If you apply early enough UCF could come in at 20K per yr for OOS. S21 applied in Aug got waiver, his friend applied in Oct got nothing. Good for Aerospace you may also qualify for the Honors College.
5 Likes
Congratulations on your hard work in high school and to your mom for her excellent saving! $90k saved for your college education is a huge gift, especially since it can help you to start life out debt free.
As others have mentioned, itās best to consider the $90k the budget for four years rather than two. If it took 18 years to save up $90k, it would be tremendously challenging to do the same in 2 years. And with $90k saved, I donāt think either you or your mom will need to take out loans.
Right now Iād say your budget is about $22-23k for tuition, room & board, as additional expenses like books, travel, etc can either be earned by you with a part-time job or cash flowed from your momās income.
The Net Price Calculator is your friend, especially if it asks for your GPA or other academic info, as that is likely to provide the minimum you would get in merit aid, which is great for trying to see which schools will or are likely to meet your budget.
Also, I wouldnāt limit yourself to only aerospace engineering, as mechanical engineering is also an excellent route into the field, and some ME programs also have a subspecialty in aerospace. Majoring in ME wonāt limit your aerospace possibilities, but will also open up other avenues should you change your mind in the future (and open up the possibility to more colleges to meet your budgetary needs).
UIUCās total cost of attendance (including books & miscellaneous expenses) is between $33-38k/year, according to its own website. Run the NPC and see what happens, as in-state publics are most generous with their own residents.
Iād take good, strong looks at Northern Illinois and Southern Illinois (Carbondale & Edwardsville). I think Edwardsville will already be in budget at sticker price, and Iād be shocked if you didnāt get sufficient merit aid at any of the three to bring the price fully into budget.
Iād also run the NPC at Illinois Tech and Bradley as well as talk to their admissions officers, as there may be some scholarships for in-state students as well as for under-represented minorities (URM) or first gen students.
Some other schools that Iād take a look at include:
U. of Alabama - Huntsville
U. of Central Florida
U. of Houston (TX)
U. of Texas - Arlington
Embry-Riddle - Daytona Beach (FL) - private
Florida Polytechnic
Florida Tech - private
U. of Hartford (CT) - private
Florida and Texas publics are known for giving out-of-state waivers to strong out-of-state applicants, and if you got one all of those publics would be in budget. Also, I would run the NPCs at the private schools on this list as well. U. of Hartfordās site indicated that a student with stats lower than yours could get $23k up to full tuition. Hartford, like Huntsville, has a lot of local aerospace connections. Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth (where Arlington is) are also big in aerospace, and Floridaās space coast is another prime area. Going to any of these institutions would give you great proximity to many opportunities in the field.
2 Likes
For this year, engineering is $19,372 a semester - so likely where the $40K came from - of course thereās always variables to that.
Iām not sure if Illinois has scholarships for low income students or high performers (similar to TN, FL, GA).
Another school to add to the list -and not far - Mizzou. They have an aerospace minor (in theory with Mech E). You are assured $21.5K off $31K tuition - and as a URM you might get $29.5K, thus making tuition just $1,500. So the $90K would last and then som!!! It would even work with the normal scholarship.
This is the flagship. Missouri also has Missouri Science & Tech in Rolla - a fine school but Iām not sure would have a similar financial incentive.
See - lots of ideas for you - in state is great - but opportunities abound!!
See the link below.
2 Likes
$45K/yr would fully cover the cost at Purdue, a top 5 Aero school. $22.5K/year would require assistance. They have merit aid, but your second SAT would probably need to increase to hit one of the high value ones.
UIUC is at roughly the same program level, though the total cost of IL in-state isnāt that much different than Purdue OOS (I get $19,372 per semester in-state Aero, next Spring).
Alabamaās Total Cost, less the 1340/3.5+ scholarship, is still about the same as UIUC in-state (53,364 - 15,000), though another 20 points on the SAT would bring it down under $30K.
1 Like
Sounds like UIUC needs to update its website then!
I think itās where you showed the variable amount - they have a price set by major.
I think UAH, Mizzou (as mentioned earlier), and Arizona (at $30K off based on the GPA) would all come in nicely for OP.
UAH comes at $36K all in - if you count their stated COA but a $17.7K scholarship to bring it under $20K and itās in Rocket City.
So thatās 3 more options where the current savings would cover or come close to covering.
And then at some schools (not sure which ) but Bama and MIzzou have - for example - diversity scholarships - Iām sure others do as well.
