<p>Right now I am deciding between two schools, Oregon State University (in-state) or University of Texas - Austin (my top choice). I haven't gotten my financial aid offer from UT yet because we had to do some additional forms, but I just received my offer from OSU and it was pretty disappointing. When I filled out my FAFSA, my family had an EFC of about $3900. OSU offered me only $3111 in grants, leaving $17000 per year in loans! It seems ridiculous to me to take out 17 thousand a year on an in-state school. I simply can't afford to graduate from college with $80,000 of debt already. And about $12,000 of their loans offered was a parent PLUS loan, which my parents won't do (they aren't/can't help with any of my college expenses). </p>
<p>So basically I'm really worried that UT will be even less generous. And I don't know what to do because even my financial safety in-state school is too expensive! Why could this be? I always hear about the average amount of debt being waaay lower than that. Also, can I call the financial aid office and try to get more aid instead of loans? I have no idea if that works... but at this point I'm willing to do whatever.</p>
<p>Don’t assume that another state won’t be generous. Have you talked to their financial aid departments or asked anyone what type of aid programs are available in Oregon?</p>
<p>How much was offered from the Pell Grant? </p>
<p>Also consider the California system. It’ll be very expensive the first year, maybe $20k or so, but after one year you can apply for residency and California has the Cal Grant which pays up to $8k a year toward a public university and the Pell is $5k on top of that.</p>
<p>I’m in a similar situation only my EFC is higher than what my parents are willing to pay. They expect me to contribute certain amounts through grants and loans, and they do not want to sign for my part through a Parent Plus loan.</p>
<p>Where are you going to obtain the loans that you’ll need if your parents won’t sign the Parent Plus loans? I am not sure where to obtain them at this point.</p>
<p>I think the OP’s assumption that Texas won’t be generous is a good one. few state schools have much money for OOS students. Unfortunately the OP is in a common position. Most state schools do not meet need and result in high debt. For many the financial safety must be a community college.</p>
<p>Also, I would not attempt the above suggestion about the CA schools, gaining residency is not so easy and it’s too late to apply for this year.</p>
<p>*Also consider the California system. It’ll be very expensive the first year, maybe $20k or so, but after one year you can apply for residency and California has the Cal Grant which pays up to $8k a year toward a public university and the Pell is $5k on top of that. *</p>
<p>Not true…a student cannot just go to school in Calif for a year and then get residency. </p>
<p>Sadly, the UT FA package will also likely be bad. You’re OOS for UT, so the OOS costs are high. The COA is about $40k per year. It’s doubtful that UT can meet your need without big loans. </p>
<p>That is not uncommon for many State Us. A lot of State Us only offer federal money which is very limited. With a 3900 EFC your Pell would be around $1700.Other federal grant aid might include the ACG of $750. I know our State Us do not offer any institutional grant aid, only federal and State (and the state requires an EFC of <1700).</p>
<p>And I don’t know what to do because even my financial safety in-state school is too expensive! Why could this be? I always hear about the average amount of debt being waaay lower than that.</p>
<p>Your “financial safety” school was not a financial safety school. A financial safety school is one that you know you can afford and not have to depend of the school’s unknown generosity.</p>
<p>The “average loan” doesn’t tell you anything. Posted “avg loans” often don’t include Parent plus loans. Also, looking at averages doesn’t tell you any real facts. Half the students may only borrow $4k, the other half may borrow $24k…but the average is $14k. That doesn’t give the people who are borrowing $24k any reassurances, does it?</p>
<p>With a 3900 EFC the op is probably not Pell Grant eligible. This OP has about 8,000 in EFC and grant income. Another $5500 is available in Staffords and maybe some in work study. The COA for Oregon STate is somewhere around 21,000, so there is a considerable gap. Oregon State doesn’t give much need based aid (averages around 3,000) so it’s pretty predictable. Pretty much the same thing is happening across America. I kinda doubt UT will be more generous especially since the OP didn’t receive any merit money from Oregon State. I guess with a real good summer job and some private loans it could work but it might be better to work for a year, commute to a local cc and go from there. Aid just isn’t keeping up with cost.</p>
<p>I stand corrected on the Pell, according to above posts $1700 and if you can get the other grant 750 more. Still a ways to go though.</p>
<p>It’s possible to establish residency after 1 year. If he were to move in summer (as long as it’s 366 days prior to the next school year), and maybe attend a Community College here for the first year, and then establish financial independence (also not hard, just work and pay for yourself, file your own income tax, parents can’t file you as dependent) then he can apply as a resident for the next year. You can also defer your admission to avoid paying the sticker price and wait until residency kicks in.
