<p>Purdue got 29,000 applicants and accepted 20,000…only 6700 enrolled. I’m betting that a good number of the accepted OOS students got lousy aid pkgs and crossed Purdue off of their lists. Those kids’ FA pkgs are NOT included in the % need met stat.</p>
<p>OP, I think you are looking too narrowly at schools with your intended major. Many people do change majors, and as I said, specialization can take place at grad school. Can I ask what state you live in?</p>
<p>@OP, you mention that you want to major in aero engineering and that your parents did not go to college. That was me many, many years ago. I applied to a not well selected group of schools and was left with just my in state flagship as an option. For family reasons I had to stay home my freshman year and take classes at our local branch of the University. I then transferred to our flagship and finished there. Their offerings were pretty basic: Electrical, Mechanical and Civil Engineering. No aero. I majored in ME, got pretty good grades, worked hard, got a summer Engineering job, did an extremely exhaustive job search as a senior and landed my dream job at what was then Hughes Electronics designing and building satellites. This was a choice of seven job offers, a few of which were in aerospace. In my experience, if you major in EE or ME, you can get a job in the industry pretty easily.
Since I went to our state school, I only had a loan my last year (qualified for Pell and SEOG most years) which I easily paid off within the timeframe.
So you can make your dream happen if you turn it into a clear goal. Don’t worry about the lack of aero major closer to home. You can make it work if you really want to.
Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>Everyone has given excellent advice. One of your issues will be that your EFC is not low enough for Pell, so that grant aid is not there. What about your state grant? Your EFC is likely too high for that, too. Very few schools (outside of those tip-top ones) offer any grants of their own and when they do it is usually to a Pell recipient. Your best options would be an in state public, possibly with merit money, if they even offer that OR a small mid-range LAC with merit money. I have no idea where you are, but you can look at places like Chapman in CA, Whitworth in WA, TCU or Baylor in TX, they all have a merit package in the $10-15k range and usually have a COA of $35-40k not $50-60k like the top privates. There are schools like this in most areas.</p>
<p>If you have a small private at $35k and you get a $15k merit award plus $10k from your parents, you are still looking at amassing $40k in loans over 4 years, compare that to the cost at your public.</p>
<p>Can you live at home and attend a local school for the first two years?</p>
<p>Is there a private with the aforementioned aid that has an engineering tie in with a public? DD had a friend who attended and paid for a small LAC the first two years, then finished her major at a state U at state U prices, but this was a coordinated program, she actually walked her graduation at the LAC ceremony.</p>
<p>Right now, the OP’s test scores aren’t quite high enough for substantial merit at most schools with good engineering…</p>
<p>Somemom is right, since the OP is not Pell eligible, only the better privates would give need based aid. The problem is that the student’s stats may not be high enough for the ones with eng’g. </p>
<p>I don’t like the old idea of going local and then transferring because costs have risen soooo much that transfers are usually gapped so much that the option isn’t affordable. Usually that only works if the student goes to a CC and then transfers to a local public because then aid isn’t a big issue.</p>
<p>The student needs to do a gap year and then apply to schools that will work. Retesting would also help. Take both the ACT and SAT.</p>
<p>OP…what is your M+CR SAT from ONE sitting?</p>
<p>What options does the OP have? Coming up with the necessary funds for the two schools that accepted her does not make sense. We are talking about $40K just for the year, and there is little prospect that the situation will be remedied next year. Too much money. Smith might take her off the wait list but what are the odds of that AND also getting enough money to go there? If it happens, great, but nothing one can count upon, and something has to be done in case it does not happen.</p>
