Last Minute Safeties for "the list"

College Search & Selection
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<p>Hey guys! I'm a female senior from a NH public school and looking for some last-minute safety schools to add to my list! Particularly, some "financial safeties" with good financial aid (my estimated EFC is 4,800.. but my twin sis is going to NYU Tisch this upcoming year and now... well money is becoming more and more and issue).</p>

<p>I plan to major in Journalism (maybe concentration in public relations), w/ a double major in either English or History... but I'm interested in Cinema Studies and French too. Basically, I want options.</p>

<p>Quick Stats:
4.2/5 UW GPA
SAT: 1800
CR - 600
M - 580
SAT II's:
Lit.- 630
Math - 500 (eeek I know!)
I took all the available honors courses at my school (they don't offer AP or anything)
Many ECs, strong recs, great essay (if I do say so myself)</p>

<p>I applied EA to:
UNH (new hampshire, waiting to hear back still)
Emmanuel (accepted already, great scholarship money)
Suffolk (accepted)
Simmons (waiting to hear.. not really pumped to go there though)</p>

<p>I plan to/have already applied RD to:
BU (top choice)
Emerson (2nd choice I suppose)
NYU
American U
Northeastern
Brandeis (as you can tell... I'm a Boston gal)
UVM (They don't have journalism.. my dad & step-mom forced me to apply bc that's where she went)</p>

<p>Thanks for any and all suggestions/advice/comments!!! Much appreciated. Good luck to you through the admission process and future academic endeavors!</p>

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<p>* Particularly, some “financial safeties” with good financial aid (my estimated EFC is 4,800… but my twin sis is going to NYU Tisch this upcoming year and now… well money is becoming more and more and issue).</p>

<p>I plan to major in Journalism (maybe concentration in public relations), w/ a double major in either English or History… but I’m interested in Cinema Studies and French too. Basically, I want options.</p>

<p>*</p>

<p>Financial safeties with great aid are very hard to find without high stats. </p>

<p>Besides UNH are there any other state schools to apply to? </p>

<p>Does the state of NH give state aid? If so, how much would you qualify for.</p>

<p>How much did Emmanuel give you for a scholarship? The COA is about $50k per year and it doesn’t meet need?</p>

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<p>Just an FYI, Brandeis is not in Boston and most wouldn’t even consider it close to Boston.</p>

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<p>informative: Thanks but uh… I would consider 15 min or less pretty close. Maybe it’s just because I’m used to a 2 hr drive to get to the city, but if it’s 20 min or less away… I’ll take it as “nearby.” Thanks for your input though!</p>

<p>mom2collegekids: I’ve been considering Saint Anselm as well, but it doesn’t have any specific journalism program. To be honest with you, I’ve visited all the major ones in-state, and they simply aren’t… nice, clean, respectable schools with good academics. They just aren’t. Of course Dartmouth is awesome… but NH literally has no other schools that come close to comparing with an ivy. </p>

<p>That said, NH does offer good financial aid through many state grants, scholarships, etc. for in-state kids. </p>

<p>Emmanuel gave me $14,000 upfront, which is nearly half the tuition right there. Their total COA for a full-time resident is $46,000ish. But this is all excluding aid and scholarships I might get from them after the FASFA and other scholarships I’ve gotten/will be getting</p>

<p>Thanks for helping me out!</p>

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<p>*Emmanuel gave me $14,000 upfront, which is nearly half the tuition right there. Their total COA for a full-time resident is $46,000ish. But this is all excluding aid and scholarships I might get from them after the FASFA and other scholarships I’ve gotten/will be getting</p>

<p>*</p>

<p>I don’t think you understand FAFSA. FAFSA doesn’t give you anything. It’s just an application. Once it’s processsed, all it gives you is a number for colleges to see if you qualify for any federal aid. </p>

