Inexpensive New England/Middle-Eastern Universities?

College Search & Selection
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<p>

??
I’m confused. Is this you saying, “You won’t find smart people here”, “This atmosphere seems about right”, or something completely different?</p>

<p>I’m getting the feeling that it meant the first one…
If that’s the case:
I would like to go to a school similar to Bucknell and BU. However, reading through these posts is kind of making me give up my hopes of doing such. That’s why I’m even looking at York. If I don’t get into/ don’t get enough aid from a top choice, it’s a good safety to fall back on.</p>

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<p>SUNY Purchase has theatre if I am remembering correctly.There is also a little college in Pennsylvania named Juniata. It has theatre, but I am not sure about teacher certification.</p>

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<p>

WOW. I currently have Purchase up on my computer right now. You read my mind.
I was also just looking at Juniata. </p>

<p>I’m failing to find any English/Teacher Certification on the Purchase website! The BFA Acting program looks great, but that’s only half of the picture. I find it hard to believe that a state school like Purchase would be lacking in both the English and Education departments, though, so maybe I’m missing something.</p>

<p>As for Juniata, it look great, but it’s even further away from home than BU :(. I won’t * completely * rule them out for that, though. They do have nice programs in both of my required areas. </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>If you want to be a teacher in NJ after you graduate, be sure that the English/Ed program you enroll in will meet NJ’s certification standards, which are heavy compared to many other states. For example, I believe (don’t trust me on this) that NJ accepts PA certification but not DE and possibly not MA. This may be a factor in your choice. </p>

<p>Have you looked at Ramapo? It’s not a private but it will be cheaper, and it has a more intimate, liberal-arts feel than RU-NB.</p>

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<p>What kind of aid would an OOS student get at a SUNY? It sounds like this student will have an EFC 0 and parents won’t be giving much/anything (3 in college at one time). </p>

<p>I know that SUNY’s have lowish OOS costs, but even if the cost is $27k per year, a $5550 Pell Grant and a 5500 Stafford loan would leave this student with a $16k per year gap.</p>

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<p>

I have looked, but it’s not really what I’m looking for.</p>

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<p>Juniata College is in a nice historic small town named Huntingdon. However, it is a couple hours from major cities.</p>

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<p>

Yeah, and it is quite expensive. I did a net price calculator (although I was missing some information), and it said:
Estimated Scholarship and Grant $27,184
Loans $6,500
Work Study $1,500
Family Responsibility $10,096

  1. That’s a big loan.
  2. My family cannot pay 10k.
    :(</p>
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<p>bumping again</p>

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<p>*Quote:
Juniata College is in a nice historic small town named Huntingdon. However, it is a couple hours from major cities.
Yeah, and it is quite expensive. I did a net price calculator (although I was missing some information), and it said:
Estimated Scholarship and Grant $27,184
Loans $6,500
Work Study $1,500
Family Responsibility $10,096

  1. That’s a big loan.
  2. My family cannot pay 10k.
    *</p>

<p>Kittycat…you and your twin are going to find this problem unless you both raise your test scores significantly. Has your twin done an NPC on her pricey school? Unless it’s an elite school (a huge reach for her), it’s likely she’s going to be gapped as well.</p>

<p>My concern for you is that unless your test scores increase significantly, the only OOS schools you’re going to only be admitted to will be schools that will gap you like Juniata. </p>

<p>I’ve forgotten, have you looked at Loyola Maryland? They promise to meet need and don’t require really high test scores.</p>

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It sounds like you’re saying anyone with a low income who isn’t a genius cannot attend college. I know that’s not true. Both of us have GPAs and test scores that are above average (hers slightly, and mine significantly.) I don’t see how that achievement can mean that we can’t get enough aid to go to college when a large amount of other people who go to college have lower stats than us. I’m sure not all of them are upper-class families who are capable of paying off tuition themselves. </p>

<p>Raising my test scores much higher is pretty much an impossible feat. My whole school has horrible test scores, with mine being toward the top of test scores in my class. My school is not one that you can attend and expect to get good test scores with the knowledge you acquired there. With that education alone, there’s no hope of getting a score much higher than my 1750 without additional help, which costs money that we do not have. </p>

<p>

I have looked at Loyola. Like I said, it didn’t really appeal to me, but I guess it’s the only place I could get aid from given my * horrible, above-average * test scores.</p>

