Hi everyone,
Since I am about to wrap up my college apps (2/1 deadlines), I am now looking for some scholarships to apply to. Given that many of the major ones have already passed (Gates, Coca Cola, etc.) are there any more that are considered “major” in terms of giving money to students from low-income families?
Thanks so much for the help!
I don’t know about large scholarships for low income students, however, my daughter did well earning a number of local scholarships as a high school senior. Most involved an application and essay along with a teacher recommendation or two. They came from various community organizations. Your school guidance counseling office might have a list of these. They did add up to almost 7000 dollars.
Hopefully, the colleges to which you applied have scholarships. The best scholarships, at this point, will come from the colleges to which you are admitted.
If you are “low income” many of these will meet your full need as the colleges calculate it to be. Did you run the net price calculators? Was your net price affordable at these schools?
You have excellent stats, and have good acceptance potential. This is a pretty top heavy list…but it seems you are from CA, right?
If you are really low income…do you qualify for the Calgrant?
I do qualify for the Calgrant. Just for reference, my family’s income is a little less than $50k. I am banking on the colleges to give me scholarship. From my understanding, most will give a full tuition pay given my income so we will have to see. I am from CA.
I have used the NPCs but they say that I have to pay around $10-$15k a year, which I don’t think will be affordable for my family.
Are any of the UC schools within commuting distance from your home? That would save you the costs of room and board, and I believe your tuition would be covered.
@Gumbymom with this income…would any more money be awarded from CA to cover room and board costs?
@thumper1 and @GoBears2023:
Cal Grant B could cover some living expenses. @GoBears2023 did you run the Net Price calculators?
With your stats, the Regent Scholarship or Chancellor Scholarship are possibilities which could cover all costs at the UC’s when combined with Federal/Cal Grant aid since OP is eligible for the Blue and Gold Opportunity.
Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan:
If you are eligible, your systemwide tuition and fees will be fully covered by scholarship or grant money. The plan combines all sources of scholarship and grant awards you receive (federal, state, UC and private) to go toward covering your tuition and fees.
Students with greater financial need can qualify for even more grant support to help defray other educational expenses (like books, housing, transportation, etc.).
?? The Net Price Calculators on UT, Purdue, GT and UWash websites indicated that you’ll only pay $15k? That doesn’t seem likely. Those schools are terrible about given OOS aid. Maybe you just ran the Net Price Calculators for the privates???
$10k per year would be a stretch budget with a federal direct loan and some part time and summer work earnings, if you have no other money (savings or parent contribution).
@mom2collegekids I ran NPCs for the privates only. I didn’t even bother for the publics yet. I have already hear of the horrors for OOS financial aid.
@ucbalumnus Thanks for the input!
@thumper1 Just for reference, I live in Salinas. I think the closest UC would be either UCSC or UCSB.
@Gumbymom
What you said makes me a little more hopeful for the financial aspect of college!
file the fafsa…the number on there will be quite accurate in terms of what you may have to pay…
You wrote this…
That is just plain poppycock.
For schools that use the FAFSA (unless it’s University of Chicago), they don’t meet full need, so the FAFSA EFC is the MINIMUM you will be expected to pay.
If a school uses the CSS Profile, the information on that is what the colleges use to determine the awarding of institutional need based aid.
The FAFSA EFC is used to determine eligibility for federally funded need based aid, but some schools do use it to determine their institutional aid as well.
But to say that the number on the FAFSA will be “quite accurate in terms of what you my have to pay” is very misleading.
Thanks for the info!
@thumper1 interesting. well, at least it has been accurate in my situation, for an UC school. I don’t know about the private schools. That’s good to know.