Is there anyway I can go to University of Alabama?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
1

<p>I don’t know what it is but whenever I come on this forum board particular, I feel there is a strong bond between the posters unlike any other. </p>

<p>The posters here CARE about University of Alabama students and I want to be a part of this family.</p>

<p>First I’ll post my stats:</p>

<p>Unweighted GPA: 3.018
Weighted GPA: 4.485
SAT Best Score? 1630: Math 500 Critical Reading 530 Writing 600 (11 Essay)
State Of Residence? FL
Male / Female? Male
Class rank? Not sure, top 20-30%
AP classes? 12 (by the end of Senior year)
Honors Classes? 7</p>

<p>My scores aren’t the best and I won’t be able to get any Out of State scholarships because of that. If only I had higher scores but I’ve tried several times and this is the score I received.</p>

<p>Anyways, I really would like to go to Alabama but it may be just a bit expensive for my father. </p>

<p>Is there anything I can do besides take out student loans because I’d never do that.</p>

<p>The way I see it </p>

<p>Out-of-State Resident</p>

<p>$11,475.00
College/Course fees
$375.00
Dining Dollars account
$300.00
Meal plan
$1,525.00
Residence Hall room
$4,400.00
Parking decal
$280.00
Books and supplies
$550.00
Total
$18,905.00</p>

<p>Per semester. </p>

<p>Approximately $40,000 a year</p>

<p>For a Florida school my Dad would be paying around $20,000 a year which he is okay with. </p>

<p>But how low do you think I can get that $40,000? </p>

<p>Something to take into consideration:</p>

<p>-Is there anyway I can get smaller scholarships from Alabama?
-The 40,000 said above is without any FAFSA help
-Also this 40,000 is without any money the University of Alabama would give me</p>

<p>What I’m trying to say is, is there anyway I can go to a school like this given my financial circumstances?</p>

<p>What would I need to do to make this price decrease?</p>

<p>Any help is really appreciated</p>

<p>Roll Tide</p>

<p>-Elite</p>

2

<p>You could lower the room expense by not choosing the “super-suite” dorms. Traditional-style dorms are significantly cheaper. After freshman year you can reduce the meal plan cost and possibly further reduce the room cost. If you don’t use your dining dollars you can get them refunded at the end of the year. My D got nearly the entire $600 back last year because with the all-access meal plan required of freshmen she didn’t need them. You can most likely reduce the books and supplies cost by renting books or buying used ones. You could save the parking permit fee (and likely some other expenses) by not bringing a car; you don’t need a car if you’re living on campus. However, these are not the really big ticket item - the OOS tuition is, and other than with merit scholarships, I’m not sure how you can reduce that.</p>

<p>There are some departmental scholarships available to students who don’t get the large merit scholarships, but I’m not sure what the likelihood of getting one of those is. And most public schools don’t have a lot of need-based aid to give to OOS students, so I wouldn’t count on getting anything that way. </p>

<p>Without the score-based merit scholarships, I’m not seeing a way to bridge the gap between Florida in-state costs and Alabama OOS costs. Maybe someone else knows of something I’m missing. In any event, good luck to you!</p>

3

<p>*-Is there anyway I can get smaller scholarships from Alabama?
-The 40,000 said above is without any FAFSA help
-Also this 40,000 is without any money the University of Alabama would give me</p>

<p>What I’m trying to say is, is there anyway I can go to a school like this given my financial circumstances?*</p>

<p>If your dad can/will pay $20k per year, then you’re not going to get any free money after filling out FAFSA…your EFC will be too high. The only thing you’ll get is a $5500 student loan.</p>

<p>For you to get any “free money” after filling out FAFSA, your EFC would have to be below 6000. If your dad can pay $20k per year, then it’s highly doubtful that your EFC would be anywhere near that low. </p>

<p>Sadly, Alabama isnt’ likely going to give you any money because your stats are below the merit req’ts. Since you’re OOS, the rates are charged because your parents don’t pay taxes here. Most state schools don’t give need-based aid to OOS students because that would defeat the purpose of charging high OOS rates. </p>

<p>The smaller dept scholarships are likely going to go to students whose stats are higher than yours. What is your major? Some depts don’t have much/any money to award. </p>

<p>Unfortunately, I don’t see how you’re going to cover the costs.</p>

<p>Have you filled out the Net Price Calculator on Alabama’s website? If not, you should. </p>

<p>It will probably just show that you can get a $5500 student loan. That plus the $20k from your dad is only $25k. If you worked over the summer, you might be able to save $2k…so that’s $27k. I don’t see how you’re going to get enough to cover the costs.</p>

4

<p>“What I’m trying to say is, is there anyway I can go to a school like this given my financial circumstances?”</p>

<p>Can you kick a football straight ? Work on that and I’m sure everything else will take care of itself.</p>

5

<p>I have a sense that you are a great kid, no matter what your test scores are. I am so impressed with the homework you’ve done with analyzing costs and with how you are seeking guidance before you make your decision. I don’t think admission to Alabama is going to be your issue, but the financial aspect for you is huge. We are a very caring community here, and while we would love to see you at Alabama, none of us is going to recommend that you take out student loans to cover the cost of an undergraduate degree when you have instate options that are strong and will allow you to finish school debt free. Alabama is a terrific school, but I encourage you to think long-term about what loans will mean. I have a sense that you are the kind of kid who will create a successful college experience wherever you go.</p>

6

<p>What WhitLo said. :)</p>

7

<p>I think all of us agree with what WhitLo said. While we all love Bama and what it is offering our kids, none of us would want to do anything that would put someone else into a bind.</p>

<p>I do have one question though…you mention your SAT scores but dont say anything about the ACT. Have you tried it? I have heard before where some kids are better suited for one test over the other. If you havent tried it get a copy of a practice ACT test and see where your scores fall. Maybe you can get the numbers you need to at least get a partial.</p>

8

<p>^^^</p>

<p>It’s too late for that. The last ACT scores Bama accepts for merit is Dec.</p>

<p>Yes, WhitLo is right. No matter where you go, you’ll do fine. </p>

<p>Maybe you can work out a deal with your dad…go to a CC for two years, have your dad “bank” that $20k each year, and then go to Bama for your last two years.</p>

9

<p>Wasnt sure if it was too late. Didnt see anywhere if Elite had mentioned if he was a junior or senior… was hoping for the former.</p>

10

<p>^
Yes, he’s a senior. </p>

<p>Sounds like he wants a big Div 1 football school and he was rejected by FSU. So, maybe UCF might work?..it’s growing in popularity. Also FAU and FIU have popular football.</p>

11

<p>One way to help lower expenses now is take courses online or at your local CC at a fraction of the cost. You can participate in the Early College online for the spring semester that UA offers, [UA</a> Early College](<a href=“http://uaearlycollege.ua.edu/]UA”>http://uaearlycollege.ua.edu/)
The deadline is coming up and you do need teacher or gc recs, so get on the ball with this. You can take college courses online this spring. Maybe talk your dad into letting you attend UA for the summer for Early College, they are very generous with scholarships for OOS. This would be one way to experience some of what UA has to offer. Then, as others have said, maybe attend a local CC for the first year or two at a fraction of the cost then transfer to UA. </p>

<p>Best of luck, and don’t break the bank for an undergrad degree. It is not worth it no matter how much you love the school.</p>