood, Eckerd, Lewis&Clark, Wheaton (MA, not the one in IL),
If your family makes less than a certain amount, you’re eligible for fee waivers, so ask your guidance counselor to check the reason for you. It’s always worthwhile for a financial-aid seeking international student to diversify their applications.
Can you retake the SAT to try and get a higher score? Or perhaps take the ACT? Many scholarships start at 1400CR+M/32 ACT.
With $15,000, you’re right at the level where you’re good if you get a full-tuition scholarship. Those are hard to come by, but… why not try?
If you want to study engineering or computer science, UAlabama Honors has a guaranteed full tuition scholarship if you have 1330 CR+M but you need to apply by December 1st, and by December 15th for Honors College and scholarships (check deadlines).
I think UMaine Farmington and UMaine Kent would offer you merit scholarships too. Look into merit at UMassachussetts Lowell, U Wisconsin Eau Claire, Western Kentucky, Grand Valley State, for their Honors College and Merit Scholarships - and do so quickly because deadlines are soon.
Are you “URM”, meaning, from South or Latin or Central America, from African or of African descent (Carribean, for example), a Pacific Islander, or a minority in your country?
Why would the aunt be his guardian? Is this a guardianship set up officially? If the student is living with the aunt for convenience, but is not a legal guardian, the mom would be the custodial parent listed on the Profile.
I was going to say the same thing. Guardianship is a legal status. I get that it might be different in other countries, but the OP’s mom is living and in regular contact with him/her with no apparent termination of parental rights. So I think his mom still gets listed as parent 1.
You should put mother, and put down the $15k in the section of what your family can pay.
You can’t put neither. Put mother and put $15k. There may be a place where you can mention that the $15k is coming from your aunt.
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My cumulative GPA is 3.8/4, SAT CR+ Math is 1300, and I have got a pretty impressive resume with many ECs. Some schools already told me that I can gain president scholarships up to 20 000- 24000 US$.
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Where can you get that much? What will the remaining costs be?
What schools are you applying to? The ones that give the most aid to int’ls, will not likely accept you. Your 1300 is about equal to an ACT 29…not competitive for top schools that “meet need” for int’ls.
Apply to the schools that will give you enough merit for your stats that the REMAINING costs will be about $15k per year (including int’l travel costs AND health insurance…those costs alone will be about $4-5k per year)