<p>Is the undergrad deadline February 1st? Also, is it fine if ACT scores are received after the deadline? I’ll also be sending an application fee waiver tomorrow, along with my transcripts, and I was wondering if it’s fine if those are received late too? (they’ll be post marked before the deadline).</p>
<p>That should be ok.</p>
<p>The UA Admissions person said that people could take the Feb ACT and SAT and send those scores in.</p>
<p>I’ve noticed that you’re applying to many OOS publics and you’re low income. Do you have a plan as to how you’re going to cover the cost of college?</p>
<p>Have you applied to any financial safety schools?</p>
<p>Sounds good! In all honesty, I’m willing to work 80/hrs a week this summer, if it comes down to having to do that. I’m looking for a job as of now. Hopefully I can make around 7-8k by the time fall starts. I also plan on working while in college and my parents can probably put in some money to help me out. Then there’s FAFSA, small private scholarships (If I get lucky), and loans ( I won’t go over 25k in loans for 4 yrs of undergrad). </p>
<p>I do not have any financial safety schools. The reason being is that most of the time financial safety schools are in-state schools, right? Well, I’m not really interested in any in-state schools (Illinois). My dream school was UIUC, but I was flat out rejected. Other in-state schools like NIU,SIU, ISU, etc. don’t really interest me and I’d dislike to end up at a school that doesn’t appeal to me. I plan to retake the ACT this February, hoping for a higher score so that I can appeal my application for UIUC. Hopefully all goes well. I’m just so confused right now. If things don’t turn out well and I’m unable to afford OOS schools, then I’ll most likely end up at a CC (Which is the last place I thought I’d see myself in all my 4 years of high school). My parents would hate to see me end up at a CC as well, but hopefully things go well with U of I.</p>
<p>Thanks for asking/notice, though. I really appreciate it :)</p>
<p>Well, if you can figure out how to pay for Bama, then good.</p>
<p>I do think you’ll be accepted so get your app in ASAP!</p>
<p>Have you done FAFSA yet? Do you know what your EFC is? Once you know that, you’ll know if you get a Pell Grant and how much that will be.</p>
<p>Also, ask your parents how much they can contribute.</p>
<p>Do you know how much Bama is for an OOS student?</p>
<p>I completed the app yesterday but I was unable to submit it, since you’re required to pay the fee first. I’m kind of worried that the deadline is the 1st and my app can’t be submitted until they receive/process the fee waiver. Do you think it’ll be fine if it’s all processed/submitted after the deadline or should I just not risk it and pay the fee ($40)?</p>
<p>Yes, I completed the FAFSA the first week it was released but I’m just waiting on my parents to do their taxes so that I’m able to update the info on my FAFSA. I’m not exactly sure what my EFC is, but I think I was offered $5,500 this year. </p>
<p>I’ll try to ask them how much they can contribute and I’m guessing Bama is around 27-34k a year for OOS students. I became even more interested in Bama when I found out that the cost of OOS tuition was cheaper than most OOS schools. I REALLY appreciate your help! :)</p>
<p>* I’m not exactly sure what my EFC is, but I think I was offered $5,500 this year. </p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Can you clarify? What do you mean that you were offered 5550 this year? Are you a current college student? or did you already graduate from high school?</p>
<p>*I completed the app yesterday but I was unable to submit it, since you’re required to pay the fee first. I’m kind of worried that the deadline is the 1st and my app can’t be submitted until they receive/process the fee waiver. Do you think it’ll be fine if it’s all processed/submitted after the deadline or should I just not risk it and pay the fee ($40)?</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Just quickly send the waiver in. Can you send the paper app with it? I’m not sure if Bama still has a paper app for domestic students.</p>
<p>Yes, you’re right with your cost estimates.</p>
<p>I’m not 100% sure, but I think it said I qualified for that amount. I’m currently a high school senior. </p>
<p>I sent the waiver in today but I’ll try to contact the admissions office about it tomorrow. If anything, I rather not risk not being considered for admissions because of the fee not being waived on time, so I might just pay for it with credit card.</p>
