<p>Hi,
I am an out of state student and was accepted to Virginia Tech for the fall. The estimated cost of attendance for me is about 38k. I received nothing in financial aid except loans. My parents are really pressurizing me to go and even offered to pay for all of it. I know that they can't afford it and I can't live with that kind of guilt. They won't listen to me and I even offered some other low cost alternatives such as going to a community college my first year or two to get my general education requirements out of the way or the possibility of studying abroad since it is significantly cheaper. However, they are feeling that I am giving up an opportunity of a lifetime since it's a top ranked engineering school. I can't justify paying that much for a college education. We aren't incredibly wealthy but we are relatively well off financially. I am still uncertain of my major so a community college is an even better option at this point. They are also putting a lot of pressure to decide on my major right now and I simply can't. My interests are broad. My dream school is USC and I would love to go there to get my undergraduate degree so would I really just be better off at a community college? I am very confused right now and could anyone please offer me some advice?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Weren’t you looking at UNC=Asheville? It’s tough to make the commitment. This is really a decision that you and your parents need to make together. But just as they have every right not to want an amount of loans, so do you, as you would have to pay them back. If you can come to some middle ground, which you must reach soon as the deadline is approaching, you can relax a bit more.</p>
<p>I was but I found out that I wouldn’t be getting in-state tuition since I was not physically present in the state of North Carolina despite paying NC income taxes. I honestly don’t know what to do right now and decision is coming up.</p>
<p>Dragonwiz, what is your home state where you could get in state tuition?</p>
<p>Really, sit and talk to your parents. Perhaps a year at Virginia Tech as you look for an affordable transfer school that is in state might be the solution. It’s not always bad to take loans. You are impressive in how concerned you are as a student about this.</p>
<p>The other alternatives is to accept a school that will permit a gap year and see what you can do in that time. Perhaps some courses, perhaps working. </p>
<p>Take care, and good luck.</p>
<p>Why do you say $38,000? We are OOS as well - have been researching this school for younger son - seems to be $31,000.</p>
<p>From their website: Estimated costs for the 20112012 academic year are listed here to give students a benchmark for planning their attendance at Virginia Tech. These costs are estimates for planning purposes only.</p>
<p>OUT-OF-STATE</p>
<p>Tuition & Fees</p>
<p>$24,480</p>
<p>Room & Board</p>
<p>$6,856</p>
<p>Per Year Total</p>
<p>$31,336</p>
<p>Thank you all for your responses. They mean a lot to me.</p>
<p>I am about to graduate high school in June in New York. I therefore have New York State residency. My father has been working in North Carolina since last June and has been paying North Carolina income taxes. He claims me as a dependent and my mother doesn’t work. We are all dependent on him and he works in North Carolina. I called UNC-A and they told me that since I was not physically present in the state for the past year I am not eligible for in-state tuition and that I would have to submit a written request for them to reconsider my status. Should I call them again and see what they say? </p>
<p>Virginia Tech already said that I could defer admission and I did propose a gap year to my parents but they don’t want me to not get an education. They feel that I won’t be motivated after it. I feel that it is my decision and I want to look after the financial well being of my family as well. Me going to college shouldn’t have to force them to give up a very large portion of their income. </p>
<p>I would really like to attend USC and they have every program that I am interested in. I was not quite up to USC standards in high school and would like a second chance at gaining admission there. I didn’t apply there this year because I knew that I would have no chance. I did contact USC and they gave me some courses that I should complete before I apply as a transfer. I would also really consider a transfer to NC State if I choose to do engineering or UNC if my major is economics or business. I should get the in-state tuition sooner or later for these two schools as well. </p>
<p>The estimated total cost of attendance is higher because they charged me some various fees and the computer that they require that I get is a tablet and laptop hybrid. That alone costs around $2000 after you buy all the software that is necessary. After you figure some personal expenses into it the estimated budget from the University was $38,160. There is also no guarantee that these costs will remain constant since the state is not funding the university as well as it did before.</p>
<p>Call UNC-A and ask what you have to do to appeal the residency. Then call the community college closest to where your dad lives and fine out about enrolling there. Often CCs are more flexible about residency issues. You might be able to start there and then head to UNC-A once the thing is completely resolved. </p>
<p>I understand that your parents don’t want to stand in the way of you getting an education, but you are right. It is silly to pay OOS rates if you have a decent in-state option.</p>
<p>Dragonwiz6:</p>
<p>I think you should look into doing a gap year, especially since Virginia Tech is willing to defer admission for a year. Then you could find some job in VA and try to obtain residency in VA while you work there.</p>
<p>(Why do I get the impression your parents are first generation immigrant parents? If this is the case, you might have to explain what a gap year is to your parents.)</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Wendy, you are correct that my parents are first generation immigrants. I would be the second person in my family to get a college education. I can apply to NC State again (rejected this year) after I have 30 credits under my belt so it would be much more cost effective to stay in NC than go to Virginia Tech. If it is in-state in NC, my parents can pay for all of it and it would be no where as much of a strain on them. I wouldn’t worry at all about finances if that were the case. </p>
<p>I don’t think that I can establish residency in Virginia unless I am completely independent of my parents so that would be a great challenge to support myself financially. I also don’t think it’s worth all that trouble since NC also has some great public colleges. </p>
<p>I am having a hard time convincing them that I am not giving up a once in a lifetime opportunity. They think that it would also be easier to transfer elsewhere if I go to Virginia Tech. That does make some sense but I doubt the difference would be all that great.</p>
<p>I am pretty much set on not going to Virginia Tech because I simply can’t justify the cost and it certainly is no dream school of mine. I agree that it’s a great institution but doesn’t seem like a wise decision on my part. It’s not just a matter of figuring out my residency status.</p>
<p>The easiest transfer in NC would be from one of the community colleges that has a formal articulation agreement for the major that you want. </p>
<p>Your dad will have 12 months in NC in June, you should be able to petition for in-state status then.</p>
<p>Good luck with everything!</p>
<p>Thank you all. I sent my deposit to UNC-A and I also applied to UNC-Charlotte. I am waiting on their decision and I will probably go to UNC-C if accepted since I could stay home.</p>