<p>So I applied to the NYS STEM Incentive Program and got a mail yesterday stating that I was accepted for the award. The award pays for all of your tuition if you're attending a CUNY or SUNY, but you must work in a STEM related field and reside in NYS for five years after you graduate. I will be attending Stony Brook University this coming fall and picked Chemistry as my major. However, once I start I will be changing my major to chemical engineering. My question is, Should I accept this award? I'm just worried that I won't be able to find a job after I graduate and will be forced to pay the money back. What do you guys think? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks :) </p>
<p>Wouldn’t chemical engineering be considered a STEM major? Ask.</p>
<p>Start here:</p>
<p><a href=“Free SUNY, CUNY Tuition to STEM Students in Top 10% of HS Class - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums”>Free SUNY, CUNY Tuition to STEM Students in Top 10% of HS Class - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums;
<p>You will see that Chemical engineering is an approved job</p>
<p>^Do you have other scholarships to cover your tuition?</p>
<p>^^No I do not. I just have the pell grants as well as tap. If I accept the award, I’ll have to pay a little less than 2k, which can be covered by loans.</p>
<p>^^What other choice do you have to pay your college?</p>
<p>What are the terms if you do have to pay it back? Is it a lump sum? With interest from the date of disbursement? It might be just like an interest free loan if you only have to pay back the original sum. It may be that in 4-9 years (at grad or during the 5 year period) you are offered a high paying job OOS. That’s a nice problem to have!</p>
<p>I’d take the grant, mindful of the conditions. You’ll have to weigh any OOS offers in light of having to repay the grant.</p>
<p>will you be commuting to school or will you be staying on campus?</p>
<p>THe scholarship will cover SUNY/CUNY tuition - any TAP or scholarship the student receives that is applicable toward tuition.</p>
<p>OP would be responsible for fees, room and board (if living on campus), books, transportation and misc. expenses></p>
<p>Op will use Pell to offset fees, and a portion of room and board. Op will still have to exhaust his direct sub and unsub loans and will still have to come out of pocket, get a job or have parents pay and remainder of cost.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that full TAP, Full Pell and a Full direct will not cover the full cost of attending SUNY and living on campus. Op will still have to work and parents may still have to take a PLUS loan to make up the difference.</p>
<p>If OP is meets the requirements; 2.5 minimum GPA, committed to STEM and committed to working in NYS after graduation, there s/he should be fine.</p>
<p><a href=“NYS Higher Education Services Corporation - NYS Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Incentive Program”>NYS Higher Education Services Corporation - NYS Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Incentive Program;
<p>Thanks a lot for the responses! But I also have another question. If I were to accept this award, would my FAFSA and TAP be lower? I got full FAFSA and TAP.</p>
<p>What does “I got full FAFSA” mean? FAFSA gives NO money. It is a financial aid application form that determines eligibility for federally funded aid. Are you saying you got a full Pell grant, and the TAP?</p>
<p>If you got full tap, It would be full tuition - your tap award</p>
<p>SUNY tuition is ~ $6170 per year</p>
<p><a href=“Cost & Financial Aid”>http://www.stonybrook.edu/ugadmissions/financial/costs.shtml</a></p>
<p>Maximum TAP for dependent students $5165</p>
<p>Tuition scholarship is 6170 -5165 = 1005</p>
<p>Your Pell would be used to pay fees = 2260 </p>
<p>Maximum Pell grant = 5730 - 2260 = 3470</p>
<p>If you are staying on campus, you will 11819 to cover room and board</p>
<p>3470 (pell) + 5500 (direct loans) = 8970</p>
<p>You have a gap of 2849 (just to move on campus, take classes and eat. this does not include books, transportation or other misc. cost).</p>
<p>You parents can take a PLUS loan to cover the balance. If they are denied a PLUS loan, you can borrow and additional $4000 as an unsubsidized loan.</p>
<p>DId you get accepted through EOP? If yes, they may provide either additional funds or book stipends</p>
<p>^^ So you’re saying that the amount I would get from TAP is going to be subtracted from the amount I would get from the award? So in the end I would only get 1005? And no, I didn’t get in through EOP.</p>
<p>Do you think it would still be worth it to accept the award?</p>
<p>See <a href=“http://www.hesc.com/content.nsf/ca/TAP_Award_Estimator_for_Financially_Dependent_Students[quote]The”>http://www.hesc.com/content.nsf/ca/TAP_Award_Estimator_for_Financially_Dependent_Students
</p>
<p>
Sure, it’s free money if you plan to work in New York state for five years after graduation.</p>
<p>Can you afford stony brook without it?
Do you pal n on working and living in NYS after graduation?
Is there FWS in your financial aid package (to cover pocket money, misc expenses)</p>
<p>If you don’t take the scholarship, do you have the money to pay the balance of the tuition?
Are your parents willing to apply for a PLUS loan to cover the balance.</p>
<p>the real question you should be asking yourself if attending Stony Brook is worth $40k in debt (keep in mind that tuition/fees/room and board will slightly increase each year)? </p>
<p>I definitely could afford SB without the award. But I’m planning on working in NY so I guess I might as well accept it.</p>
<p>If you have full TAP and Full Pell, then your parents have a 0 EFC, meaning that they are low income.
with full tap, full pell and a full sub/ unsub loan and a gap of almost 5k that your minimally your parents will have to come out of pocket with (this does not even include the start up cost associated with getting the supplies you need to live on campus). If your parents are turned down for a PLUS loan, you will barely have enough $$ to move on campus and attend classes (without sheets on your bed)</p>
<p>If you need the $$ and you plan on working in NY after graduation, take the scholarship as it will be $1000 less that your family will have to come out of pocket.</p>
<p>The award is not as generous as it sounds, and could lead to issues, given the large exodus from STEM majors. Or from those who find they can’t stand working in that field. How the reimbursement of those moneys will work if the terms of the tuition waivers are not met seem problematic to me. Given a student is usually 18 years old when making this commitment in a high dropout/weedout major makes me very antsy about this deal.</p>