Is it possible? Paying for college.

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Los Angeles
1

Hey everyone! So I was just wondering how realistic it is for out of state students to pay for UCLA. UCLA is my #1 dream school, and I really want to find a way to be able to go here.

So the problem is with the huge cost of out of state costs, I don’t know if it’s even possible for me to go here. While my parents don’t make enough money to be able to pay for the whole tuition, they make too much for me to get any significant need financial aid. From what I’ve seen, UCLA does not give any merit aid to out of state students (please correct me if I’m wrong on that).

Anyway, my parents are able to pay about $9,000 per year in tuition, and they can probably pay for my housing costs. That leaves about $26,000 left for me to pay. I’m likely going to get the National Merit Scholarship based on last year’s cutoff scores, so that’s about $23,500 left to pay. Also, my dad’s company gives out a large number of scholarships worth about $2500 and I’m likely to get that, so that’s about $21,000 left to pay. Right now, I’m working a job (20-25 hours a week), and I’m able to save about $200 each week, which means in about a year from now, I will have about $6000 saved up, and so I can bring my cost down to about $15,000.

Then, I figure that I can keep working my job in college (it’s a chain that also is in LA), and I figure because of the higher minimum wage in LA ($10.50 as opposed to $8 here lol), I hopefully could make enough money to pay of the $15,000 for the year.

Does this seem realistic? Do any current UCLA students have any experience with out of state expenses and know of any other ways to bring the cost down. If it helps, I have a 3.97 unweighted GPA, and got a 34 on the ACT. Thanks so much! Since this is my dream school, I’m trying to find any ways I can to be able to go there!

2

I don’t think this is realistic. It sounds like you should have plenty of better options with your stats. What’s your home state?

3

So you would be working 30-40 hours a week to barely afford your dream school? Sounds like you wouldn’t have much time to enjoy the dream school or even get good grades. You can do better for yourself elsewhere with your stats.

4

This is really unaffordable for you and it’s unrealistic:

There are too many what if’s. First of all, the tuition goes up whenever the chancellors vote for it to go up.
Currently tuition for 2017-2018 is $13,254, not $9000. This does not cover your health fees of $2500 nor your lab/book fees, nor transportation or daily living.

You are assuming your parents will cover the housing fees: of $13,206.
So far your parents are on the hook for $26K+ at minimum.
You are assuming getting NMF
You are assuming getting an employee scholarship
You are assuming getting sufficient hours at work at a higher minimum wage. Yes, we have a higher minimum wage, but we also have a higher tax rate. We pay a huge chunk of our checks in state taxes; the federal taxes are chump change. (That’s how we pay for our UC’s and CSU’s.)

LA county is BIG but our public transportation is not good How long, on public transportation, will it take you to get to your job? If you bring a car, our gas is the most expensive in the nation, (second to Hawaii), plus parking around the UCLA is non-existent and expensive, how will that adjust your budget?

You’re desperate to go to UCLA, but financially, you won’t be able to afford it.

5

Out of state cost of attendance for next year is $62,205.

6

UCLA offers zero financial aid to OOS students, regardless of need.

See the Daily Bruin article at http://dailybruin.com/2015/11/25/uc-to-cut-need-based-aid-for-incoming-out-of-state-students/

7

I forgot to include the charge of the differential for OOS students: $28K

If students could afford to pay these prices, we would have more OOS self-pay students in our California publics.

Paying almost a quarter of a million dollars to attend a UC is too much money for 4 years.

8

@aunt bea UCLA is actually a good deal versus other OOS tuition at other prestigious state schools (e.g. UMich 43k versus UCLA at 37k).

9

@AlexDad2016: UCLA is $62K per year for OOS.
https://www.admission.ucla.edu/prospect/budget.htm

There is no financial aid for OOS students in California.

Where are you getting $37K? The instate rates?

@saxynerd, you cannot afford this school.

10

You’re not just paying tuition, though. Full cost of attendance is listed on UMich’s website as ~$60k versus ~$63k UCLA.

11

Michigan gives some need based aid to OOS students. The UC’s give none, zero, nada, rien. No exceptions, no appeals, mom and dad can’t call and get any money.

12

@AlexDad2016
Where will he live if you only account for tuition? Rents are ridiculous in California.
Don’t forget to include the OOS differential. There is NO getting around that fee of $28K.

13

You should run away… run far away… your parent’s budget is plenty for lots of great schools. You would be a fool to bury yourself in debt to accomplish this.

What are your other options.?

14

Even if the OP can cover tuition which is in the 40s living in campus avergeages 14,000 a year. Off campus is usually more as apartment rent is typically 900-1200 a person in a 5 person apartment. This isn’t financially feasible and UCLA is not worth that much sacrifice and debt. Working nearly 40 hours a week would ruin any advantages a ucla education offers.

15

I think that you should apply to UCLA. However, you should definitely carefully research other options. There are a lot of very strong universities in the US (and outside the US), and there are even some that are ranked the same or higher than UCLA. Getting into any really top school is a gamble, and getting in and also being able to afford it is a bigger gamble. You don’t want to go heavily into debt to be a Bachelor’s degree (you have too much life left after graduation, and don’t want to start it with a heavy burden).

You have great grades and test scores, and should be able to choose between multiple very good choices. Whether or not UCLA is an affordable option for you is something that you won’t know, but is a long shot.

What state do you live in? How is your state’s top “flagship” state university?

Also, what do you want in a university? BIg versus small, big city or smaller town, warm winters versus actual “real” winters? What subjects are you most interested in?

16

What do you like about UCLA?
People her can help you find other colleges that share its characteristics.
:slight_smile:

What’s your EFC?
Have you run the npc on a few school and we’re the schools within budget?

17

If you like LA, apply to USC. Good aid if you are admitted.

18

Woww there’s a lot of replies

19

@socialmom007 i live in Florida

20

@“aunt bea” I’m not really assuming any of those things, they’re just possibilities that I’m hoping I’ll get. I guess i was more trying to ask if I’m lucky enough to get those things, can I make it happen (which the overwhelming consensus in this thread says no