<p>I'm a junior in HS living on LI, New York. I have a profound interest in engineering/urban planning/design (and yes I'm aware they're not the same thing). I've been taking a lot of APs (including World/US History, AP Physics B, planned to take AP Physics C, AP Calc, AP Economics for my senior year). My schedule for a lot of HS has vigorous with other non AP college level courses and I also take 2 foreign languages (Spanish and Italian). Also, by senior year I will have Architecture I and CADD 1+2 under my belt. My GPA as on Fall 2013 is 94.25 weighted (my school is on a 100 point system). I have yet to take my SAT (March 8th) or any SAT IIs (June) I know grades aren't everything in regards to college acceptance and selection but I thought I'd get that out of the way.</p>
<p>As for EC, I have virtually none as of right now (besides being apart of Italian Club). I plan to take on an internship over this summer focused in engineering. I do work almost everyday though so I virtually have no time for it. </p>
<p>I want to go to school in NYC because I will be moving there after I graduate (any borough besides Staten Island I would say). My entire family is based there so I won't have to dorm or get an apartment or anything. I know many engineering focused schools are based in Manhattan. </p>
<p>I would say my top pick overall would be Cooper Union. I'm going to visit CU the 21st to check it out with my dad. I will probably end up going for early decision for it. The biggest problem by far that I have with it is I'm not sure I'll get in; I'm aware of how difficult getting accepted is. I want to major in CivilE.</p>
<p>I would love to go to Polytechnic NYU, Columbia, or some other exclusive school as well except my dad is forbidding me from over loading on student loans he wants me to come out of school debt free (that's why CU is my #1). I sort of agree with him, it's outrageous to pay $200k in loans for an education that won't even guarantee me a job when I graduate. </p>
<p>So that leads me to my next option: City College CUNY. Very affordable still in NYC and I've heard it has a decent engineering program (albeit not nearly as good as the others).</p>
<p>I'm stressing about this whole ordeal and could really use some other thoughtful opinions. Should I even major in CivilE? What about EE or MechE? Whichever has the greater chance of getting me hired in an urban setting would be best, I really wish Urban Engineering was an option to major in. My thoughts are all over the place. Someone help!</p>
<p>*BTW going to a non-NYC college is out of the question, I've had my heart set on living and going to college there ever since I moved out of it 7 years ago (obviously not by choice).</p>
<p>Yes my dad said he’s willing to pay something along the lines of $5-10k a year. So I have some leeway. Also my dad lives in NYC (parents separated that’s why I don’t live there at the moment) and I will be moving in with him as soon as I graduate HS. Not sure if that makes a difference. </p>
<p>If you run the Net Price calculators at CUNYs, and NYU Poly and Columbia, that will tell you what they will expect you to pay and you can see how far that is from what your dad (and mom? And you?) can pay. </p>
<p>NYC is a really expensive place to go to college but it helps a ton that you will have a free place to live.</p>
<p>In order to run the net price calculators, you will need the federal income tax forms of your mom and dad (assuming mom is still alive), the most recent filings. This might take some time to get mom and dad to provide this info to you. It might be easier to go to each of them separately to get the info. But you have to have it to figure out where you can afford to go to college. You cannot guess at these very specific figures.</p>
<p>One other suggestion: do you know for certain that you will have a place at your residence in the city where you will be able to study without interruption? that won’t be too loud? or where you won’t be sharing a room with someone whose life will screw up yours? Work out a living arrangement with the other people in the residence or find a residence with another family member. You will need family support for what you’re trying to do. </p>
<p>Living in the city rent free problem free is NOT a problem whatsoever. I have multiple places to go; my dad’s in Howard Beach, Queens (very quiet neighborhood) or my grandparents in Ozone Park, Queens (more hectic but I will have the basement all to myself as they own a single family home on a huge lot, same goes for my dad but if you know NYC Howard Beach is pretty much all single family). I have great relationships with all the people in each house. Both have subway access to Manhattan and Brooklyn via the A subway line. As I said the living aspect is not a problem.</p>
