<p>My son applied to UofA today and I am curious what his chances are. We are OOS- North Carolina
He has a 3.5 uw & 4.2 w GPA. He has 8 AP’s, but didn’t score very high on his ACT (22) after taking it twice. He is planning on taking it again next month, but I am not sure how much this score will hurt him. He has a pretty good list of EC’s including: Varsity Football, National Honor Society, National Latin Honor Society, Beta Club, FCA, FFA and hours of community service through our church. He is also of Hispanic decent and he would be considered first generation, as my husband and I both did not attend college.
Any thoughts you have will be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>I would expect him to be accepted. I know a couple people who’ve been accepted (from OOS) with lower ACT scores and far lower GPAs. </p>
<p>I would give him a 75% chance of being accepted, although scholarships are really the meat and potatoes here.</p>
<p>His GPA will get him in - I am nearly certain. As long as you have a strong GPA, then your test score is minimized. </p>
<p>Have you visited? If not, will you do so?</p>
<p>Thanks for your input! I am really hoping he gets in. We haven’t visited yet, but if he gets accepted, that’s definitely our Spring Break trip!</p>
<p>If you send his scores and transcripts, he’ll probably be accepted before he even takes that Dec ACT. </p>
<p>@mom2collegekids - I’ve been reading a lot of these threads just to try and get more info on UofA and what to expect in the whole application process. I have a question though- if my son gets accepted, how will we know which scholarships he can qualify for? He will definitely need financial help with the tuition, but I am still unsure, given his 22 ACT score, if he will even qualify for anything. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>I am sorry to say but he won’t qualify for any scholarships. The smallest award (which isn’t much) is given to those with an ACT 27. </p>
<p>Scholarships (at nearly every school) are based largely on test scores. That is because many students have high GPAs these days. A school’s ranking is largely influenced by the test scores of its students. Typically, merit awards are given to the students whose test scores are within the top 25% of the school. Obviously, a school can’t give merit scholarships to most of its students, so test scores weigh heavily in determining who will get them.</p>
<p>At Bama, there are some smaller awards that are given to those whose test scores are between the top 25-40% of the school, which is why there is a small award for those with an ACT 27</p>
<p>This is how the merit scholarship award process usually works:</p>
<p>There is a large pool of kids with high GPAs.</p>
<p>There is a smaller pool of kids with high test scores.</p>
<p>There is an even smaller pool of kids with both high test scores and high GPAs. These are the students that typically get the merit scholarships.</p>
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<p>Do you know how much you can pay? Have you run the net price calculator on Bama’s website? If so, you’ve likely seen that he will get offered a $5500 student loan, but not likely much else. </p>
<p>Getting financial aid from any OOS public is going to be extremely difficult because only a tiny number give need-based aid to cover the high OOS rates. Publics charge high OOS rates because those families don’t pay taxes here. Because of that, schools can’t justify giving need-based aid to cover the high OOS costs. Otherwise, they wouldn’t bother to charge the high OOS costs. Does that make sense? </p>
<p>Have you run the net price calculators for North Carolina schools that he can get accepted to? If so, what were the results? </p>
<p>If the NC publics that will accept him will be affordable, then those will likely be where he’ll need to go if Bama isn’t affordable. </p>
<p>I know this is frustrating for a student who has good grades, but modest scores. Is he applying to any UNC publics? Where else is he applying? What attracted him to Bama? Maybe we can suggest an affordable alternative.</p>
<p>Is he wanting to go to a school with big Div I football?</p>
<p>Another option is to apply to a couple of Test Optional schools that give very good need-based aid…But only do this if the NPC indicate that he would get enough need based aid. At Test Optional schools, he’d only get need based aid, because they also use test scores to award merit. </p>
<p>If you tell us how much you can pay, we can better direct you with ideas as to where he should apply.</p>
<p>(I see that your son has applied to U South Carolina. He’s going to have the same issue there. USCarolina will likely expect you to pay nearly all OOS costs. Have you run their NPC?)</p>
<p>I apologize, I should have been clearer in regards to his financial help needs. He is the oldest of our children so this is the first time we have ever done this. We can help him with some money up front, but I am asking more in the lines of student loans. My husband has already started to look to see what we/he can qualify for. Alabama, USC & UNC Chapel Hill are his top choices (Bama being #1 of course- Roll Tide!), however UNC Chapel Hill is extremely difficult for admittance, especially with us living in the county we do- HUGE competition pool. If he gets accepted to Alabama, we are willing to help him with whatever he needs in order to fulfill his dream. </p>
