except the part about high test scores, but yeah one thing I need to find are less selective schools. Almost every single one of these use FAFSA though, so I would need like a full ride or something. And I don’t know if I’m good enough for that (on paper).
The other idea is css defined need (which, for the haters, is shorthand for “not FAFSA” rather than a belief that CSS is the same in every school) + merit but these are all super competitive places.
I will be looking into lesser state schools and have already got a few leads here on CC
There are FAFSA only schools that do offer significant merit aid to some students. You could be one of them. You don’t have to stick to only schools that use the CSS Profile.
Help me again…do you have a geographic preference? Would you like to be closer to CA than farther away?
I ask because some of the best awards actually are given by smaller schools in the middle of the country. You could very well be a student they would want to attract.
I think you have terrific potential to get accepted at some colleges. Your two years of foreign language won’t be a huge issue because it’s all the school offers. But the costs need to be carefully considered.
As noted above, Arizona guarantees costs for all four years…another thing to consider.
I second looking at the women’s colleges. Mt. Holyoke is a good option as they offer merit aid.
yeah I’d prefer west coast but I’ll go anywhere. Your line of thinking is exactly where I’m going with this-- what are the lower hanging fruits?
I don’t believe my GPA alone makes me a rock star at all. So for me a “safe school” are the ones where I can afford to attend, and are a pretty good launching pad for med school.
I do think you’re a solid candidate for merit from many private colleges. The problem is that the sticker price starts out so high that you need big merit to get to your price point. Many privates that give merit limit merit awards to half tuition (for example Scripps, St. Olaf, many others), and that would not be enough. Even full tuition would leave a challenging price tag, although maybe a stretch you could make at some schools with lower room&board costs.
What’s difficult is finding privates with generous enough merit, merit that you specifically would have a shot at, that are either meaningfully better than the top CSU’s, or meaningfully cheaper than a CSU if you received their biggest awards.
I think the W&L Johnson Scholarship has been mentioned - that would be a good one to try for.
Grinnell has some generous scholarships. Willamette in Oregon could be worth investigating.
OOS publics with big merit may be the best deal. But if you’re not going to submit scores, that filters out the ones that tie merit to test scores. The pandemic has shifted that a bit in your favor, but not completely.
What do you consider the top Cal States? (I mean other than Poly)
I don’t have a lot of confidence in them, as you may have noticed.
Grinnell and Williamette are in the cross-hairs but represent to me (not quite the most extreme) cases where I don’t believe my 1 AP and 2 years of language and GPA alone will pt me at the top.
Top CSUs would typically depend on major but if you use acceptance rate to get a general idea, probably SDSU, Long Beach, Fullerton, SJSU. But SJSU, which I’m familiar with a little, is good for CS, business, nursing and engineering but those are the toughest programs to get into, which you’ll find is common at CSUs. Are you willing to share your closest CSU, that will be the one where you get a GPA bump for being local.
I honestly think you have the potential to find a four year college and maybe an affordable one.
One option that has not been mentioned…and CA students are so lucky to have this…start at a community college. Commute, and save your money. Then do a transfer to one of the UCs. I don’t know how that impacts potential merit aid there…but your Calgrant would be there for you to support a good chunk of the tuition. I know that isn’t your ideal…but it’s a thought.
Again, the FAFSA change that you are talking about (families with multiple students in college) has been delayed a year, until the 2024-25 school year…if it ever happens. You might call a few of the UC FA offices and ask them if they have discussed what they will do if, and when, that change occurs. They might not know, but a number of schools have already said if it happens their intent is to not follow FAFSA (with regard to that change).
I’m not sure the UCs are out of reality as a CC transfer. You would need to bank every single penny possible while at the CC. Take the Direct Loan if you can, and bank that as well. Between your saved money and these Direct Loans, and your parent contribution…and earnings from a job, this could be possible.
my closest Cal State is Sac. I’ve grown up around it and so kind of have years of thinking “I don’t want to go there” lodged in my mind. That and the lower half of my grad class is going there.
I guess that reveals that my dad is a UC Davis professor too. That’s about as far as I can go though!
not sure what the direct loan is in reference to a cal cc, which is basically free. I can borrow money I don’t need to attend cc?
basically the new FAFSA makes cc to uc cost what 4 years of uc cost before, which is still out of reach.
I get the point though-- if my back is against the wall I can beg borrow and steal through 2 years of cc and make something work to get through 2 years of UC. It’s only 2 years.
no there is no financial advantage. Professors only get college deals in private schools. Or that’s the most common. Certainly not in California.
My dad is like a Nike factory worker who can’t buy the sneakers he makes every day in the factory.
There are scholarships at UC Davis for dependents of their Staff. The information is for this year but will be updated for the 2022 admission cycle.
Plus if you are a top student, you would be eligible for Regents at UC Davis and several of the other UC’s. UCD’s Regent scholarship is $7500/year.
Here is UC Regents information for all UC campuses:
Amount: Awards vary by campus and are not transferable if you transfer to another UC campus.
UC Berkley $2,500
UC Davis $7,500
UC Irvine $5,000
UCLA $2,000
UC Merced $7,000
UC Riverside $10,000
UC San Diego $2,000
UC Santa Barbara $5,000
UC Santa Cruz $5,000
In addition, certain perks are provided to Regents recipients: priority registration (not at UCSB), extended library privileges, honors dormitories, faculty mentorship, and others, dependent upon campus.
[b]Historically, both UCB and UCLA have provided higher amounts for Regent scholars that have financial need however, it is not clearly stated if OOS and International students are included in the extra need based FA.
UCLA specifically states: The Regents Scholarship need-based award is determined annually and is designed to supplement the Cal Grant A and B programs, Pell Grant and other outside scholarship awards
UCB also states: Scholars with financial need are awarded a scholarship up to their full need as assessed by the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office.[/b]
Number of Scholarships Awarded: Varies annually—students in the top 1-2% of the applicant pool are considered for the scholarship.
Eligible Students: Entering freshman or transfer student who demonstrate academic excellence (based upon GPA, and other academic criteria) along with personal accomplishments.
Both but AZ is more merit. Both have solid Honors Collleges. ASU more known. AZs diem and gym for Homors super nice. To me it’s a better college experience bcuz it’s one campus unlike ASU. And a solid name.
This article writer says there is no information about which statutes will be implemented early, on time, or late.
I can guess that the multiple siblings thing is something that would be delayed one year, and one year is not nothing. But, I don’t know that. It just seems logical that this is one that they would want to stall on.
And the “if it ever happens” idea, repeated now twice here, where is that coming from?
It would be great to know where the inside information is coming from about the implementation of the law.
It’s good to hear that there is some public comment made by a few colleges. I wonder what colleges they are and how hard it is to get into them.