[Criteria</a> to Establish Residence for Tuition Purposes](<a href=“http://www.ucsd.edu/current-students/finances/fees/residence/criteria.html#finindepend]Criteria”>http://www.ucsd.edu/current-students/finances/fees/residence/criteria.html#finindepend)</p>
Even if the OP could get residency (which is not that easy as amongst other things you must prove you have earned enough to support yourself and pay all your own expenses including school) the calgrant would not be an option. A student has to have been a CA resident when they graduated from high school to get the calgrant.</p>
<p>*
Note: This requirement makes it extremely difficult for most undergraduates who do not have a parent living in California to qualify for classification as a resident at a UC campus. This includes transfer students from community colleges and other post-secondary schools in California.</p>
<p>Can demonstrate self-sufficiency for the current and two preceding tax or calendar years.</p>
<pre><code>* To verify financial independence (self-sufficiency/ self-support), the student must document his or her income and verify that he or she was not claimed as an exemption by parents or anyone else for the two years prior to the request for residence.*
</code></pre>
<p>That would also mean that the student would no longer be on his family’s health insurance, car insurance, cell phone plan, etc.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for all the ideas. However, community college is definitely not something I want to pursue… I know there’s nothing wrong with it and it is more affordable, but it’s not for me. These are my two schools and I’m sticking to them. One question I am still wondering about that hasn’t been answered is if there is a way to talk to the schools about getting more aid. I have heard about people calling schools and basically asking for more money, but I wanted to know if you can actually do that and if so, how to go about it.</p>
<p>These are my two schools and I’m sticking to them.</p>
<p>Can you afford to go to these schools if neither of them give you more aid? If not, how will you “stick to them”?</p>
<p>I think the recommendation that you quickly submit an app to an instate college or two is a good idea for “just in case” UT and OSU don’t work out.</p>
<p>Why not submit an app for PSU? </p>
<p>You really have no chance an affordable amount of aid from UT. You are OOS for UT, and they have little incentive to give you a better offer than OSU has given you. You say that it’s ridiculous for you to borrow $17 for OSU, well, do you really think that UT (with its higher COA) is going to give you enough money that you’d have to borrow less than $17K???</p>
<p>The OOS COA for UT is $45k. For that school to be more affordable than OSU, UT would have to give you about $30. That’s just not likely going to happen. </p>
<p>*but I just received my offer from OSU and it was pretty disappointing. When I filled out my FAFSA, my family had an EFC of about $3900. OSU offered me only $3111 in grants, leaving $17000 per year in loans! It seems ridiculous to me to take out 17 thousand a year on an in-state school. I simply can’t afford to graduate from college with $80,000 of debt already. And about $12,000 of their loans offered was a parent PLUS loan, which my parents won’t do (they aren’t/can’t help with any of my college expenses). *</p>
<p>So, how can you say that you’re “sticking with these two schools” when neither will be affordable?</p>
<p>It doesn’t hurt to try. Write the school a letter that specifically asks for your case to be reviewed (much better than an email or phone call). Give as many specifics as possible, such as “my brother needs $5000 in dental care” rather than “my family can’t afford this.” </p>
<p>The school is unlikely to think much of your car payments or Visa bill – but medical bills, parental job loss, housing requirements (parents need to buy new roof, construction estimate enclosed) and family obligations (parents paying for Grandmother’s needs) are all the kind of details you want to document. </p>
<p>Do this as soon as possible. There is only so much money for fin aid to hand out and you want to be at the front of the line. </p>
<p>Definitely read the website/catalog carefully. Can you get credit for AP or IB classes? Can you file a special form to get health center or lab fees covered? Can you sign up for a triple instead of a double room? Ferret out every savings. Good luck!</p>
<p>You can ask but the schools will probably not make any changes. What will you do it that’s the case (since your parents won’t take out any PLUS loans)?</p>
<p>FYI, UT Austin wasn’t able to give all the in-state students the money they were expecting. Even those who were accepted back in the fall and had all their fin aid completed before the priority date of March 1.</p>
<p>Please trust us on this: no one want to see you “stuck” with $68,000 from a state school. That’s half a house, two new cars (or more!) and could easily take 2-3 years of first year post-grad salary IN ITS ENTIRETY to pay off even if you moved home and had NO expenses.</p>
<p>So “unstick” yourself from these schools, take a gap year, work, earn some money, or take a year at local college and then develop a strategy to apply to 100% need-met schools.</p>