I sat down with my parents and we discussed a budget for college. They said our budget is 25k a year. I realize this limits my choices to basically state schools and I did not work this hard to attend a state school. Would it be best to go to community college for two years so I can afford to attend a 50k/year school?
With a budget of 25k the best college would be Brigham Young. I was hoping I could attend a UC school since I have the grades but my parents did not prepare unfortunately.
You don’t share any information about your parents economic situation, however, saying that your parents “did not prepare” sounds ungrateful when they are willing and able to budget 25K per year for your college education. That is a significant amount of money when you consider it is $100,000 IF you actually graduate in four years. If you worked so hard that a state school is beneath you, then perhaps you need to figure out how to make up the difference and hold back from criticizing rather generous support on your parents part.
Are you a junior? Will you qualify for National Merit? It’s possible that you could get enough merit money to make some privates affordable to you. Know your SAT/ACT score?
What state do you live in? Especially if you don’t even live in California, it is pretty obnoxious to blame your parents for “not preparing” so you can go to a pricey school (OOS tuition to UCs isn’t cheap). Tons of students would be thrilled to have their parents willing to pay even $25K/year. And UCs are “state schools”, they are just probably in a different state than you live in.
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities has fairly cheap OOS tuition; it would cost you more than $25K/year, but I think federal loans and working in the summer should easily cover it. Or you could look for schools that offer decent merit aid, and take out federal loans and work as well; there are some LACs that might fit that bill. If your stats are high enough or you are NMF, there are some guaranteed scholarships at schools like U of Alabama. You certainly probably have options besides BYU.
@Ausrichter: So if your budget is $25K/year, what is the problem with applying to UC’s. They are around $30K/year in-state. The extra $5K can be easily made up with a student loan or summer job or Cal grant (if you qualify).
Moreover, what is preventing you from applying anywhere you want? As long as you understand that your parents’ budget is 25k per year, and as long as you don’t get your heart set on an expensive school without any possibility of merit aid, apply away. With high stats, you could get some merit money at some very nice colleges to make up the difference.
$25,000 per year plus what you can borrow on federal direct loans, earn from work earnings, and/or save from frugal living should be enough to afford in-state UC costs, even if you do not get any financial aid or scholarships. The CSUs are even lower cost than that. While the UCs and CSUs are all state schools, count yourself lucky that you live in California and have a plethora of good choices at in-state costs. There is no reason to have the attitude that a state school is not good enough for you.
I agree with everyone else. UCB and UCLA are arguably some of the best public schools in the country (especially for CS and Business). Apply to both, and you should be fine, you just need to get over this strange feeling you have that you deserve better than a public school.
Also, another thing no one has addressed is what your EFC is. We seem to be assuming that that schools will expect you to pay sticker price, but maybe we’re wrong. Have you run any NPCs with your parents? If your stats are as great as you claim they are, try one out at a super-need school like Harvard and tell us what number it spits out.
If that number is too high (>35k), and you still are uninterested in a CA public, you will need to look into merit scholarships.
@mom2collegekids - I am guessing OP assumes her only opportunity for National Merit is either the one-time award of $2,500 from the NMSC itself or some sort of corporate award. S/he is probably unaware that LARGE institutional awards exist for National Merit Finalists. @Ausrichter