<p>DS is currently a sophomore at a top 30 university and wants to transfer. He currently has a list of 14 colleges that he’s expressed interest in. </p>
<p>The general consensus in various transfer threads conclude that transfers don’t get very good aid at all. I am not well-versed in finding colleges that are financially fit for us.</p>
<p>I want to help him as much as possible by helping him avoid sending apps to schools that are notoriously known for giving bad financial aid (ex., they give a lot of loans as financial aid package and most likely won’t give much need-based grants/scholarships). Would any of you be able to help us gauge where most of the schools on his list stand, with regard to financial aid?</p>
<p>Here is his list:
Fordham
Southern Methodist
Clark University
University of Denver
Syracuse
American
George Washington
Creighton
University of Portland
Seattle University
Gonzaga
Loyola Marymount
Santa Clara
Ithaca</p>
<p>Efc is 5025, less than $1000 in our savings account (and just filed bankruptcy a year and a half ago). I am not able to contribute in any way other than (very limited amounts of) loans. Given our situation, what strategy do you think would help us narrow down his list (solely based on financial aid)? </p>
<p>Are all of these schools too expensive? (I am hoping some of them are generous with need-based grants given our financial background) Any suggestions for colleges that he should add on that are generous for need-based aid?</p>
<p>Also, how accurate are Net-Price calculators?</p>
<p>What is your home state? If it is Oregon, remove Denver from your list (if it is Colorado, remove Portland from your list).</p>
<p>One of the biggest challenges is that none of the schools on your list meets 100% demonstrated need whether the student is a freshman or transfer. This means that there will be a gap in your financial aid, which you state you don’t have the money to fill.</p>
<p>If your S is determine to transfer, you have to start with a financial safety. Run the numbers to see if you will be able to swing tuition at you home state university.</p>
<p>What school does he attend now? What kind of financial aid package does he receive.</p>
<p>Since he just started school, admissions will be based on his current grades, his hs gpa and his SAT scores. What are his stats?</p>
<p>"Top transfer friendly schools for son with low GPA?
Helping out my son who no longer wants to stay at his current university.</p>
<p>He currently has a 3.2 cumulative GPA (as of first semester of sophomore year) at a top 30 university and he’s looking to transfer to another top university for Fall 2014. Ideally, he’d like to apply to schools within the top 50 ranks.</p>
<p>We are also looking for a school that offers need-based financial aid for transfers. (One reason for transferring out of his current institution is because of bad financial aid)</p>
<p>Does anyone have any recommendations for where he will have a good chance at admissions? </p>
<p>We’re not familiar with how competitive he’ll be at many top 50 schools (with his current GPA in mind) so we’re in dire need of assistance with forming a list with reasonable admission chances."</p>
<p>Many/most/all of those schools would NOT be good for a student who is a TRANSFER student who needs massive aid.</p>
<p>These schools might give you a $20k grant or something, but that’s not going to cut it. </p>
<p>Your son probably needs to stay at his school.</p>
<p>The problem is: Schools give their best aid to incoming frosh because the quality of their incoming frosh class is how they get judged. Transfer students don’t do anything to help a school.</p>
<p>I don’t know how you’d help with loans when you have a recent bankruptcy.</p>
<p>Edited to add…</p>
<p>why the bad aid??? Are your incomes too high, but you can’t pay? How did you pay the last year?</p>
<p>What is your CSS “contribution”? </p>
<p>Something’s not right…you have a low FAFSA EFC, yet a top 30 school gave lousy aid. That means that your CSS contribution is high. Are you self-employed? have a lot of home equity? What?</p>
<p>And if so, then why would another school give you aid?</p>
<p>BTW…if the current school is giving lousy aid knowing your situation, why would you think another school would do better?</p>
<p>In terms of affordability, I think you should seriously consider in-state public schools. The list you have will most likely not yield the results you want. You can certainly try for some of these schools, but I doubt the aid will be sufficient. The key is most likely to find an affordable in-state option — there may be some with automatic merit for transfer students with 3.0 and above.</p>
<p>He wants to transfer partly because we can no longer afford it there. </p>
<p>He is currently at NYU (doesn’t meet need). He used to have a scholarship but lost it due to academic performance. @Sybbie, DS had a 3.8 GPA in HS and 2000+ on his SAT. He is a URM (part Native Hawaiian), if that helps in any way. I doubt that he’ll be competitive (3.2 college GPA, sophomore) at any of the schools he applied to in high school.</p>
<p>Home state is HI. Our flagship doesn’t give much aid either but he is keeping them an option. All of our 4 year state universities will still require him to bring our loans (on top of that, we prefer private schools over public). Merit scholarship is very limited and competitive.</p>
<p>Thumper1, Re: NPC’s, if I run it and it doesn’t come close based on freshman calculations, is it safe to take it off the list (assuming freshman’s will no doubt get more aid than transfers)?</p>
<p>@mom2, not sure why about the bad aid. Where can I find my CSS? Grandma (my mom) is helping cosign loans.</p>
<p>I was told he won’t be competitive for schools that meet aid so we didn’t bother looking into those schools. Any suggestions for a school list that a 3.2 GPA <a href=“minor%20college%20EC’s”>as quoted in Madison’s post above</a> student might have a chance at (with colleges that meet need)?</p>
<p>I wouldn’t rule out Fordham, since I know a URM who was accepted as a transfer with good aid - and her gpa was similar to your son’s. That doesn’t mean he will have the same success, but at least it’s not a for sure “no way.”</p>
<p>Other than that, I don’t have much to offer. I wish your S the best as he figures out where to go from here.</p>