Mississippi State - another solid school - is at $37K minus $16K so $21K a year.
With 20 common app spots, donāt be afraid to use them. The extra expense up front might bring you huge savings later. And get on the schools email lists and you never know - some will send you free apps.
Good luck.
1 Like
Make sure your father understands that his cooperating and filing out the financial aid forms doesnāt obligate him to pay for your college. You need him to fill out the forms just to have a chance at need based financial aid, and if he has a not-so-good financial picture or a lot of dependents, it might even help you (if they see he canāt really help you).
2 Likes
AAMU in a very nearby city would be a full ride.
1 Like
From their own website with a quick search $38,100 is pretty much $40,000.There are additional expenses living and going to school in general. Cost Comparison | Electrical & Computer Engineering | UIUC
I have known too many people going to this school and that was at least their avg. This is why many kids go out of state for merit and scholarships.
One thing not disccused is going to community College for 2 years then transferring over. Chicago and Chicago suburbs have some really great community colleges that their classes transfer easily.
Another thing not mentioned is UIUC take AP from 3 and up. This poster seems to have a good amount of APs and that might be helpful in this journey.
1 Like
Also you might be looking at general admission and not engineering. That adds more expense then general student fees.
No aerospace at NIU, either SIU campus, or Bradley. I do think itās fair to suggest OP consider ME, OTOH OP should have ample affordable aerospace options, so no need to go to a school where they would never have the aerospace option, should that remain the first choice.
Fair - but I would check their websites for career outcomes. UAH is a very well known brand and places very well. Iāve been to Huntsville many times - seen many a sign and toured UAH. Never saw anything A&M related.
Alabama A&M is an HBCU - and while I know little about attending an HBCU, obviously the funding, the life, the connections should be investigated and 91% of the student population is AA - the source Iām using doesnāt label hispanic at all.
Just something for OP to think about - but certainly the price as you noted is correct with possibly one exception.
It has a scholarship app - so iām not sure itās automatic - whereas the tables at Bama and UAH are automatic- so it would be a question for OP to contact them and ask if he were interested.
I readily admit that I am not an expert in engineering. But I donāt think itās inappropriate to suggest that OP take a good look at his in-state publics when cost is a factor and some of the options (like the Florida publics) arenāt guarantees for an out-of-state waiver, even though I think it likely for at least some.
Southern Illinois-Carbondale does offer a specialization in aerospace engineering and one of the companies they mention coops with is Boeing. Tuition, room & board runs about $26k here and OP would qualify for the University Excellence scholarship of $5500/year (placing this in budget) and I suspect would be invited to apply for the full ride Chancellorās scholarship. If cost is an issue, then travel expensees likely need to be considered as well.
So if OP could have looked at the three Illinois publics and decided that SIU-Carbondale was his top choice for an in-state safety. Or maybe he prefers one of the other campuses and it has an aerospace club for engineering students to participate in and decides thatās his preference. Of course, Iām one of those people that likes to investigate all my options before deciding on a path whereas others are overwhelmed by too much choice. But I donāt think a list of approximately 10 programs is too much to suggest.
Also, there are other programs I mentioned that donāt have an aerospace bachelorās but I think would be a good fit. Florida Polytechnic, for instance, āonlyā offers ME, but it offers a concentration in aerospace as well: Mechanical Engineering Degree (BS) | Florida Polytechnic University.
Of course, UAH is a HWCU that is currently 71% White. It was built up in the 1950s-1960s even though there was already a public university in the area (AAMU)ā¦ wonder whyā¦
1 Like
Not making a political statement - Iām simply pointing out the differences - as not everyone will want to attend an HBCU (whereas some do) and that it doesnāt appear that the scholarship at A&M is automatic whereas as UAH it is.
And that yes, for Aero UAH is very well estatblished.
I agree with @AustenNut and other posters. I think it would be a very smart move to look into mechanical engineering programs as a tangential move into aerospace is very possible.
If cost is a big consideration then consider New Mexico State. You can plug in your stats to see how much $ you can get. They use an index calculator. Plus, it is a Hispanic serving institution. Florida International is another one Iād look at. Another HSI.
Schools in Texas like Texas Tech and Angelo State could be strong possibilities. Both are HSIs I believe.
Someone mentioned Illinois Tech, which is a great school but not in the best part of town.
Bottom line is that you will have options if you are willing to consider mechanical and the right schools. Do not sell yourself short. Congratulations on your many accomplishments.
2 Likes
This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.