my parents say they cant afford it, please, need avice

Parents Forum
1

<p>My parents make about 100k a year and say they cant afford a private school that costs around 40k a year, cost of living where we are I think is higher than most places an my parents are nearing retirement age.</p>

<p>I live in wyoming and we have one legitimate university here, UW (university of Wyoming) and I desperately dont want to go there.</p>

<p>Let me explain.</p>

<p>I have albinism, with a visual acuity of 20/800. Perfect vision is 20/20. This means what others can see at 800 feet clearly, I need to be at 20 feet to see. </p>

<p>This is why I dont want to go to a huge public school, I think I need a small class size and good teacher contact in order to function with my disability. UW certainly cant offer this, the catch is that I could go there for next to nothing.</p>

<p>I just need to know, do you think I would get good financial aid with who I am and my scores. If feel my family makes too much, we only have one dependent, my brother who has down syndrome.</p>

<p>about me</p>

<p>-albinism / wyoming (diversity)
-2000 SAT (1330, math + reading)
-3.4 GPA, unweighted (4 AP classes, 4 honors)
-Debate, 4 years (PF and Student Congress)
-Debate captain this year (team of 50 people)
-Rock climbing, paragliding, skiing
-Piano for 8 years, guitar for 4, learning musical theory
-A ton of community service at local library, I served on the youth board for 5 year, and 2 as president</p>

<p>PLease, Im freaking out, will I get enough money to go to school at a private university?</p>

<p>I am applying to</p>

<p>Middleberry (reach)
UChichago (reach)
Lewis and Clark
Grinell
Washington and Lee
University of Wyoming (for sure)
Western Washington (for sure, WUWI, another big school.)</p>

<p>please, like I said I am freaking out and I dont know what to do right now, like all my work in high school wasnt worth doing because Im going to the school 4/5ths of my High School is going to anyway</p>

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<p>You need to apply to schools that offer generous merit scholarships and where your stats put you in at least the top 25% of the applicant pool. This probably means you should be looking at Tier 2 colleges – colleges that are ranked below the top 40 LACs or national universities. </p>

<p>Being from Wyoming will be a plus since it’s probably an underrepresented state in many colleges’ student bodies. </p>

<p>Middlebury gives only need-based aid, so probably would not give you enough $ for your parents to pay for it. U Chicago’s merit aid is extremely difficult to get, so it’s not likely to give you the aid youj need. </p>

<p>Take a look at the merit aid info that’s pinned to the top of the Parents Forum, and also look at CC’s financial aid board for info about colleges that might give you the aid that you would need. </p>

<p>Many public universities have excellent honors programs with the kind of small classes that you want. See if any colleges in your state offer such programs that you qualify for.</p>

3

<p>I agree with Northstar, but I think to find adequate merit money, the OP is going to have to look at some 3rd tier schools. </p>

<p>Even though the OP’s stats are good, it’s hard to find a lot of merit at 2nd tier schools with those stats. Tier 2 schools often want a 1400 M+CR and a higher GPA.</p>

<p>A less expensive private (and one that would be very good for you) would be Samford University 9 [Samford</a> University, Birmingham, Alabama](<a href=“http://www.samford.edu/]Samford”>http://www.samford.edu/) ) or Birmingham Southern (an LAC [Birmingham-Southern</a> College: One of America’s Best Liberal Arts Colleges](<a href=“http://www.bsc.edu/]Birmingham-Southern”>http://www.bsc.edu/) )- one or both might give you merit money.; Both are small.</p>

<p>These privates are very nurturing and very good. They also charge less and tend to be very generous with money. At least 2 of my son’s classmates went to each school this year.</p>

<p>What will your major be?. Are you a male or female?</p>

<p>BTW…a lot of privates (including some on your list), cost a lot more than $40k…you need to include ALL costs.</p>

4

<p>What is your goal in going to college?</p>

<p>A $100K gross gets you about $85K after taxes. Let’s assume that they are socking away 15% for retirement so that leaves them with $70K. Maybe $35,000 for housing (mortgage, property taxes, heat, electricity, water, maintenance, insurance). I would guess that there are expenses for food, transportation, communication, clothing and entertainment. At any rate there probably isn’t $40K left over for education. Savings or very frugal living can change the picture.</p>

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<p>The first thing you should do, if you haven’t already, is sit down with your parents and have an honest conversation with your parents about how much they ARE willing/able to pay. Are they only willing to pay as much as it would cost to go to U of W, or are the willing to pitch in more, just not the full $40,000? This will give you a sense of how much merit aid you will need if you want to go to a private school.</p>

<p>Then, as others have said, if you really want to go to a small school, you should start looking at schools that are not has selective, and give a lot of merit money. Schools where your stats put you in good running for that merit money. You could also check out some of the public LACs (there’s a recent thread about them if you search), which might be cheaper.</p>

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<p>OP</p>

<p>what are you thinking about majoring in??? that can make a difference in recommendations for small schools.</p>

