No financial aid AT ALL

Parents Forum
1

<p>Once again I turn to all you wise parents for help.</p>

<p>I'm an international student and I've gotten into one of my absolute top college choices. I was waitlisted at the other schools I applied to, but that's okay.
However, they didn't give me a single dollar in fin aid.
Not a dime.</p>

<p>I was aware that the chances of me getting financial aid were slim (my dad earns good money and I'm not exceptional enough to get into the Ivies+ the economy's so bad right now) but I thought I'd get SOMETHING, just a little. My parents simply cannot afford to pay four years of college, unless I want them to beggar themselves, and I can't do that.
Where I come from, parents stop supporting their children at 18, since we get support from the government to study. So parents here don't have big college funds like some parents in America.</p>

<p>Since I got no money at all from the school, I'm left with few options.
My parents have, very generously, agreed to pay for one year at the college, but that's all they can afford. </p>

<p>Here are what I can choose from:
1) Go to the college for one year, and either be content with that or try to apply for outside scholarships during the year and hope for a lot of luck.
- The problem is I would have to take 50 000 dollars or so from my parents. They have the money, but I mean... It's not easy for any family to pay that kind of money.
2)Stay here, take a year off, then start studying at a very good university here (but then i would have to study economics, which I dont really like..)
3)Start at that very good school here in the fall and just try to forget my dream. I would go to school with the same people I've known all my life (that school is very small...)</p>

<p>Going to college in America is my dream. Like I r e a l l y want to do it. Not to be dramatic, but I feel I can't be truly happy here. </p>

<p>But I feel selfish for wanting it. For putting my parents in a situation where they could have to pay a lot of money for me to go to school, when I can go to school here. They tell me it's ok, that at least for a year it's fine. But I still feel selfish.
And I don't know if it's unfair to the school, to go there and most likely have to leave after a year.</p>

<p>Give me some advice, anything, please.
And I don't want to sound entitled, spoiled, arrogant or anything. If I did, please forgive me. It's just so hard to have to give up something you have hoped and dreamed and thought about for such a long time.</p>

<p>This might have been a confusing post. Sorry.</p>

2

<p>It’s not a confusing post. This happens all of the time. There are more kids who need the money to go to college than there are funds. If you have family who have the money to pay for your education, you are certainly one of the lucky ones. Why on earth would any college give YOU money instead of someone who is really stuck?</p>

3

<p>I know that.
I do know that.
I don’t deserve the money as someone who really needs it. I understand why the college did as they did and I would have done the same if I’d been the one making the decisions. That doesn’t mean I have to like it and be happy about it. </p>

<p>I’m sorry if I came off any other way.</p>

4

<p>Hold onto the dream for grad school when more funding is available. Go to the good school in your country and do very well and you’ll have no problem. The bottom line is that most internationals just can’t come to school in the US. They don’t get to stay after graduating as many thinks so loans are not a good plan nor is breaking your family’s bank.</p>

5

<p>I always knew I wouldn’t be able to stay in America. </p>

<p>I know the rational thing to do. It’s just hard to get my heart to accept that.</p>

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<p>My D couldn’t get into any of her top choices because of having to apply for aid. Classmates at her school with lower SAT’s , poorer ranking, and less distinguished EC’s were accepted at her “first choice” school and at all of her other choices in the top 25 national universities. The difference? They didn’t apply for aid.</p>

<p>She will be attending a top 100 state university primarily on our family resources.</p>

<p>My daughter’s dream is dead. Why should yours live? Grow up.</p>

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<p>Saamie:</p>

<p>I can well understand your situation. It’s always harder as an international to receive financial aid, and this year it’s harder than ever. My suggestion would be for you to begin your college education in your country and re-apply next year to another set of schools. It may result in your getting some financial aid (or it may not). But it would not be okay for your parents to spend all the funds they have in one year of college.</p>

<p>I also understand the restrictions imposed in many countries on choice of majors. Can you take courses in some of the fields that interest you more during your first year of college?</p>

8

<p>As I’m sure you know, merit scholarship money for international students is difficult to come by. (Some of the schools that you were interested in don’t give non need-based money to any student.) To have much chance for merit money, you’d need to apply to schools several tiers of selectivity below those for which you were well well qualified for admission. Is reapplying next year to less selective American colleges an option #4 for you?</p>

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<p><<where i=“” come=“” from,=“” parents=“” stop=“” supporting=“” their=“” children=“” at=“” 18,=“” since=“” we=“” get=“” support=“” from=“” the=“” government=“” to=“” study=“”>></where></p>

<p>wow, why on earth would you give that up for the USA. We’ll be here in 4 years (hopefully). Come then with no debt, seriously</p>

10

<p>Its unrealistic to think that you will get outside scholarship money once you are in college. Most of it goes to first year students, US citizens will invariably get preference, and the amt will not be enough to give you a full ride. Go to a good school that you know, and apply to do a year abroad.</p>

