<p>xatty, that approach will work best at private schools. Many state schools simply can’t change the package offered. There is some wiggle room but very little. But by all means, everyone should try.</p>
<p>Like I said … “many schools” … certainly not all schools. I think it’s just important to know that you can ask and they might increase it.</p>
<p>MTlover92,</p>
<p>I am so sorry that you are in this position. </p>
<p>As has been pointed out in other threads you do not need a MT degree to make it big in this profession (just look at all the Broadway stars). In my opinion, given the extreme uncertainty of this business, it is a huge mistake to go into large amounts of debt to get a MT degree (Doctors and lawyers take years to pay of similar debts with high paying jobs). </p>
<p>If my child was in your position and she was willing to do anything to pursue her passion for MT I would give her whatever money I had left for her college education and send her to NY. I would tell her to get a job, take classes at a community college, take voice and acting lessons (when possible) and audition for every show under the sun. </p>
<p>Bottom: I think that you have just as much a chance making big with this approach as you do with a MT degree.</p>
<p>Just my opinion, of course…</p>
<p>Whywhy has a point. If you still want to get an education outside of MT, you could always attend a com. college while taking private lessons. No where near the cost of a Univ.</p>
<p>It seems timely to resurrect this thread.</p>
<p>The only reason we are ok with paying the big bucks for a Theatre/MT degree is that D plans to graduate with a double major from a well respected university. Otherwise I’m not sure what we would have done. </p>
<p>I absolutely agree that it doesn’t make sense to take on much/any student debt for an MT degree unless you are sure to be the heir to a large fortune.</p>
<p>I just re-read chrissyblu’s post #7 and still think it is one of the best post’s I have seen on CC. Definitely should be required reading for those making final decisions about MT schools!</p>
<p>I agree with takeitalin about post #7 BUT you must increase the rent for LA and NYC by several hundred dollars at least because the article is from over 5 years ago. My daughter has a lot of friends in both cities and living and food are way more expensive than what was stated.</p>
<p>My daughter lives in NYC and her rent and food is within the rent and food budget stated.</p>
<p>Thank you MomCares for bumping this thread. This fits in well with some of the other active threads right now. How much is a dream worth? And how many other aspects of your life are you willing to compromise for it? It will be different for all, but it’s good to give this lots of thought at the beginning of a journey like this, and to revisit it often.</p>
<p>
This was my question after reading the OP’s post…and did they ever answer it?
While I agree with not doing the “dream school” thing if it means crushing debt…my son had to make a similar choice… that may not have to be her real situation. </p>
<p>I cannot understand why she would not be eligible for financial aid based on her parents reversal of fortune. Then her dream school (adjusted for EFC) may be more comparable to one of the less-expensive schools she is considering.</p>
<p>nicksmtmom- Unless you or your spouse have lost your job or the student suffers the loss of one of the parents, there are few other circimstances that warrant bumping up the financial aid package. </p>
<p>Our house was severely flooded in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Even with insurance we incured ALOT of debt from our loss and used what little we had in saving to put the pieces back together again. I wrote letters to all of the schools my D was accepted to. Not one considered my situation needy enough to warrant giving us any financial aid other than what we got through FAFSA. My DH works 3 jobs and I work as well. Our EFC is too high for any aid. The only thing they looked at was our combined gross income. It’s the old “we make too much income for financial aid but not enough to pay the college outright” dilemma.