<p>With an EFC of 4800, you won’t qualify for any federal grants. </p>

<p>It is very likely that all you’ll be given by your school ( in addition to your $14k scholarship), is a $5500 federal student loan …and maybe $2000 in work study (for personal expenses). It is very likely that you’ll have a $26k per year gap. It’s very likely that this school will not be affordable.</p>

<p>What other scholarships have you been given. Keep in mind that many outside scholarships are only for your freshman year, so you won’t have that money for your later years at school.</p>

<p>Do you know what the threshold is for state aid? Is it by family income?</p>

<p>I hope you get into UNH… I think it may turn out to be your most affordable choice.</p>

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<p>If you don’t mind going halfway across the country and braving the cold, the University of Minnesota is one of the “nice, clean, respectable schools with good academics” that you want. It’s also relatively inexpensive (15 k out of state) - as compared to your other schools on the list. However, while your GPA is right on target, your SAT score - while it should get you in - might not warrant much scholarship money. IMO, you should still apply and see what happens.</p>

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<p>Brandeis is 15 minutes from downtown Boston at 3 AM and you are driving at 120 mph.</p>

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<p>Plymouth State University is a “nice, clean, respectable school” and when I used to teach there I thought that the classes overall seemed strong. They offer an Option in Film and Media Studies through the BA Communication Studies degree which covers public relations, journalism, film, etc…</p>

<p>It certainly is much smaller and MUCH less urban than BU, Emerson, etc… but if you are looking for an additional in-state financial safety it might fit the bill.</p>

<p>Plymouth is a cute little college town and the campus is very nice.</p>

<p>Have you looked at the New England Regional Student Program? [Find</a> A Program NEW ENGLAND BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION](<a href=“http://www.nebhe.org/programs-overview/rsp-tuition-break/find-a-program/]Find”>Find a Program | New England Board of Higher Education)</p>

<p>If you plan to pursue a major that is not offered in NH there are schools in New England that will offer NH students a tuition break if you attend.</p>

<p>Do you have an idea how much your family will be able to pay for your education with your twin attending Tisch? Would you like to stay in New England for the most part? You have American on your list… would you consider doing further south? west?</p>

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<p>Do you have an idea how much your family will be able to pay for your education with your twin attending Tisch?</p>

<p>I was wondering the same thing. If your twin has a lousy FA package (like many do at NYU), then your family’s contributions may heavily go in that direction. Have your parents said how much they’ll spend on each child?</p>

<p>Has your twin gotten her FA package from NYU? What was in it?</p>

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<p>Brandeis has a shuttle that goes to Harvard Square. The shuttle takes like 15-25 minutes. It would take longer (by train for sure) from BC to Harvard Square. I am pretty sure it’s relatively close to fit her needs.</p>

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<p>If you have already considered NH’s state schools, both MA and NY’s state schools are reasonably priced for out of state students. </p>

<p>I would suggest looking at whether Framingham State has a program you want - located in the Boston suburbs. Unlike the typical state school reputation, when we toured we saw buildings that have been well maintained, a new dorm being built, a new science building being planned, dorms in great condition, renovated eating hall, very nice gym, beautiful auditorium, etc. Top notch programs in Food Science and Fashion Design, and great programs for becoming a teacher. A hidden gem as far as CC is concerned; the only downside I see is that so many students go home on weekends. FSU says they have the highest entrance scores/GPA of the MA state colleges. It’s a dry campus - seems unusual for a state school, the students we met on the tour seemed to have a very solid career focus.</p>

<p>Then also check out the SUNY’s for the programs you want. Very reasonable cost for OOS. Most of the branches are in small towns in remote areas. New Paltz has a reputation for satisfied students. Purchase is in the NYC suburbs.</p>

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<p>[Majors</a>, Minors & Programs - Stonehill College](<a href=“http://www.stonehill.edu/x12485.xml]Majors”>http://www.stonehill.edu/x12485.xml)</p>

<p>Stonehill College (MA) Catholic<br>
I am not sure about their financial aid though.</p>