<p>Local and state alternatives are an option. Maybe some of them are still accepting apps. That is something to investigate, and in May, there is a list that comes out with schools that still have openings and some have financial aid available too. That is something to investigate. However, all of this is being done at the tail end of the season, and unless enough money is obtained and the OP can get what she needs from these schools that are options, she will lose her status as a first year which does carry a stronger chance, substantially stronger for financial aid. </p>
<p>As a first year, next year, she can strengthen her profile, use knowledge learned from the debacle, get advice throughout from this board, earn some money and reapply. She can look at some schools that are not on her radar using Momfromtexas’ methods which will almost certainly yield some full ride or near to it, options. She can get her app in very early to her state school which will enhance her chances of a seat in them if they are competitive schools with high selectivity in engineer, which is the case for a number of them.</p>
<p>I would like to add that your EFC is a code and not the $ you are expected to contribute. The higher your code, the more likely that you’ll get less aid.</p>
<p>Wow! Thank you everyone for taking the time to help me! I truly appreciate it! I need some time to read over and carefully consider everyone’s advice. As you can see, clearly I was heavily misguided and I made my own false assumptions as well. I’m not going to let this stand in the way though, I will find a way to make it through!</p>
<p>I’m from Massachusetts. I looked up colleges still accepting applications and I found that UMass Dartmouth, Wentworth Institute of Technology, and Daniel Webster still are. UMass and Daniel Webster are both affordable, but not necessarily highly ranked. I can’t be picky at this point though and I realize that. Wentworth is more expensive, but I have connections there so I will talk to some people. I’m now strongly considering a gap year without taking classes.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids, my single sitting M+CR is a 1300 (700M, 600CR)</p>
<p>I will be on later tonight to reply to specific posts, I need time to absorb all of this kind information and advice. </p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>
<p>Western Michigan University has aerospace engineering and while their priority deadline is March 1 they may still be accepting applications. There are some scholarships that are awarded by GPA/ACT scores. Costs for out of state are roughly $30,000 but if you could still be accepted and qualified for one of the merit scholarships by virture of your scores it might get you closer. It’s probably alittle more than Wentworth but might be worth looking at. Not that many colleges have aero. There are a number of colleges in Kalamazoo and it is a good “college” town with Amtrak Service and an airport.</p>
<p>I think a gap year might be a very good idea. Regroup and investigate and try again. It’s unfortunate but it might be the best answer.</p>
<p>A school to consider for next year is Lehigh. Aero minor, lots of connections in the industry, if you are accepted they do meet need. Your stats sound good for this school.</p>
<p>Purdue has its own calculator, and it includes merit. We used it when S was looking … and we knew well in advance that he would get $10,000 and a Stafford loan.</p>
<p>gumball123 - My D is in the same situation. Getting accepted is great until you get the financial aid packages. Good Luck.</p>
<p>Purdue Calumet’s 2011/12 COA listed below. The PO can still apply for financial aid. The courses taken there are a block transfer to the main campus. If she complete her degree there, it is a Purdue degree. Why pay $42k, when you can pay $28k for the same degree. Apply asap! </p>
<p>Undergraduate Non-Resident - on campus
Tuition & Fees
$6,821
Tuition & Fees
$14,798
Books & Supplies
$1,500
Books & Supplies
$1,500
Board
$3,334
Board
$7,515
Personal
$2,025
Personal
$2,025
Transportation
$3,212
Transportation
$2,764
Loan Fees
$92
Loan Fees
$92
Total
$16,984
Total
$28,694</p>
<p>gumball123</p>
<p>You can consider AmeriCorps for a gap year
[AmeriCorps[/url</a>]
[url=<a href=“http://www.americorps.gov/for_individuals/choose/index.asp]AmeriCorps.gov”>http://www.americorps.gov/for_individuals/choose/index.asp]AmeriCorps.gov</a> > Which Program Is Right for Me?](<a href=“http://www.americorps.gov/]AmeriCorps[/url”>http://www.americorps.gov/)
[AmeriCorps.gov</a> > Using Your Segal AmeriCorps Education Award; Financial Aid](<a href=“http://www.americorps.gov/for_individuals/benefits/benefits_ed_award_use.asp]AmeriCorps.gov”>http://www.americorps.gov/for_individuals/benefits/benefits_ed_award_use.asp)</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>