So I got into both my safety school (Kent State University) and my dream school (the Ohio State University), and I’m really wanting to go to OSU. I love the campus and am actually planning on moving to/staying in Columbus after I graduate. Here’s the thing: Kent State has given me an $8,000 per year scholarship, and even though I applied to one of Ohio State’s full rides, the criteria are very steep and I’m worried I won’t get it. Since I live near Kent, I’d stay at home and so would only have to pay around $2,000 a year with the scholarship. However, I’ve been taking dual-enrollment at Kent all four years of high school, so to me staying here would feel like staying in high school for a few more years. I really want to get out of the house and start living my adult life, but I also realize that graduating with no debt would be amazing. Is it worth giving up my dream school?
I think this is a conversation to have with your parents. Can they pay for Ohio State?
Finaid.org has a really nice claculator that can help you compare the aid packages. Go find that link, and run your numbers when you have your complete aid packages. Depending on your major, student debt up to the federal loan maximum can be manageable.
Will any of your dual enrollment credits transfer into your degree program at OSU or Kent State? If so, how much time (and expense) will this shave off of your college education?
What’s your major? What would be the all-in costs for 4 years at OSU?
You just need to talk to your parents, room and board alone will be more than 40K at OSU. your stats are still 31/3,75? In reality this wouldn’t give you the big scholarships. It is unlikely to be your decision.
You might not know your financial aid package with Ohio State until sometime in April. Have you applied for the special scholarships? Instructions are on their website and due Feb. 1, so none of those award notifications will be made before that.
The only award letters my kids received before Feb 1 were the university awards (Maximus/Provost/Trustee) in January. Additional awards were posted to their buckeye portal.
OSU also is making sure all instate students that are pell or Ohio affordability grant recipients receive at least the value of full tuition in their aid packages.
If Ohio State is your first choice find out from your hs guidance counselor if your school nominates a student for the Honda Stem Scholars program (used to be called Honda Math Medal).
Just wanted to throw it out there that you can go to Kent state as a residential student, if your parents will pay for it. Even though you live close, it can get you that out of the house experience and in my opinion give you a much better college experience (again, all depends on $$$).
Have you looked around at other Ohio schools, maybe with lower average stats than Kent State…you could apply and hopefully get more merit money, enough to offset living in the dorm.
“graduating with no debt would be amazing”
Very true. Graduating with no debt is a very big deal. A lot of recent graduates are making sort of barely enough to live on, but not enough to both live comfortably and also pay off a debt. My daughter who graduated in April is very glad to have no debt at this point.
One option to consider: Go to Kent State. Live on-campus for one year. This will give you a “away at college” experience and will help you to meet people. Then move home for your last three years to save money.
Educate yourself on what it means to have student debt. Dave Ramsey has a call in program and he takes questions on student loans. Go to youtube and look up “Dave Ramsey student loans”.