<p>My DS and I are slowly coming to the conclusion that his college plans won't work out like he hoped. We are in need of significant aid in order to send him anywhere other than the local directional U (and that one will be a struggle). We thought he had applied to a variety of schools that would give him the best chance of merit aid. </p>
<p>He applied to one OOS Public with guaranteed full tuition due to his 3.9/34 ACT, his in-state flagship, the local directional U, two small schools where he is both a recruited athlete and well above the 75th % of accepted students, one OOS public that he really liked just to see what happened, and two privates known for good merit aid.</p>
<p>He has been accepted to every school that has released decisions (6), and made honors at all as well. At this point, it seems that he will only get enough money to attend one of the small schools or the local directional U. These two probably fell at or near the bottom of his mental ranking.</p>
<p>He doesn't yet know that he didn't get any scholarship $ at the OOS "let's see what happens" school, or that he only got a pittance from our state flagship. I get to break that to him tonight. It's just really sad watching him cross schools off his list that he really liked, and see his viable choices being reduced. </p>
<p>I'm not sure why I'm posting other than to vent out loud here, so I can hopefully put a positive spin on things when I talk to him tonight.</p>
<p>I’m not understanding how he could not get a “guaranteed” full tuition if he qualified. Did he miss an application deadline? Or was it a competative that he was only qualified to compete for?</p>
<p>Perhaps you have not heard yet about merit scholarships. Your child has an outstanding record. Sometimes schools release their acceptance decisions letters first and merit scholarship letters come later. I suggest you call and find out if scholarship decisions are out. You might be pleasantly surprised!</p>
<p>Has the OPs kid received ALL of his financial aid packages? Seems early for getting those at some places. </p>
<p>How is it that he didn’t get a guaranteed scholarship based on his GPA/ACT score? Was it not guaranteed for everyone who applied? I don’t understand.</p>
<p>Also…just curious…didn’t your son open his own college mail?</p>
<p>That’s really a shame. I read your son’s profile and it looks like he is national/ near national level on a couple sports, along with a stellar academic record. If a kid like this can’t have a great selection of schools, what a shame.</p>
<p>Well, hopefully things turn out alright. Of course they will in the long run, but in the short run I wish you luck as well.</p>
<p>The whole point of safeties is to have a school that you would be happy to attend and your parents can afford to send you. At least at this point in the admissions cycle, he’s got one school that he’s chosen that gives him both.</p>
<p>once you get financial aid decisions you can always challenge them too. Sometimes recruited athletes will get more money later if you are having difficulty with the package. </p>
<p>Most financial aid awards come out in early April. I’d call the schools where he has been accepted and ask questions about financial aid. Perhaps there are other school scholarships for which he is being considered that he didn’t have to apply for.</p>
<p>Are these only merit awards that he’s been notified of? I don’t see how this could be the complete picture! Need based aid could be significant, particularly at your in state schools (including flagship). Sounds like you’re throwing in the towel too soon!</p>
<p>^ I agree with posters who are saying it’s way too early to know anything about financial aid. Those who are telling you that it’s possible to negotiate in some cases are right.</p>
<p>Hmm, how to respond. Let’s start with Roll Tide</p>
<p>I see your son received a full tuition scholarship to Alabama. My son did as well and is very happy to be attending in the fall. I’m not sure if you’ve visited but it just blew him away the two times he was there. It is 20 hours for us and my son won’t be 17 until first semester, so it is a long way for him. With the full tuition the cost is well below our state flagship and local state school.</p>
<p>My S needed to receive substantial merit to attend anywhere. He applied to schools where we thought he would receive substantial merit. He is 6/6 on acceptances but the merit offers at all but the small school at the bottom of his list have been minimal (apart from the Presidential scholarship at Alabama). Depending on your S’s major he could be in the running for additional scholarships by major at Alabama? Is he nmf? </p>
<p>Is it where I thought he would be two years ago? No, it was not on our radar. My older 2 went to Ivies. With grad school looming no one wanted to be borrowing for undergrad and I am still paying for the Ivy. We went down and visited in June were pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere and the honors college. I am thrilled that he has this opportunity. </p>
<p>Before you settle on the local directional U, I would go check out 'bama. If you can’t get there at least go to the Alabama forum where you will find some incredibly warm people many who are in the same boat.</p>
<p>with a 34 ACT there are several Western School that would have offered good aid to OOC. If you want AID you might have to keep applying. It is still early for many schools but the location may not be what you want.</p>
<p>I think it is important to emphasize the positives. There will be affordable schools. Kids should not fall in love before they see the sticker price for them - after that, if it’s affordable they can be head over heels about any school. I think it’s important for parents and students to stay grounded in the college process to avoid this sadness and the let down when a sense of entitlement doesn’t pay off. I realize that some community culture’s heighten this sense of “should have” “must have” etc. but, as a parent, you need to combat that - be happy, show your son how to be happy about his options.</p>
This is not true. You state on another thread your son got full tuition at Alabama. Why did he apply there if he didn’t want to go? He would rather go to directional U than Bama?</p>
<p>On a different thread, the OP posted that her S did get the full tuition scholarship fr. Alabama but that it was 6.5 hours from home and he wasn’t sure he wanted to be that far away. OP also said that the cost of Alabama beyond the tuition might be a stretch.</p>