<p>Since berkeley isn't need blind, should I even bother applying if I'm OOS and needy (financially)?</p>
<p>My academics are good but I'm assuming my financial situation will place me at a disadvantage.</p>
<p>Will you be able to afford it? OOS tuition is ~$23,000 more than in-state tuition, and I don’t think need-based aid can cover that additional OOS cost.</p>
<p>EDIT: If you fill out the [aid</a> calculator](<a href=“https://saservices.berkeley.edu/calculator/"]aid”>Financial Aid Estimator - UC Berkeley Financial Aid and Scholarships Office) with your parent’s help, you can get an estimate for how much school will cost. If you think you can afford it, there’s no reason not to apply.</p>
<p>As on OOS student, the UC’s will not give you any financial aid and very little merit aid (approx. $2500 for regents). If you cannot afford the $55K/year price tag, do not bother to apply.</p>
<p>Regents’ scholarships at Berkeley for students with significant financial need are effectively worth more like $8,500, replacing the expected student loan and work study amount with the scholarship. The web site <a href=“http://financialaid.berkeley.edu/regents-and-chancellors-scholarship”>http://financialaid.berkeley.edu/regents-and-chancellors-scholarship</a> says that “Students with financial need are awarded a need-based scholarship based on a federal formula, up to the scholar’s full financial need”, which implies but does not explicitly state that the OOS additional tuition is covered. If that is something of interest, ask directly.</p>
<p>Of course, remember that getting a Regents’ scholarship at Berkeley is significantly more difficult than getting admitted, so a needy out-of-state student should consider that to be a super-reach. There are a few other big merit scholarships with OOS additional tuition coverage, but those are even harder to get (e.g. Drake for mechanical engineering majors).</p>
<p>Also, note that award amounts for Regents’ scholarships are different at other UCs.</p>
<p>I do believe that Berkeley is “need blind”, in that your ability to pay does not have weight in the admission decision, but for the most part, “free-money” to out-of-state students is only up to the “in-state” tuition price. So you might get in, but can you afford to attend? And if you can’t afford to attend it probably doesn’t make sense to apply. </p>
<p>Just apply and see what happens. I was OOS when I applied, high price tag, had another great offer, but God decided this was the best place for me :)</p>
<p>OOS candidates can get financial aid, but not for the OOS fee. And most aid is in the form of Pell and SEOG grants and loans. </p>