Is Case Really Worth It?

<p>Okay, sorry for the constant updates. Here’s financial aid for the year (per Case’s website):
$30540 in scholarships, grants, and work-study.
$12761 in various loans (half in a PLUS loan).</p>

<p>Leaves $14,627 to be paid (along with the $12761 in federal loans).</p>

<p>^^ Sounds about like what I received. If you’re really wanting to go to Case, call them and ask them to increase the grants money.</p>

<p>I received a merit scholarship + minimal grant/w-s, and the rest was all in a ridiculous amount of loans.</p>

<p>purpleacorn, how do I ask to increase grant money though? I would like to have tact and not run in guns a-blazing.</p>

<p>You might need to share family situations and if you’ve acheived anything in the last semester, that would be nice too. However, if your parents are only able to pay a quarter to half of your EFC, I don’t think any solution from Case is really going to work.</p>

<p>I’m trying to make it work. I have received a few offers from other family members, so hopefully I can just make enough through work and babysitting this summer. thanks for the advice :)</p>

<p>^^^ i might be wrong but if the school you get into doesnt meet your need you could appeal and ask for more. this might have been said earlier but i did not read everything in this thread. Wish you luck!!!</p>

<p>Don’t forget there’s also work-study/on campus work. I work 10 hours a week non-work study, but most of my friends work 20 hours a week, and campus minimum wage is $9.5 an hour. That would certainly help to defray the cost and bring in several thousand dollars a year. Almost every student works in some capacity, either in research or in the Law School or Mandel School.</p>

<p>Simply put, to go to Case I need to find a way to finance $14500. I could ask my mom, but she is very financially instable. My grandparents are an option, but my grandmother is disabled and grandpa retired. Other grandparents will contribute very little. This summer I will be working around 30 hours a week and I’m trying to also nanny. My goal is to save $4000 by the end of summer. My parents agreed to pay only the PLUS loan if I went to Case (~$6250/yr, half the EFC). They do not have the credit to be approved for another private bank loan, and my stepmom makes about 2/5 what my dad makes and has a large sum of medical bills and child support. However, I just learned a few days ago that my dad actually owes tax money as his work screwed up his taxes in the last quarter. He will be paying around $5000. Will this be enough to prove financial need? </p>

<p>If Case isn’t feasible (which I am now accepting as a truth), I’ll be attending OSU.</p>

<p>not a princess- since you will have much more earning power than your parents, it would be better for you to try to make up that $14k+ difference. You state you can save $4k, then you can either take a for 10K, assuming things stay the same, $40k in debt after 4 years is doable for a young person. If you can prove your father’s tax problems, i.e. tax filings, you can submit those to Financial aid for further consideration. The interest for plus loan for parents is exhorbitant 7.9%? Check the interest % w. FA. And interest begins from day one!
With your parents financial burden, is it reasonable for you to put them in further debt? Think how hard it is for them to save $10K. just my two cents.</p>

<p>It is hard to calculate the amount of debt my parents and myself personally can take on. I would like to pursue at least a Masters. My dad and stepmother, although making good money in a low COL area, were just married last November. However, my parents do not have a decent grasp of FA. </p>

<p>OSU’s financial aid was made available yesterday. Here is the run down:</p>

<p>$5500 in fed unsub/sub loans
$10000 PLUS loan
$3000 Provost Scholarship (renewable for four years)
$7000 M. Fawcett scholarship (one-time freshman scholarship)</p>

<p>It covers all expenses, but my sophomore year will have a 7k gap AND my stepmom will likely be making more this year because of her new job increasing her EFC. So I’m basically screwed. </p>

<p>My mother who lives in Florida is trying to see how much she will be able to contribute. My parents are fine with having their PLUS loan at Case increase to match OSU’S, and I will try to appeal to have my grant aid at Case increased and show OSU met my full need freshman year. I’m really lost on the whole situation and my guidance conselors and teachers have been giving me advice I’ve heard over and over again but really doesn’t pertain to my problem. On top of that I feel like my dad is holding me back from attending Case for other reasons, almost like he is jealous. Anwyways, I’m on vacation with my mom, I’ll try to enjoy it and not worry about FA until I get home and can have a serious conversation with my parents. Thanks all</p>

<p>My son is trying to decide between Case, RPI, UMD and Georgia Tech. Keeping finances aside what are your thoughts on which is the best school</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Personally, I think both are comparable, but I prefer Case. I like how Case is smaller with more individual attention, the proximity to home, and research opportunities. I find the atmosphere of OSU to be great and I enjoy going out and having fun, but I really treasure quiet time and having like-minded and school-oriented classmates. The sports team worship at OSU also drives me completely nuts. However, I can’t deny that OSU does have a great engineering program.</p>

<p>It doesn’t help that I already have my roommate picked out if I go to Case either :)</p>