<p>I was born in Wyo as well :)</p>

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<p>I’ve taught lots of students with various physical challenges. And I went to graduate school with a good friend who is legally blind. I want to suggest that your imagined worse case may not be so bad. </p>

<p>Contact the university’s disabilities support services. They can provide you with insights regarding what kinds of services they can offer to accommodate you and how other students who are sight impaired have managed before you. They will also work with staff and faculty, to help them help you. </p>

<p>[UW:</a> Disability Support Services](<a href=“http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/udss/faqs.asp]UW:”>http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/udss/faqs.asp)</p>

<p>Average class size in U of Wyoming is 29 students, and there is a 14:1 faculty student ratio. That is pretty good for a public university, and not dramatically different than a typical LAC with a 1:10 ratio. </p>

<p>Even in a large lecture hall of several hundred, you can ensure that you sit in the front row. Meeting with each of your professors- and yes I’m positive you can meet with them even in a much bigger school- will be important at the start of the semester. </p>

<p>Now is a good time to get very very specific about what your educational options are, and not fall back in general information about perceived differences between big and small schools. You may be very pleasantly surprised. </p>

<p>I don’t mean to trivialize the added challenges you must face, nor profess to know what it;s like to have your challenges. I just offer this as some potential optimism for you in the event you are freaking out and can’t imagine college if it means staying in your home state.</p>

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<p>On another thread the OP says her dad will pay $15k per year.</p>

<p>That wouldn’t cover all the costs of any private or nearly any OOS public. You need more money - you need merit money. You need to look at lower ranked schools - 3rd tiers. </p>

<p>Of course, University of Wyoming is your true financial safety. Cost is low and acceptance is assured.</p>

<p>Have you toured UWyoming? You say that you don’t want to go to a “big school,” but UW is not a big school. It has like 8,000 undergrads…that’s small for a state school. </p>

<p>Does it have an honors program?</p>

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<p>yes there is an honors program and a decent house to live in for honors kids. I think they closed a Frat and remodeled it for the Honors residence house.</p>

<p>OP will go to UW tuition free with the Hathaway state scholarship program. But I suspect there are some other options in the LAC area if we knew the major.</p>

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<p>You may be able to get reduced tuition at public universities that participate in the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education Exchange – see [WICHE</a> Member States | Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education](<a href=“http://www.wiche.edu/states]WICHE”>The 16 States and Territories We Serve | WICHE Region)</p>

<p>I agree with Starbright – often the services for students with disabilities are BETTER at public universities than private universities, simply because they have more resources-- and more disabled students in attendance. I am sure that you would not be the only person with a significant visual impairment at UW – the size of the school almost guarantees that there are others.</p>

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<p>Wyoming is not generally thought of as a high cost of living area. Just for grins, I compared the cost of living in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to my city. As I suspected, my city is a tad more expense. Specifically, according to this calculator, a Cheyenne income of $100,000 is equivalent to an income of over $500,000 where I live.</p>

<p>But that’s beside the point. What is not beside the point is whether the University of Wyoming can accommodate a student with visual impairment. They certainly say they can, and of course, they are required by law to accommodate visually impaired students. Before ruling out Wyoming, mclauren, I suggest you check out their website and then call the disabilities office. Better yet, if possible, go visit, tour the school, sit in on one or two classes, and have a chat with the disabilities office. </p>

<p>You might be pleasantly surprised. If not, if instead you discover that U of W would be an absolute disaster for you, then you’ll have better information when you have discussions with your parents about what they can afford. </p>

<p>I suspect that your parents have an entirely justified concern about funding your Downs brother’s care during their retirement and after their death.</p>

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<p>Make sure when you apply to Middlebury that you don’t refer to it as Middleberry. That would be a big OOPS!</p>

<p>I think your list looks pretty good, but like others have said, some small schools that are lower ranked and where you might get some good merit aid would be a good addition to the list.</p>

<p>Really you just need to get those applications out and see what acceptances you get and what kind of aid offers. Do make sure in the special circumstances/explanations box on the CSS Profile financial aid form to mention your brother’s disability and the financial impact that has on your family both short term and long term.</p>

<p>I have a feeling your resistance to UWyo is more about wanting to get out of Dodge than anything else. That is totally understandable, but you’ll be able to make more practical decisions once you’re dealing with real options. Sometimes students just have to bite the bullet and attend the state univ. It really doesn’t have to be a bad experience. I have one kid in a small private LAC and one at our flagship state univ. – they are both having terrific experiences.</p>

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<p>Look at SUNY Geneseo - a small public LAC in NY. Member of COPLAC. Costs around 20k a year and well worth the dollar.</p>

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<p>

</p>

<p>You need to read those numbers with a major grain of salt. Most universities count EVERY lab section. So, for example, if BIO 101 has a lecture with 400 students and 40 lab sections of 10, it would count as 41 classes with an average class size of somewhere around 11. True, but not particularly helpful in determining how large your classes will be.</p>