11

<p>Listen to hmom5. There’s a reason that international students are more prevalent in graduate school programs than in undergraduate: Ph.D. programs support their students.</p>

<p>Many of us in the US are stuck paying full freight as well, and family finances suffer as a result. The difference is, as you point out, that we expect to have to pay, while your family does not. </p>

<p>Many, many kids on CC – and I include US students – cannot go to their dream school because their parents cannot afford it. Some can’t go to college at all. I tell you this not because it will make you feel better (I know it won’t), but because I want you to know that you aren’t alone in your disappointment.</p>

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<p>BigG, I’m very sorry for your daughter, but that’s a very cruel comment to make. </p>

<p>Marite, sadly I can’t apply next year, or rather I would feel odd doing it. I’m already 2 years older than this year’s freshmen. But thank you anyway.</p>

<p>MarathonMan88, as I said above, reapplying next year isn’t really an option. This might be ridiculous, but I want to go to a really good school that is somewhat recognized if I’m going to spend a lot of money on it. Does that make sense?</p>

<p>Thank you all for offering me advice.</p>

13

<p>

</p>

<p>You could come here and go to Bemidji State for four years for not much more than $50,000. Give them a call or just apply on-line; I sincerely believe they are still taking applications for this fall. (And watch them play in the NCAA Frozen Four hockey tournament tomorrow - Thurs April 9 - they have one of the top four ice hockey teams in the U.S. this year.)</p>

<p>[Tuition</a> & Fees - Undergraduate Admissions - Bemidji State University](<a href=“http://www.bemidjistate.edu/admissions/undergrad/explore/costs/tuition/]Tuition”>Tuition & Aid | Admissions | Bemidji State University)</p>

<p>Yes, they do offer in state tuition to international students:
<a href=“http://www.bemidjistate.edu/students/international/Docs/EstimatedExpenses09-10.pdf[/url]”>http://www.bemidjistate.edu/students/international/Docs/EstimatedExpenses09-10.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I’m just sayin’</p>

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<p>Momwaitingfornew, thank you. I know I’m not alone. But you know how it is, when you’re sad about something, you feel like you’re the only one that matters. I wish I was a better person that cared more about those who have it a lot worse than I do, but right now, I just don’t care.</p>

15

<p>I like MidwestMom’s idea. You may have to give up part of your dream, but her post is an example of the type of options that are still open to you if you are flexible.</p>

<p>(hey MidwestMom, my daughter will be working in Bemidji this summer!)</p>

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<p>I honestly think you should study in your own country and try to go to graduate school in the U.S. It makes no sense to take so much money from your parents when you won’t be able to finish the degree here.</p>

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<p>MidwestMom we are thinking along similar lines. I was going to suggest U of MN - Morris at $20,000 per year including the but Bemidj is even cheaper.</p>

<p>Saamie: Morris is a LAC sized public college.</p>

<p>[UMM</a> | International | Frequently Asked Questions](<a href=“http://www.morris.umn.edu/prospective/international/faq.html]UMM”>http://www.morris.umn.edu/prospective/international/faq.html)</p>

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<p>Saamie: the problem with your first option is that it really isn’t an option. Despite all the magical thinking you might do, the reality of the situation is that, at the end of the year, you will most likely have to go back home to attend the college or university that you’re avoiding right now. Do you really think that you’ll be satisfied with just that one year? I’ll bet that you won’t.</p>

<p>Don’t give up your dream: just defer it. Come to the U.S. for your grad work. See if you can double up on your work at your local college so that you can come here in three years instead of four. A graduate degree from a top U.S. university will probably get you further in the job market than an undergrad degree from the same school, in any event.</p>

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<p>YOU have other options. US students don’t. I find it hard to summon up much sympathy.</p>

<p>Okay, I actual do sympathize, but you have to realize that students here who can’t pay for college also come from families that have NONE of the benefits of the social safety network of a country like Sweden. No health insurance. No nothing. </p>

<p>I suggest that you count your blessings and go to school in Sweden for now.</p>

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<p>I don’t understand this part:</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>How would it have helped if Macalester gave you just a little money? You still wouldn’t be able to afford to go there. What was the plan? You knew going in Mac wouldn’t give you enough money to attend.</p>

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</p>

<p>And again, what is the plan here? The Tuition Fairy is going to come flitting by after your freshman year and drop $150,000 in your lap? That is not going to work.</p>

<p>You need to be realistic. Wake up from your dream (which, by the way, seems a rather whiny one) and face the future. Make choices among your real alternatives. Would you rather wait a year and apply to lower-ranked US colleges that would give aid to you? Wait a year and use the $50,000 toward a US public college? Wait a year and study econ in your own country? Start in the fall at the small college? Not go to college at all and do something else with your life?</p>

<p>Those seem to be your choices. Now you have to pick one.</p>