<p>Jerseyshor, you are comparing two different kinds of schools - I would compare UMD and Georgia Tech, both large state schools, to each other. RPI and Case are both smaller private schools with many similarities worthy of comparison. Much depends on what kind of atmosphere your son wants. Large state schools can feel more impersonal. They also have a “weed them out” mentality when it comes to engineering (which I assume is your son’s interest?). If he is up to it - Georgia Tech is an exceptional top 10 engineering program and would be my choice over Maryland. My son was accepted to both Case and RPI. Again, both are very good, smaller and more personal in their approach. His decision to attend Case was based upon his interest to be at a school that offers more than just engineering. Even though engineering is his area of interest, he likes the idea of being with students who are studying more broadly. Case also has more women. Finally, while Cleveland might not be the coolest city, University Circle is a very trendy and arts/culture filled area with a thriving Little Italy within 1/4 mile. Cleveland has major league baseball and football as well. I don’t think Troy can match that. Finally, Cleveland is a much easier commute (as an east coaster) to get in and out of by plane. Ultimately, all of the schools you named are excellent - the decision at this point should be made on fit. I would add that if your son has an interest in biomedical engineering, Case has an advantage over RPI - sitting in the middle of an incredible medical complex (University Hospital and Cleveland Clinic). Case is in the top 10 for biomed eng. Good luck!</p>

<p>Your response is helpful to us as our son is choosing between 2 SUNY schools and case. We’re very familiar with RPI and I think your assessment is right on. One factor in our decision, in addition to the all important cost, is the distance from home. I take it that distance has not been a significant negative factor for your student/family? Also we were pleasantly surprised by Cleveland and the area surrounding Case University. Do engineering students at Case really have time to enjoy all that Cleveland and the University Circle has to offer in terms of arts, culture and extra curricular activities? I would appreciate any thoughts you have. Thanks.</p>

<p>Agree with Steve26 re Case. It has a lot of advantages over both big universities and schools like RPI in smaller towns. Its size is definitely an advantage - it feels like a big school in terms of opportunities, but with a small school’s advantages of personal touch, small class size, etc. Transportation is definitely a positive - bus, train, plane are all easy options (and relatively affordable). Good luck with your decision!</p>

<p>Peppersmom, my son will be an incoming freshman this fall - so don’t have much experience with university life - just impressions from interviews/tours/speaking with other students/professors. I do get the sense that engineering students are very busy, but depending upon their interest can take advantage of the arts in the area (if they so choose) because venues are so close. Tickets to Severence Hall (Cleveland Symphony) are subsidized and affordable for Case students. Regarding distance we’re in the mid-Atlantic area - Case will be a 6 hour drive from home and Troy would be about 7 hours. Looking at flights - Cleveland will be much easier to get in/out than Albany - direct flights for $200 or less. My son received merit scholarships from both schools, but Case was considerably more - something that will help with travel budget.</p>

<p>my son attends Case as a freshman/engineering major and has done very well. He is in an Acapella group, joined a couple of clubs, joined Humans vs. Zombies, gone to the Art museums, gone to eat in Coventry and Little Italy and has had opportunities to do research w. profs. Cleveland, albeit, not NYC, has alot to offer. Check out Troy, we did and we decided that Cleveland had alot more potential. And RPI is a tech school; what if your child decides he doesn’t like engineering, would he have to transfer out? I believe RPI got rid of their language courses. The big social scene at RPI, seems to be frats/sororities. Also, RPI has less girls, an important fact to my son. Not that Dorms should be a deciding factor, but RPI dorms are dismal and depressing. Go to admitted student day at Case, and you will surely be impressed, by the dorms, dining hall, atmosphere, vibe, facilities and profs. Also, did you know RPI requires you to buy a computer and iclicker from them? I believe it was $1700 last year. At case, I bought him a $700 laptop and all software/virus ware are free to download at Case and free printing too. Free laundry with software to check on your laundry on your computer. Free RTA (public transportation). In other Case has alot of Pros! good luck in your decision!</p>

<p>Hey all! </p>

<p>I finally decided. I’ll be attending OSU in the fall. Thanks for all the wonderful advice that was given, I appreciate it so much. Maybe in 4 years Case will be my grad school, who knows :)</p>

<p>Good luck to you notaprincess! I remind myself on these message strings that while many of us agonize over the decision to attend a specific school, ultimately what matters most is how well you do at any school you choose to attend. That is what will open doors to graduate school.</p>

<p>Thank you Steve26! I realized I had my heart set so adamantly on Case because my dad wanted to me to go there and I was trying to be stubborn and get my way. I’m actually very excited to attend Ohio State and plan on doing quite a bit while there. Yes, I am a little disappointed I’m not going to Case, but I know I will have fun and enjoy college wherever I am.</p>