<p>For the OP - From what you’ve written, I can’t imagine your parents have a lot of money to pay for a private college unless they have saved for your college expenses since you were little. In addition to the calculations of expenses someone made above, you have Down Syndrome sibling who requires, and will continue to require care, perhaps after your parents are gone. They have to take that into consideration as well.</p>

<p>Look at the Honors program at Wyoming. Honors Programs often offer the best of 2 worlds - smaller class size/more personal attention that you’ll find at a LAC together with the opportunities (more majors/broader course offerings, etc.) that are found at large universities. In addition, as several people have mentioned, very often public universities have better disability services than LACs.</p>

<p>I have worked at large universities for many years and have had blind, deaf, and severely physically disabled students who have excelled and have gone on to top graduate programs and excellent jobs. I’m sure you can as well.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

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<p>SUNY Geneseo is ~27k for OOS.</p>

<p>Tuition for state residents is $4,970; out-of-state tuition is $12,870</p>

<p>then you have to add on fees, room, board, etc.</p>

<p>[SUNY</a> Geneseo Admissions](<a href=“Admissions | SUNY Geneseo”>Admissions | SUNY Geneseo)</p>

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<p>^^^</p>

<p>sybbie makes a good point. We must actually look at what the COAs are for OOS publics before recommending them. They are often more expensive than we might think. And, providing the link to the info is also a good idea.</p>

<p>I also agree with the idea that a bigger public is more likely to offer accomodations for the disabled because of their numbers. </p>

<p>That said, I think a major part of the OPs desire not to go to UWyoming is because many of her classmates will be there. But, I believe her high school may have less than 200 seniors in her class (and not all will go to UW). Therefore, YES, she would likely have a couple of old classmates in each class she takes, but the majority of the kids will be “new kids” to her. </p>

<p>I know that it can sometimes be hard for a high school kid to realize that even though many kids from their high school may be attending a certain school, that the sheer bigger size of the college and individual choice of majors precludes many classmates from actually being in their college classes. </p>

<p>UW is much bigger than our local state public where many of our high school grads go, but they don’t often have former classmates in their classes. Yes, they may see a familiar face while walking thru campus, but they don’t feel like their in their 5th year of high school when they walk into their college classes; instead, they find many new faces.</p>

<p>I think going to UW is one of your better options. Your parents can easily afford it, perhaps with enough money left over to easily pay for extras…such as a study abroad opportunity, car needs (can you drive?), or other costly expenses that might be unaffordable if all of their $15k (plus more) was spent elsewhere. And, don’t forget, if you go to school out-of-your area, there will also be airfare costs several times a year (such as…at the beginning of school, Tgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, end of term) That could easily add another $2k to your costs.</p>

<p>Have you done an “official” campus tour at UW? If not, you should, it may surprise you.</p>

<p>:)</p>

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<p>“If feel my family makes too much, we only have one dependent, my brother who has down syndrome.”</p>

<p>I think that given the fact that your brother has down syndrome, your parents are being extremely generous to promise to give you $15 k a year for college. I have friends with developmentally disabled children, and the friends have major concerns about how to guarantee decent care for their children after the friends pass away. Most parents only have to worry about financing their retirement. They don’t have to worry about financing something important for several decades after their own deaths.</p>

<p>At just 8,000 students, for many people – including me – U Wyoming would be considered a small school. There are LACs that are just under that size. Where I live and have lived, flagship state universities have as many as 40,000-50,000 students.</p>

<p>If you want to go to a small college, you do need to be looking at third tier colleges that offer major merit aid. I also strongly suggest that you retake the SAT after studying very hard for it. A 1330 m+cr is low for the kind of merit aid that you’d require.</p>

<p>If you are a male, that would be an advantage in applying to LACs, which have a hard time attracting males and tend to place males first in line for merit aid. This particularly is true of LACs that once were for women only. </p>

<p>As others have suggested, do talk to the disabilities office at U Wyoming, check out its honors program, and also consider public LACs. [COPLAC</a> | Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges](<a href=“http://www.coplac.org/members.html]COPLAC”>http://www.coplac.org/members.html)</p>

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<p>First, some on schools you probably will not get in with GPA=3.4, so do not worry ahead of time. Second, with income of 100k, parents surely cannot afford 40k. We have it much higher, and paying under 10K (lots, around 10 or so Merit scholarships). Third, if you wanted options in your selection, you should have aimed to have GPA=4.0 which would have resulted in lots of Merit scholarships, but since this options is not available for you, there is option fo student loans. Why do you need to go to expensive school, anyway? D graduated #1 in her class from private HS and is very happy at state school.</p>

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<p>You have to look at small LACs…that is where the merit money is. My son, with similar stats, got offers of between $18,000 and $21,000 at three different schools.</p>

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<p>But even at most small, low ranked LACs, $18-$21 k in merit aid still would leave more to be paid than the $15 k his parents are willing to pay yearly for college. There may be a gap of as much as $10 k a year.</p>