<p>So for the first year at CUNY I will have to pay non-resident fees? I’m sure I’ll be fine financially at any CUNY school to be completely honest. The thing is going to a CUNY is not my first choice; the higher tier schools like Columbia and NYU Poly (and obviously Cooper) are what I want to do. Thanks for the information. I will talk to my parents in regards to finances. If I don’t get into CU, and Columbia/NYU Poly are too expensive I will resort to City College. </p>
<p>Probably all 4 years, if I read this right: “the last residency determination which had been made with respect to the student resulted in his/her classification as a non-resident (a non-resident student does not qualify automatically as a resident student simply because he/she has been attending a New York college for the previous twelve months)”</p>
<p>But if that’s still affordable and you can get in, that would be a good safety. </p>
<p>Well that’s annoying. I lived there for the first half of my life and it’s now my second home. The only reason I haven’t lived there the whole time is because of a situation I couldn’t control. Returning to the city ASAP is of my own volition as well. Ugh, stuff like this really gets to me. I hope there’s some sort of loophole or some way of working with the organization (leeway maybe). If not I guess the fees aren’t THAT big of a deal if I’m looking at colleges much more expensive anyway. </p>
<p>I also have another question. What type of financial aid does Columbia University and NYU offer? Any that would honestly help me or do they just throw scraps? I know I seem clueless but it’s because I am. Sorry for the ignorance I’m just trying to wrap my head around all this! </p>
<p>I’m glad you’ll be talking to your parents and that you have so many good housing options. Some of these schools are going to be familiar with working students like yourself, so that will help. But do try to spend some time each week in in-school activities and a few more hours giving of yourself. Be prepared to address this work situation in some detail. Also, do something special with the Italian Club. Help it write a history of Italian immigrants and their success at your high school or something corny like that. And if you intend to study Italian at all in college, look to apply to <a href=“http://www.osla.org”>http://www.osla.org</a> for a scholarship.</p>
<p>Columbia and NYU give very different aid…you really should go to their net price calculators, with your parents’ income info in hand, and fill them out and see what they say. I assume you live with your mom now so her info is primary but NYU and Columbia will consider both parents’ income.</p>
<p>Why would the OP pay OOS fees for a CUNY? He lives in Long Island, and his father lives in NYC. Assuming the COA on the CUNY website is accurate, he’ll only be expected to pay about $7,000/year.</p>
<p>I assume that you’ve taken the PSAT. Can you post your scores? Your post is hypothetical until we can gauge your chances of admissions to the colleges on your list.</p>
<p>Well that’s a bummer. One of the key reasons for choosing CU was its excellent scholarship program. Now it’s only half as good… Damn it. Will CU offer any financial aid over their new half scholarship? </p>
<p>I intend to do more EC as well. But it’s very hard, 99% of my time is tied up between going to work, school, studying and extra help, and traveling to my mother’s business on the weekends to help out when I rarely am off from work. I also produce music on the side. Yeah I guess you could say my priorities are diverse. </p>
<p>I took the PSAT twice. On the college board website it only lists one scoring report (not sure if it’s for the first or second time I took it) and I never received anything in the mail either time after taking while many of my peers did. The online report says I scored a 175. Times that by 10 I’m projected to get a 1750 on the SAT. I assume this will be higher when I actually take the SAT itself as I will be MUCH more prepared for it. </p>
<p>Just as an aside, ECs don’t have to be school based activities. Music producing is an EC. And if you work a lot of hours, that will be part of the equation of how you spend your time as well.</p>
<p>working, helping at your mother’s business, and producing music are all ECs you could list and describe on your application. Colleges like commitment and working many hours shows qualities they appreciate.
Columbia has tremendous financial aid, NYU-Poly used to but it’s being assimilated into NYU proper, becoming their College of Engineering, so you’ll have to see that it keeps its good policy and doesn’t do like NYU (which has lousy FA). If you’re a girl, don’t forget Barnard. </p>
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