Not sure what to do anymore...

[mommdc]

Penn State branch campuses run about $13 k for tuition. Penn State main and Pitt main about $17 k. PASSHE schools about $10 k. Which public school in PA is $18,500 for tuition alone?

Also in PA you can have an EFC of up to $12 k and can still qualify for a state grant I believe.

If you had a summer job earning $3000, a state grant of $2000 and your junior direct loan of $7500 that would add up to $12500

[mommdc]

Contact the school and find out if they participate in the program where you can get scholarships for your last two years of college, in return for working in cyber security for the federal government for two years

[mom2collegekids]

@anb1337 Is the PSU main campus? Or a satellite

Do what @mommdc says and also find out about coops

[mommdc]

https://www.sfs.opm.gov/

Pitt and Penn State are both on the list of participating institutions,

from the FAQ:

3. What are the student eligibility requirements for me to participate?
   The student must meet all of the following: – be a full-time student within two years of graduation with a bachelor’s or master’s degree ; a student within three years of graduation with both the bachelor’s and the master’s degree; a student participating in a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree (“five year”) program; or a research-based doctoral student within three years of graduation in a coherent formal academic program that is focused on cybersecurity or information assurance at an awardee institution – be a United States citizen; – meet criteria for Federal employment; and – be able to obtain a security clearance, if required.

1. I meet the eligibility criteria how do I apply for the scholarship? Each participating university manages their own application/selection process. If you are interested in applying for the scholarship and willing to transfer to a participating university, you should first decide which university you would be willing to attend and then contact them directly for application/selection procedures. The list of participating institutions along with contact information for each may be found at https://www.sfs.opm.gov/ContactsPI.aspx?p=st

[mommdc]

More from the FAQ

5. I am attending one of the institutions listed and meet the eligibility criteria. What do I need to do to participate?
   The scholarships are awarded on a merit-based basis and each participating university manages their own application/selection process. You should contact the program’s Principal Investigator (coordinator) at your institution to obtain details. The list of participating institutions along with contact information for each may be found at http://www.sfs.opm.gov/ContactsPI.aspx.

1. What costs do the SFS program scholarships cover? Typically, the scholarships provide academic year stipends of up to $22,500 per year for undergraduate students and up to $34,000 for graduate students. In addition, SFS scholarships may cover expenses normally incurred by full-time students in the institution, including tuition, and education-related fees (does not include items such as meal plans, housing or parking), a health insurance reimbursement allowance up to $3,000 per year; a professional development allowance of $4,000 for the SFS Job Fair and other travel, professional certification, etc., and a book allowance of $2,000 per academic year. Each participating institution manages their SFS grant. The actual amounts of the scholarship and what is covered will vary by institution. For specific information at a particular institution you must contact the Principal Investigator (PI) at that institution.
2. When, and for how long, can I get a scholarship? This can vary by university depending on the program. Typically it’s the final two years of a bachelor’s- or master’s-level program; final three years of study where the student is receiving both the bachelor’s and the master’s degree; final three years in combined bachelor’s and master’s degree (“five year”) programs; or for the final three years of research-based doctoral-level study.

[anb1337]

@mom2collegekids It isn’t Penn State, it’s Temple University.

@mommdc If you go here: https://bursar.temple.edu/tuition-and-fees/tuition-rates and enter in my info:
-PA Resident
-College of Science and Technology
-College student JR/SR rates
-Full Time

My annual rate, after university service fees, is $18,286, with no meal plan, no housing, no books, no cost of transportation.

[twoinanddone]

You might have to go to school every other semester and work when you need to replenish your funds. Or, you could look for a school with a good co-op program. Most students can earn enough on the co-ops to pay for the next term.

[mamag2855]

@anb1337 Did you take a look at West Chester University, another instate public approx. 30 minutes south of Philly? Depending on your location, it may be within commuting range. The campus is very nice and West Chester is a cute small town. WCU is a popular choice for students in my area. SEPTA has bus service to WCU.

Although WCU does not have IT as major, they do offer some good alternatives: majors in Computer Science, Mathematics with Computational concentration, Business Management, Finance, which could be paired with minors in Web Technology and Applications, Information Technology, and Business Geographic Information Systems, and Applied Statistics.

Total Costs In State:
Full-Time: $21,409.70, Includes Room and board
Commuter: $9,461.56

WCU recommends applying by June 1st for fall semester, but it does not seem to be a firm requirement.

[shuffle1]

Temple’s not a public. And WCU or the PS campuses are as strong in those fields.

[kidzncatz]

@shuffle1 Temple is as much a public as Penn State. They are both state-related.

[mommdc]

So Temple is the only school in commuting distance?

Does one of the Penn State branches near you offer a 4yr computing degree? Penn State Abington?

Also if you got into Pitt or Penn State and that “Scholarship for Service” program, you could pay for your housing and meals possibly with state grant and student loan since the scholarship should cover tuition.

Actually I would go to Pitt, has a good CS program and coop program.

[mommdc]

http://abington.psu.edu/information-sciences-and-technology-ist

4yr degree at Penn State Abington (IST)

[mommdc]

https://cs.pitt.edu/undergrads/coop

Pitt CS coop program

[mommdc]

http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates/security-and-risk-analysis-bachelors/overview

Penn State online BS in security and risk analysis

[anb1337]

Hi everyone. I appreciate all of your feedback and I’m looking into everything you’ve all suggested. You’ve all been so wonderful and helpful. Thank you very much.

[mapy529]

Do you know which schools offer this?

[mommdc]

^https://www.sfs.opm.gov/contactspi.aspx

List of participating schools for Scholarship for Service Cybercorps program

[CCDD14]

I just want to mention that you do not have to major in “Cyber security” to work in the field. Breadth of IT knowledge and the ability to program are valued. You can enter the field from many directions. You can major in CS or IT or computer networking, pass certifications, join Internet groups, etc. Build yourself a Linux laptop, install Nmap and other tools and hack away.