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<p>I agree that the SUNYs are a good price for OOS…about $25k COA. however, for a student with a $4800 EFC, she’s not going to get any aid other than a $5500 loan. How would she pay for the remaining $15k? (And that’s assuming her parents will pay their EFC)</p>

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<p>PROFILE OF 2009-10 FINANCIAL AID Freshmen - EMERSON:</p>

<p>Financial Aid Applicants 536 (70.0%) of freshmen
Found to Have Financial Need 438 (81.7%) of applicants
Received Financial Aid 434 (99.1%) of applicants with financial need
Need Fully Met 301 (69.4%) of aid recipients
Average Percent of Need Met 76%
Average Award $18,553
Need-Based Gift Received by 381 (87.8%) of aid recipients, average amount $16,756
Need-Based Self-Help Received by 400 (92.2%) of aid recipients, average amount $4,169
Merit-Based Gift Received by 27 (6.2%) of aid recipients
Merit-Based Gift Received by 47 (6.1%) of freshmen without need, average amount $13,833 </p>

<p>Emerson’s FA stats are not that impressive. UNH may turn out to be your best choice.
Although I think to qualify for state aid in NH, you need an EFC of “zero.”</p>

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<p>It takes significantly longer to get to Boston from Brandeis. You have never lived in Boston if you think Brandeis is anything less than 30 minutes outside of Boston, and that is driving with barely any traffic. I am not going to even get into public transportation, which you’ll probably be doing as a college student when you go out at night. Most Brandeis students don’t go into Boston every weekend, largely because of cost and it is a pain in the but. The T doesn’t reach you and a cab fair is around, if not over, $45 each way. </p>

<p>Seriously, you have no idea how distant Brandeis is to Boston.</p>

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<p>Hey everyone! Thanks for the overwhelming amount of help (considering most threads of mine get…oh two replies). Hopefully this can be of help to other students as well</p>

<p>First off… I’m sooooo sorry my off-hand stupid, ignorant comment started this great Brandeis debate. My bad! Point is, I’ve only even gone from Boston to Waltham by car a few times, and it usually doesn’t take too long (in my opinion). But I never took public transportation to do this, and I didn’t take that in to account. Again, my bad!!! Didn’t mean to **** everyone off.</p>

<p>Mom2collegekids: Your posts have been really helpful, thanks! I understand that the FASFA isn’t just a form you fill out and you get money in return. I understand that it has to go through each school and they decide how much aid is suitable. Again, came off pretty ignorant there, my bad haha. </p>

<p>My twin applied ED for Tisch, and so her FA package was… less than she had hoped (obviously, we all know NYU’s rep for FA). She was covered but mostly through the plus loans. She, however, has promised to start paying the plus loan for my parents as soon as she graduates… so I guess this has help ease my parents. My parents haven’t really said it yet, but they’re pretty much going to focus on helping her out.</p>

<p>Another thing, my <em>estimated</em> EFC is 4800, but we expect it to go down for the next three years. My parents are divorced and my dad’s child support for both my and my twin is what really pushed us over the edge for our income I think. When he doesn’t have to pay that anymore (when we turn 18 in april) a significant amount of the household income will be gone. Obviously, I know there are ten million other factors, but I’m still hoping it will go down enough to get grants. I’ve gotten about 3,000 in scholarships. But, I still am applying to more everyday, and I won’t hear back from several for a while now.</p>

<p>KatMT: My dad actually went to PSU (back when it was still a college not a uni then). I live pretty nearby actually, and I just felt it was too close to home. I also felt that I knew too many kids who go there/will go there next year. However, I might look into again as I’m running out of options. Also, thank you for that link! </p>

<p>Nyquist and RiversChoice: Wow, thanks for your suggestions. I’m definately looking into both. As far as SUNY’s go, my top two would be New Paltz and Purchase! I’ve kinda had my doubts about both, but again, I’m running out of options. It’s nice to know that some else thinks those would be a good fit fore me as well.</p>

<p>SLUMOM: Thanks for checking out the stats… and you’re right, those are harsh. As I said BU and Emerson are kind of the “dream” for me.</p>

