I’m a freshman math major at UMass Amherst, and, though it is a good school, its environment does not suit me very well, and I honestly don’t see myself being happy here for four years. I’m quite an introvert, and having come from a small private Catholic high school, I have found it difficult to find a niche for myself at UMass. Meanwhile, finances are getting tight for me. UMass gives my family next to no financial aid (total cost for me is about $25,000/year), but various factors, such as my siblings being in private school, have made it so that my parents can’t help me out very much, and even with a part-time job, I would still be taking on big debt. My parents have floated ideas like community college or the military, but I’m not very keen on either of those paths.
So this leaves me with a difficult situation. I am simultaneously looking for scholarship money and for a school that is a better fit for me. My high school record was excellent (valedictorian, 2240 on old SAT, National Merit Finalist), and I got a 4.0 GPA during my first semester at UMass. Would this record be good enough to give me a chance at an Ivy or other elite schools? Are there any good colleges that could give me a full ride or close to a full ride? As it stands, I am looking into Boston College and Cornell as possible options. I am open to going out of the Northeast (live in MA), but only for the “right school.” I am asking for advice on how to approach this situation. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
You’ve kind of missed the boat.
When you were a high school senior you asked about large merit for being a potential NMF and you were told where you’d get those awards. Now, it’s too late.
There are few/no large awards for transfers. You might find a private that might give you $15k-20k per year in merit, but the remaining cost would be higher than UMass. That’s your biggest problem now.
there are no schools that will give you a free ride or near free ride as a transfer. I doubt you could even find a school that would give you free tuition.
You knew that paying for college would be an issue 18 months ago so WHY did you go to a school with no aid when parents can’t pay much? I hope younger students reading this thread will take note.
Applying to BC or ivies probably still won’t get you a cost lower than UMass since those schools don’t give merit scholarships.
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I am open to going out of the Northeast (live in MA), but only for the "right school."
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Sorry, but the limitations that you put on yourself 18months ago (and still now) are what got you into this trouble.
What is your FAFSA EFC?
How much debt are you accumulating at UMass each year? Sounds like you’ll have to either stay there or go to a CC for a year to save some debt. I know this is awful considering the options you threw away, but that’s the situation.
@mom2collegekids, do elite schools like Ivies meet full need for transfer students? I’ve never been able to reliably find that out, and those schools’ financial aid websites don’t seem to really confirm that information.
I know Columbia meets 100% of financial need for transfer students, but based on OP’s older posts it sounds like the parents are upper-middle-class and may fall in the donut hole where they won’t get enough aid to afford it.
I agree though, OP; I don’t think you’ll find anywhere to go at this point that will cost you less than $25,000 a year.
If your parents can’t help you repay the loans after your siblings graduate from the private schools I’d leave your current school because $100k is too much debt. Can you withdraw now? After one semester your debt should only be ~$12k. That’s not too bad.
How much will your parents pay per year? Will they help at all or are you on your own? I’d investigate colleges to see if any classify students with ~15 credits as freshmen. I think it’s a long shot, but there may be something. I wouldn’t join the military, but I would consider community college. They’re a great way to save money. Are there any 4-year colleges you can commute to from home? That’s a good option if you have it.
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@mom2collegekids, do elite schools like Ivies meet full need for transfer students? I’ve never been able to reliably find that out, and those schools’ financial aid websites don’t seem to really confirm that information.
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@juillet some, not all, do, but that’s likely not going to help this student UNLESS somehow his CSS Profile indicates need that will require payment less than UMass.
HIs main problem for the last 18 months of posting is that his family won’t pay much for college because younger siblings are in costly private schools. Several of us have responded in his past threads, when he was in high school, where he was looking for full-rides because family contribution would be low. Even as late as June of senior year he again was concerned about costs at UMass and again we pointed him to places where his NMF status could, at last minute, still get him huge merit.
I hope this thread does NOT get moved to the Transfer section because younger kids and parents need to see the longer term problems that come from starting at an unaffordable school, particularly when there were other low cost good options.
I’m not sure that, at this point, transferring to a CC will make much difference. He’s in his first year, he was a top high school student, so probably has a good number of AP credits. He may have junior year status at the end of this semester. I would suggest getting a part-time job now, and a full time job during summers and work/save as much as you can to minimize loans.
Also…I think you’re a math major? Look for some co-ops or internships where you can work and earn money. A co-op situation might eliminate most of your future need for loans.
@newenglander29 How much are your parents paying towards THIS year’s costs at UMass. How much are you borrowing THIS year?
What was your FASFA EFC? It sounds like you only got a tiny merit award and a student loan from UMass.
There is a school that I know of that might give large merit to a transfer with (old) NMF status and that’s Miss State Univ. Very good STEM. Send them an app and see what they might offer.
The problem is that the student’s great high school stats and NMF status aren’t the “money makers” like they were when he was in high school.
I do know of ONE transfer student with NMF status that was given free tuition to Bama as a TRANSFER. It happened this current school year. He was at Rice last year and at Bama this year with free tuition. If you want to explore that option, please PM me and I’ll tell you how to proceed.