So perhaps the OP’s reversal of fortune was a similar situation to mine. The only way we could have gotten more aid was for my husband to quit two of his jobs and for me to quit as well.</p>
<p>We continue to do what we have to do to afford our D’s education. She will have some loans but there is nothing we can do to avoid this. She chose to attend a less expensive school than her original choice (a conservatory) but is happy and thriving there. I am hoping that by the time my other two kids (15 & 13) are ready for college I will have won the Megamillions.</p>
<p>Nicksmtmom,</p>
<p>I’m not sure that an adjusted EFC will have that great of an effect on the amount of debt she will incur. Assuming she were to qualify for the full amount of a Pell Grant (which is $5,550), that would likely be the only additional aid that would not be in the form of a loan. She would likely qualify for Stafford loans, too, but those would obviously need to be repaid. A reduction of $5,550 off of $25k in out of state tuition charges is a drop in the bucket. Is there some other aid for which she may qualify in addition to the Pell grant?</p>
<p>If it is a private school, we have observed that there is a big variance in something they usually call a “university grant” from school to school.</p>
<p>Those are not subject to the same ceiling as the federal Pell grant. We had one private university offer one thousand dollars of university grant (on top of her merit aid which was 8000) and then we had another private school that actually cost almost ten thousand a year less, offer ten thousand in grants - five from the university itself, and five from something the state of Texas calls an “equalization grant” intended to help offset the extra cost of private schools. I don’t know if other states offer this. Texas is INSANELY stingy when it comes to - well, EVERYTHING, basically, educational aid being no exception, so I wonder if other states have something like that, because it’s like if Texas does it then cripes everyone ought to have something at least that good or better. </p>
<p>Then this school also offered 12 thousand merit. So, although we don’t qualify for Pell grant, we had ten thousand dollars of grant money at one school on top of the merit. We had another school offer zippo!!! nada! in grants, and only 3500 a year merit - and this school was also ten thousand a year more than the more generous school. All three schools have very similar academic rigour - the two less generous schools have slightly higher averages, but not much.</p>
<p>The school offering the measly 3500 did however offer us enough loans to cover the 39000 a year gap. Yeah right. We’ll be signing off on 160 thousand dollars for a liberal arts degree. Hurry up with that pen!! What could go wrong?? hah.</p>
<p>The admittance officer at the school that offered only 8 thousand merit, however, all but came out and told me that once we got their award letter in the mail, to call her up and see what else she can come up with. She told me it won’t be the merit money, but hinted there might be more grant money. (my daughter apparently is having that conversation with them this afternoon and wanted to have it herself…I gave her guidelines and let her run with it…let go, let go, let go, let go…<em>gulp</em>)</p>
<p>Public schools, from what I have found, don’t have that private grant money laying around to juggle like the private schools do. Some private schools, though, apparently do have monies for those grants.</p>
<p>We too, make too much for Pell grants but not enough to fund an entire education. It would be two thirds of our take home pay (edit - no wait - our GROSS actually - far worse) for her to go to the most expensive school on the list. Ain’t. Gonna. Happen. My lord!!! The less expensive school is still over half of our take home pay. But between all of it and our savings we might juuuust make it.</p>
<p>Anyway my point is, for those in this situation, to sniff out which schools have that university grant money that can possibly be increased. Merit aid generally is pretty cut and dried, but the other is more flexible.</p>
<p>Good luck to all. Believe me, I feel your pain.</p>
<p>Hi! Sorry to barge into the thread, but I have the exactly the same question as the OP, except I am an international student and I know I’ll be about $200,000 in debt if I choose a good 4-year college (I’ve been accepted as a Music major with MT minor in Loyola Uni Chicago and I’m waiting for my BMus MT result from Rider U - Westminster College of the Arts).</p>
<p>I’m wondering now if it isn’t better to finish 2 years at a CC, and then transfer, but if it’s either freshman or sophomore transfer, there’s really no point. Also, a major factor is age, as I’ve already finished 3 years in college in India (and gotten a 3-year BS in Electronic Media - I’m looking at a change in career).</p>
<p>My acads are pretty good, with a 3.96 GPA in my BS (got it evaluated), and a 112 in the TOEFL (out of 120), so I’m not really worried about the academic part, more about the major-specific credits being transferred.</p>
<p>The thing is, I obviously want to get a good education, but I don’t want to sink all the family money into it. I’ve already gotten a $10,000 scholarship at Loyola (so it’s $30,000 for 3 years), but even with that, my fees and living expenses are $162,000, which makes my heart sink deep underground. I’d like to know if there’s any way I can negotiate for more merit aid from Loyola. The website says $10,000 is the max they give out, but I’m wondering if I can get a Teacher’s Assistant job or something.</p>
<p>I’ve been looking at CCs in CA with the idea of transferring to a UC or CSU after it, but if anyone could give me any better CCs (in any state), with transfers to good unis (like Collin to Syracuse), I’d love it. :)</p>
<p>Also, if anyone knows any unis that take in junior transfers, that would be amazing. :D</p>
<p>lasoprano- there are different rules for international students and not as much money available. It’s highly unlikely that you’d be hired for a TA job- those go to graduate students, and on a student visa, you can’t work outside the college. Also, when looking at schools with lower, “in-state” tuition, pay close attention to length of residency requirements so that you are, indeed, entitled to the lower rate.
I don’t know for sure, but I would guess that to transfer in to an MT degree as a junior, you’d have to go through the entire audition process and be competitive, so you really need to keep up the singing, dancing and acting lessons.</p>