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<p>FWIW, I think it’s safe to say there are many colleges out there for you. You are above average - the majority of CC students are star students and it tends to skew perceptions. Your financial situation may mean you need to go to a less prestigious school in order to get more aid. Don’t think that means you’ll be surrounded by “inferior” students. Many (like you) will be bright kids who need money. Others are late bloomers, relatively poor test takers, were just lazy in high school, or want to stay close to home. These schools will often look at students holistically, and may give a student the benefit of the doubt, leading to a lower class profile. A higher percentage of these students will also not make it, leading to a lower graduation/retention rate. Others will hit their stride and have a successful college career. There will also be some great professors at these schools - there aren’t enough jobs at top universities to employ all the great professors out there - and some professors don’t want to work in a research atmosphere or are choosing schools for family reasons.</p>

<p>For peace of mind, check out the 3.0-3.3 GPA threads, even though you’re well above that GPA. It’s geared to parents, but you’ll get some ideas and read some success stories.</p>

<p>I’m also a teacher - don’t go in significant debt. You won’t make enough money to justify it, and the certification is more important than the college it comes from. By all means, make sure it’s a solid program but don’t get hung up on the name recognition.</p>

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<p>*It sounds like you’re saying anyone with a low income who isn’t a genius cannot attend college. I know that’s not true. Both of us have GPAs and test scores that are above average (hers slightly, and mine significantly.) I don’t see how that achievement can mean that we can’t get enough aid to go to college when a large amount of other people who go to college have lower stats than us. I’m sure not all of them are upper-class families who are capable of paying off tuition themselves. *</p>

<p>Test scores: They are bad. I’ve only taken the SAT. CR: 610, M: 530, W: 610. Total: 1750.</p>

<p>You have a 1140 Math + CR</p>

<p>You’re misunderstanding what I’m saying. Yes, kids with low incomes and good scores go to college. BUT, they don’t often get to go where they’d like to go because MOST schools do NOT give great aid. You seem to think that schools are handing out $50k per year to all low income students, when only a small number do.</p>

<p>And, yes, there are kids with lower stats than yours going to various schools ON THEIR PARENTS money. </p>

<p>So, yes, kids with lower stats do go to college…some commute to their local publics, some have parents who pay for wherever they go. </p>

<p>Many kids in you and your sister’s situation will find that their only affordable options will be their instate publics because of state aid and fed aid. So, I’m not saying that only geniuses can afford college. All those kids are affording college, but they can’t afford to go to pricey OOS schools. </p>

<p>Do you realize that most kids in the US commute to a local school? Most kids do NOT go away to college because of COST???</p>

<p>It is rare for a student with a very low EFC and test scores like yours to get enough aid to go out of state for college. That’s just the truth. There just isn’t enough money out there to fund all these kids. The schools with the money to “meet need” get soooooooo many apps that they often turn down kids with “above avg stats” because they’re accepting students with very high stats.</p>

<p>I’m not saying that you won’t find any affordable OOS schools. A school like Loyola maryland or Dapauw in Indiana might meet need or come close to it.</p>

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<p>Just to give you an idea, I used Seton Hall’s NPC as a NJ resident.</p>

<p>Estimated total direct costs: $44,620
a. Estimated tuition and fees $33,490
b. Estimated room and board $11,130</p>

<p>Estimated total aid:
(Includes both merit and need based aid from all sources, federal,state and institutional.) $33,388</p>

<p>Estimated net price:
(Direct cost minus aid) $11,232 plus $3,000 for books and personal expenses.</p>

<p>so, for Seton Hall you’d have a gap of about $14,000 per year.</p>

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<p>You’re just making me feel like a buffoon.
I appreciate the help, but I think we should go back to the original question:

If they don’t exist, then I would prefer for people to just say so. When I want to discuss financial aid, I will ask about it in another thread. For now, I just want to know if there are any schools like the ones I asked about.</p>

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<p>mom2collegekids states the situation well. If you take your early post that you want less than $50k year, perhaps you should look at Clark University in Boston. It’s barely less than $50k. It is test optional, which may help you.</p>

<p>No one is trying to make you feel like a buffoon, but all the schools you are interested in are extremely expensive. It’s hard to answer your question re: a CHEAPER school like Bucknell or Boston U. without considering financial aid. I looked through the top 100 national LACs, and the tuition on all was $35000 and up. Then there’s room and board. OOS publics may be cheaper list price, but they’re not going to give you aid.</p>

<p>Look through the rankings if that’s what you find important, locate the ones that are interesting to you, and run the Net Price Calculator.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

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<p>bumpity bump bump, bumpity bump bump, look at Frosty goooo!</p>

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<p>kittycat, I went to York and I think you’ll find plenty of smart people there… and some great teachers with plenty of experience in the real world… not just in writing theoretical papers and things like that. I had a few friends that were education majors (though didn’t have any with a focus in english) and they all enjoyed it.</p>

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<p>Check out Drew University. Very good theatre program. Website indicates a teacher certification. Decent rep for merit aid.</p>

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<p>check out the SUNY schools, Temple,</p>