<p>Does he have friends who live off campus? Perhaps he can consider getting a part time job, rooming with friends and attending CUNY (tuition would be 15k as an OOS resident).</p>
<p>Thank you Kelsmom, I will tell him to keep Fordham on the list and hope for the best.</p>
<p>And thank you Sybbie, we havent thought of that option before. Do you think CUNY would give reasonable aid to OOS students? We really prefer private over public but well keep that option in mind. </p>
<p>@mom2, Ill have to have my son help me with the CSS contribution youre talking about. Ill get back to you.</p>
<p>I forgot to mention that S2 is attending his freshman year in college next year, and to my understanding would cut the efc in half between the two of them if that matters at all in our conversation.</p>
<p>He currently does not have a set major, still undecided and trying to figure out a career path by taking a variety of classes. He has a few majors (psychology, political science, computer science) in mind and hopes to have a set major to declare by the end of the spring semester. Ideally, hed like to max out at the Sub/Unsub. Fed. student loans he is able to borrow on his own. In reality, it is sounding more and more impossible and will need to pursue outside loans. </p>
<p>After having a talk with my mother, we are lined up to take out a max of $10,000/year for his last two years in outside loans (if needed, also assuming it will only take two more years to graduate when he does transfer). Wed like to avoid outside loans as much as possible, if possible.</p>
<p>Since he’s from HI, check out WUE schools that accept transfers (not all do). Also check the Resource sticky thread at the top of the Transfer Students forum for a link to schools with merit aid for transfers.</p>
<p>Check the net price calculators of each school. Some may explicitly show the difference between frosh and transfer aid (because they as if the student is an incoming frosh or transfer). Public schools may be less likely to have differences in frosh and transfer need-based aid, due to many taking transfer students by design.</p>
<p>Many of these WUE schools are not very selective or expensive (with or without the WUE discount).</p>
<p>One other issue is that if he is a current sophomore, he needs to be able to declare a major by the end of this year (in terms of prerequisite course work completed).</p>
<p>If the cost of NYU is too high, he may want to withdraw now and attend a community college at home to complete the needed prerequisites for his major at a lower cost. Saving a semester of NYU costs may allow for more other choices to transfer to in terms of budget limitations.</p>
<p>*@mom2, I’ll have to have my son help me with the CSS contribution you’re talking about. I’ll get back to you.</p>
<p>I forgot to mention that S2 is attending his freshman year in college next year, and to my understanding would cut the efc in half between the two of them… if that matters at all in our conversation.</p>
<p>He currently does not have a set major, still undecided and trying to figure out a career path by taking a variety of classes. He has a few majors (psychology, political science, computer science) in mind and hopes to have a set major to declare by the end of the spring semester. Ideally, he’d like to max out at the Sub/Unsub. Fed. student loans he is able to borrow on his own. In reality, it is sounding more and more impossible and will need to pursue outside loans. *</p>
<p>When you applied for aid at NYU…did you submit CSS Profile…AND…FAFSA? What aid was your son offered at NYU? If you only submitted FAFSA, then that may partly explain the lousy aid. </p>
<p>Your EFC will split with 2 in college, but since your son is a transfer student that may not mean much except for Pell purposes. </p>
<p>For CSS schools the split won’t be half…it will be 60/60 or more…if the school doesn’t meet need.</p>
<p>Will you have to borrow for your second child’s tuition as well?</p>
<p>One other issue is that if he is a current sophomore, he needs to be able to declare a major by the end of this year (in terms of prerequisite course work completed).</p>
<p>If he’s applying to transfer as an incoming junior, then he needs to declare a major. I don’t think incoming juniors can be undeclared.</p>
<p>He has a few majors (psychology, political science, computer science</p>
<p>With full Direct Loans (about $27k) plus $20k in loans from Grandma, he’s going to have $50k in loans. I would be concerned about him graduating with a degree that wouldn’t lead to a job. That’s a lot of debt for a Poly Sci or psych major with only a Bachelors.</p>
<p>XFER…having two in college and having the EFC “cut in half” only will guarantee to help you at colleges that meet full need. At other schools, it probably won’t matter at all. </p>
<p>As an example, our son attended a college where we were full pay. Our EFC was about $45,000. He got no need based aid. When his little sister enrolled (2 in college), his EFC was $24,000. His merit award increased by $250, but he still received NO need based aid…not even a subsidized loan.</p>
<p>You say you prefer private over public? I have to ask WHY? The reality is that you need to be able to pay for your kids’ college educations and it may be that your costs will be more affordable at a public university in YOUR home state. </p>
<p>NYU reserves their best aid packages for students who have high stats, and need (as you saw). Your son lost his aid due to academic issues. I’m not sure you will find an affordable top 50 option for this student. Private schools that meet full need for all are likely too competitive for him. Those that do NOT guarantee to meet full need have the potential to cost you as much as NYU, or more.</p>
<p>Please…try to look at the end result…getting a college degree! There are many, many fine public universities. Look in your home state. See if any are within commuting distance from home…thus saving you money on room and board. </p>
<p>Of course, keep some of those other schools on his application list, but do be prepared, and prepare HIM to walk away from any acceptance that does not end up being affordable for your family.</p>
<p>Just adding one more thing about WUE, start with the WUE website but if you find schools that look good, be sure to check each college website for details about who is accepted through their WUE program, there may be limits regarding major, fr/transfer, etc.</p>