<p>Zyzzthetics, While Alabama is a great school and I am very happy my son is attending there, I think CC is also a great option for students who are short on money and are not offered a significant scholarship. FWIW, I had the option of attending UIUC as a freshman, but elected to attend my local CC instead for the first two years of college so that I could afford to self-fund my college education. While attending the CC, I was able to work 25-30 hrs a week, spend a lot less on tuition, and live at home, all of which allowed me to save up the money needed to fund my last two years at UIUC. My classes at the CC were about 10-25 people max and I can say without hesitation that the instructors I had for my “critical” classes (science & math to support an engineering degree) were easily superior to the profs I had when I transferred to UIUC for my junior and senior years. Upon transferring to UIUC, I was able to focus on engineering classes because all the Gen Ed’s were done at the CC. I transferred in with four other students from the CC and all of us were as prepared for the final two years at UIUC as the students who had survived their freshman and sophomore years at UIUC. I finished college dept free and all any employer cared about was that I was graduating from UIUC with a degree in engineering.</p>
<p>Having said all of that, it was a long time ago, so some things may have changed, and the CC didn’t provide some of the “college experience” that four years at UIUC would have provided.</p>
<p>Zyzz- depending on your major, UIUC may not be all that much less expensive than Bama. My D was accepted to the business school, for which there is a tuition “surcharge,” and with the increase that’s been announced for next year, tuition and fees are about $20,000, in-state. Add room, board, books and personal expenses on top of that and it is NOT an affordable education unless you can get significant aid (we don’t qualify for any aid). I think engineering and some of the sciences pay that higher tuition as well. There are state flagships (Minnesota comes to mind) with out-of-state tuition less than that, and schools like Bama aren’t much more. There are many privates that give merit scholarships/tuition discounts to decent students that will bring their costs in line with UIUC. My D has taken summer courses at our local Illinois CC, and found the education to be great. I would certainly go to our CC before NIU, SIU, etc., and if finances were an issue, before UIUC as well. Good luck!!</p>
<p>ETA: You may want to check with UIUC Admissions, but I do not think they will accept 7th or 8th semester grades or new ACT scores in connection with an appeal.</p>
<p>^ I agree on the current cost for UIUC. The tuition surcharges apply to engineering and biology as well. With the various financial aid packages and scholarships my son was offered, UIUC was his least affordable option.</p>
<p>Zyzz…</p>
<p>You need to sit down with your parents to discuss how much they can contribute. </p>
<p>It sounds like you have a 0 EFC since you qualify for a full Pell Grant. However, if your parents qualified for an “Auto 0 EFC” because their income is low, but they have savings/assets (which are ignored when income is very low), then perhaps they have some funds to help you. But, if they have little in assets and their income is low, then I don’t see how they can contribute much at all.</p>
<p>Once you find out how much your family can contribute, then you need to come up with a plan to cover costs. You have wisely decided not to borrow much.</p>
<p>You can borrow the following amounts:</p>
<p>5500 frosh
6500 soph
7500 jr
7500 sr</p>
<p>I appreciate all of your thoughtful responses. I’ll make sure to look into my local CC more and also to check UIUC’s policy on appealing apps. </p>
<p>Yes mom2collegekids! My EFC was 0. I’ll make sure to ask my parents how much they are willing and able to contribute. Also, those seem like reasonable amounts to borrow. I also contacted the admissions office and spoke to a lady. I told her about my fee waiver dilemma and she told me it’d be fine if it arrived late. She also mentioned the deadline posted online is not an official deadline, more of a guideline. I appreciate everyone’s help!</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Because you have waivers, I think you also qualify to have your deposits waived for enrollment and housing. Ask about that.</p>
<p>Will do! Thanks!</p>