<p>Whew… that was a long one. Thanks you guys for helping me put things into perspective. It really means a lot and is much appreciated. Looks like I’m destined to be one of those kids who apply to waaay to many schools because she left out a key piece of the puzzle and found it last-minute.</p>

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<p>*Another thing, my <em>estimated</em> EFC is 4800, but we expect it to go down for the next three years. My parents are divorced and my dad’s child support for both my and my twin is what really pushed us over the edge for our income I think. When he doesn’t have to pay that anymore (when we turn 18 in april) a significant amount of the household income will be gone. *</p>

<p>Once child support ends, will your dad then put the money towards your college costs?</p>

<p>*My twin applied ED for Tisch, and so her FA package was… less than she had hoped (obviously, we all know NYU’s rep for FA). She was covered but mostly through the plus loans. She, however, has promised to start paying the plus loan for my parents as soon as she graduates… so I guess this has help ease my parents. My parents haven’t really said it yet, but they’re pretty much going to focus on helping her out.</p>

<p>*</p>

<p>You need to talk to your parents about how much they’re going to help you. It would seem odd if they only helped your twin, but not you. </p>

<p>have they said whether they will pay your EFC? Will they pay more? </p>

<p>I’m not sure if you have a financial safety…a school that you know that you have all costs covered.</p>

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<p>Ummm. They have a shuttle that goes from Waltham (i.e. Brandeis provides a shuttle for its students) to Harvard Square. Harvard Square isn’t in Boston, yet it’s a big point. Mainly because it’s a key point on the redline, which in turn, makes accessing all the points of Boston (North end italian, AMC movie theater(with butter machines!), the prudential center, etc.) a lot easier. That shuttle takes only about 20 minutes. Check Google maps (from Brandeis/Waltham) to Harvard Square. It says 20 minutes.</p>

<p>BC is technically “in boston” yet it takes forever and more to get anywhere using the subway. I say the subway because most kids don’t have cars and most kids utilize the subways. Why? Several reasons–Massachusetts drivers tend to be aggressive (or so people say); Parking can be hard and is very expensive; Sometimes people aren’t allowed to have cars until Junior or Senior year; etc. etc. </p>

<p>Is Brandeis the closet thing to Boston? No, of course not. Yet it still can be accessible. I am pretty sure BC kids don’t go out into Boston every weekend. They are at the edge of the Green line and all those stops take forever. Type into Google Maps BC to Harvard Square using the subway. It takes about 1 hour. That’s because the Green line has a lot of stops:</p>

<p><a href=“http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Boston-MBTA-Map-2001-metro-maps-46863_1024_1022.gif[/url]”>http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Boston-MBTA-Map-2001-metro-maps-46863_1024_1022.gif&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>It’s kind of like saying that you live in NYC but are at the edge of Long Island. Yes, you are in NYC, but the real fun stuff is in Manhattan. That doesn’t mean that BC, or any other school, go out every weekend. Heck, I am sure Brandeis kids don’t go out every weekend (even Harvard kids), but that’s because there is probably already fun stuff/things to do on campus. I know there is for BC. Besides, BC’s campus is really pretty. Brandeis’s campus is eh. But I will say they do have a dorm which is in a castle (to Brandeis’s credit).</p>

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<p>Have you considered Fairfield University in Connecticut? I know they give $20K in merit scholarship money per year to the top 8% or so of incoming students.</p>

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<p>I once had a roommate who had just graduated from Emmanuel. Let’s just say that I did not receive a very good impression of Emmanuel. I know that’s extrapolating from a sample of one, which is a bad idea. :slight_smile: But seriously, back then at least, Emmanuel did not have that great a reputation. Why pay a premium price for a mediocre private school? I’ve never understood that. I bet you can get just as good an education, if not better, at UNH, at a fraction of the cost of Emmanuel. Just my 2 cents’ worth. Best of luck wherever you go!</p>