<p>While your son has a chance of being accepted at Alabama, and USC, I am concerned about the financial aspects of attending an OOS state college for a family that will need to be taking loans. I understand you want to do your best to support your son, but how much a family can do that is a reality for all of us- and also considering that you have younger children, you want to be able to help them too. Beyond expenses like tuition and dorm fees, are those extras that add up- dorm stuff ( bedding, towels…) travel costs, some fun ( ordering pizza and going out with friends) and travel that needs to be considered.</p>
<p>There is a lot to like about Alabama- however, when finances are a concern there is also the consideration of quality at the best price- and that is often in a student’s home state where your taxes are supporting the college and you can attend at a lower price. The OOS colleges might be glad to have your son, at OOS prices. The total cost of attendance at Alabama for OOS would be about $35K and a NC college is about $20K a year, with a total difference of $60K- and if you have other children, could you do that for them too?</p>
<p>There is another reason kids love OOS colleges- they are unknown and exciting, whereas that state college down the street isn’t because it is familiar and kids know the good and the bad about it. Then there is the peer talk, and living in a state where the flagship is a superstar like UNC, that takes the focus and shadows the other good schools. If you consider selectivity alone, Alabama is about as selective as UNC Wilmington, and they both have graduation rates of approximately 70% ( good for a large state college) . I’m not suggesting that any two schools are the same, but if you could attend a college that had similarities to Alabama: selectivity, graduation rate, sports, an honors college, for almost half the price, wouldn’t you take a closer look at it?</p>
<p>Now your son might not be too enthusiastic, because looking at Wilmington while all your peers are talking about UNC is not as exciting as an OOS college, and also, because I don’t think many students at this age truly understand the costs- they are just such large numbers to begin with. However, if you have not done it yet, now is the time to discuss the role costs will play in the decision of which college to attend. Your son loves some schools that are either reaches (UNC) or have costly OOS fees, and that could be a set up for disappointment. It is understandable that he loves these schools- but it would be good if he also loved some financial and academic safeties and matches too. </p>
<p>It’s fine to apply to the schools he likes- he should do that, as the financials may not be known until acceptance, however, I hope he has applied to others- UNCW, UNCC, ECU, and Appalachian State (reach) are possibilities. A safety would be UNCG. Through the website- CFNC- he can apply to all of them with one basic application. The investment in application fees is worth it if it adds to much savings later. Although he may not be enthusiastic about some of them, let him know that applying is simply that. Where he goes will be decided later, when all the choices and the costs are known. </p>
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<p>Your son can borrow the following amounts on his own:</p>
<p>frosh $5500
soph $6500
jr 7500
sr 7500</p>
<p>Parents can take out Plus Loans. Those are federal loans. Parents can borrow the entire amount if they wish. However, that will mean a LOT of debt for the parents. You mention having “children” so you have more kids to put thru college. If you have to borrow a good bit for Child #1, and then have to borrow again for the other children, consider how much debt that will be.</p>
<p>If your son is able to take out his student loan, work/save as much as he can over summers and also part-time during the school year, and you’re able to pay a portion and borrow an affordable amount, then maybe Alabama would be doable. His summer earnings can go towards books and meal plan. A part-time job during the school year can provide his pocket-money. </p>
<p>There are some ways to reduce the cost of attendance. If he chooses the Standard Doubles dorm and chooses a less expensive meal plan for sophomore year on, buys used books or rents them, then he can cut some of the cost of the total COA. </p>
<p>Since your son is a first generation college student, I think he qualifies for the Coca Cola scholarship which is (I think) $1000. It isn’t much, but every little bit helps.</p>
<p>It may be doable so worth applying. Another note is that colleges also have scholarships that are state resident, and even county resident specific, so worth looking for under the scholarship sections of the NC colleges you are applying to. Some may even have scholarships for first generation and/or minority students and supports in place ( mentoring) for first generation students. Some of these are automatic, so you will see them on the financial aid statement when he is accepted. </p>
<p>Another match-safety ( for his scores) is Western Carolina U. also has sports-. It is good to apply to a range of match safeties as each has different scholarships he may qualify for. Again, you don’t have to decide until you have the choices and costs in front of you, but the more choices, the better you can make the one that fits you best. </p>
<p>Western Carolina or a few of the NC schools with Div 1 football could be safeties. </p>
<p>@ncmom99 Can you tell us how much you’re comfortable contributing each year? </p>
<p>Good chance, although the ACT score is low. The GPA is fine though. I think he’ll might get in. Although honestly, Alabama has rolling admissions, so he should have applied a few months earlier for the best possible chance. 
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<p>Has he ever taken the SAT? </p>