Lesser Known Forms of Aid

Colleges and Universities A-Z Fordham University
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<p>Hey everyone! I'm going to go ahead and post one of these "how am I going to afford this?!?!?" threads. I'm going to be applying to Fordham LC next year. I've decided that I'm going to go, provided I'm accepted. Now that I've decided that, I'm working on ways to afford it!</p>

<p>So we have here a school which costs about about $60,000 per year total. Out of that, I'm hoping to get some scholarship money (I'm going to post my stats below). Besides that, I've heard that I can pay $4000 less per year by volunteering for a triple room. If I volunteer, how likely am I to get that? Also, I've heard you can apply to be an RA to lower the cost. What do students get for being in the RA position? And how competitive is it to become an RA? Then there's outside scholarships. If those three don't bring me to my goal of $25,000 or less per year, I'll look at getting a part time job. If THAT doesn't do enough, does anyone know of any other non-loan ways of paying for schooling at Fordham? Any opportunities for additional work-study and whatnot?</p>

<p>Here are my stats? What sort of scholarships could I potentially be looking at? Nothing? 10k? 30k? Free? (Come on baby Jesus! Help me score the latter!)</p>

<p>95.6 unweighted GPA
108.2 weighted GPA
Ranked 3rd out of 156 students at a great public high school in Central New York
I took 5 APs as well as several other advanced/honors courses.
33 on my ACT
Subject Tests: 740 on Bio, 720 in Literature, 710 in Math I</p>

<p>I have around 200 hours of community service and was the Public Relations officer for a community youth organization.</p>

<p>I am very active in orchestra and theatre. I've been involved in about 12 plays/musicals, playing in the pit orchestra or acting on stage. My high school recently took first place in a theatre festival for a show in which I was the lead. I was given a personal award for engagement and commitment. I take dance lessons from an internationally established choreographer, and was also given a scholarship to participate in his dance festival. </p>

<p>In orchestra, I play viola. I played in a music festival with my high school orchestra in Washington DC during Obama's Inauguration. We took first place among many high school and college groups. For this accomplishment, we were honored by the New York State Senate. We also took second in a festival in California the next year. I've also played in a concert along co-founder of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Mark Wood. In the summer, I organize and play in a youth string orchestra. I also love to compose, and was allowed to participate in a composition workshop with Pulitzer Prize winning composer, Paul Moravec. I have played first chair in my county's All County Orchestra and play viola in the Syracuse Symphony Youth Orchestra. </p>

<p>Next year, before I go to college, I will be living abroad in Belgium as a youth ambassador for Rotary International. </p>

<p>That's most of the stuff that I've found most important. Sorry for the long post! So what do you guys think? Can anyone help me find some ways to pay? I appreciate the help!</p>

<p>Sincerely,
Dan Lemp</p>

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<p>I checked out your other posts and saw that you are interested in majoring in Theatre in the Directing track…I actually recommended Fordham to you when you posted in the Theatre forum!</p>

<p>So…your stats are excellent and likely to garner you some decent merit $ but at this point it is just too hard to guess how much. If they gave you a Dean’s Scholarship that could be up to $22k depending on your financial need and you gave no indication of whether your EFC will put you in that category. Or they might give you a combination of scholarships like the Dean’s or Loyola and Fordham Tuition Aid. And unfortunately, many excellent applicants walk away bc they didn’t get enough. I can tell you that if you get chosen as the Directing major, you are almost guaranteed to get some nice merit $$…and I NEVER say that! But it is THAT competitive a program to get into since they only take 1 kid and you have terrific stats to back it up! </p>

<p>You can volunteer for a triple your freshman year and I would say that is guaranteed as well bc there are enough forced triples (my S was in one!) to warrant that. But as a freshman you ARE required to put $1600 on a declining balance card for meals. You’re not required to any other year though and the $ will carry over until you leave Fordham or graduate. </p>

<p>You can apply to be a freshman mentor during your sophomore year. I believe that the application process starts in November for that and you get 1/2 off housing in addition to a single room. You can apply to be RA for the remainder of your years at Fordham and I believe that is full housing. Is it competitive? I would not say that the vast majority of people are clamoring for these positions but I am sure that enough of them are and they are good at weeding out candidates who just want the lower costs as opposed to being truly dedicated to what the position requires. Work study? Part time job? It’s highly unlikely that as a Theatre major you would have time for either. I mean I guess it’s POSSIBLE but it might not be enough $ to make it worth your while and it’s probably only pocket $ anyway. My S wasn’t offered work study but at the Spring Preview he was asked if he was interested and when he said he was a Theatre major, and pretty much whenever he says he’s a Theatre major, people are like “Oh…you have no time for that.” </p>

<p>Will you be able to reach a COA of $25k per year? I don’t really know and I think that it will depend upon the applicant pool. And you will also have to consider if you are willing to take loans for the difference.</p>

<p>Put together a great application…you have the stats and EC’s already…and put together a great portfolio. Will you be coming back from Belgium to interview for the Directing major? A great personal interview can only help you. </p>

<p>So in short, I personally think you are a great candidate and likely to get a nice merit award but I can’t say for sure how much that will be or if it will be enough. I can say that getting chosen as the Directing major will help you in that goal and I wish you the best of luck! :)</p>

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<p>Thank you for your response! Yes, I’ve fallen in love with Fordham and it’s location (of course). Is there really only 1 person accepted into the Directing program? I was under the impression there were 12. Do you have any idea how many people apply for that position? Not that it matters of course. I’m going for it either way! If I’m not accepted into the directing program I’ll just minor and take as many theatre courses as I can and direct outside of class. But alas, I think I’ll have to try to transfer into that major, because according to the website I MUST be there for a personal interview, which is, sadly, impossible since I will be prohibited from leaving my foreign land next year. We shall see!</p>

<p>As far as work study or a part time job goes, I’m willing to make plenty of sacrifices to make up the difference. $25k is the point at which I want to START taking out loans. I don’t want to come out of school with a mountain of debt. $60,000 per year doesn’t make that easy. But then again, I want to be a director, and no one said it was going to be easy. Thankfully, we always have the realm of possibility to inspire us!</p>

<p>As far as my EFC goes, I believe my FAFSA was about $5000, whereas my CSS/Profile was around $20,000. Perhaps I’d qualify for some lovely grants? I don’t know how generous Fordham is in that respect.</p>

<p>Anyways, thank you SO much for your help! I’ll continue to look for ways to afford this. Luckily I have a year to apply for as many outside scholarships as I can.</p>

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<p>I was under the impression that the Directing track was like the Playwriting track in how many students they take but no, I’m not 100% positive. In the Class of 2014, they enrolled a total of 20 Theatre majors…17 performance majors, 2 Design/Production and 1 Directing. My S was enrolled as a Performance major but also accepted for Playwriting by October…the Playwriting major starts Spring semester. The numbers are changing for this year though bc they took 1 or 2 Performance transfers, added a 2nd Playwriting major and I think one of the Designers dropped out of the program to major in something else. But if you can’t be there for the interview you will just have to hope that Fordham gives you enough merit $$ to come and try to transfer in 2nd semester.</p>

<p>I agree it is not wise to come out of school with a mountain of debt and I hope it all works out for you!</p>