Seeking assistance with DS's transfer list (based on FA)

<p>XFER…he has a college GPA of 3.2 and lost merit aid? How did that happen?</p>

<p>NYU has very onerous requirements to keep your scholarships (min. 3.5- 3.7 gpa). Depending on the classes he took freshman/sophomore year, some could have been weed-outs or graded on brutal curves. So if he got more Bs than As, he could have very easily lost the scholarship (3.2 is slightly under a B+ gpa)</p>

<p>Yes, merit scholarships that require a 3.5 GPA can be unnecessarily risky and stressful for students who need them to be able to afford to attend the school. A 3.0 GPA is much less of an issue, at least for top-end (full tuition or higher) scholarships that are presumably offered to the top few percent of incoming students.</p>

<p>Thanks for mentioning WUE entomom and ucbalumnus, we’ll look into them. We have also looked into having him stay here for this spring semester but don’t know how he feels about it (had him thinking about it). </p>

<p>@mom2, I was not involved in completing these FA forms, he does it alone. He did fill out both, to my understanding…since NYU required the CSS, I’m sure he sent that one in.
I only know about the FAFSA efc because I helped him with it when he applied a couple years ago.</p>

<p>I am hoping my second son will get some scholarships to pay for his tuition, we applied to some schools that [we were told] would give excellent aid, based on his stats.</p>

<p>Just to put things in perspective, if he were to pursue a Poly Sci or Psy degree, how much would sound reasonable to pay? He has some Comp Sci prereqs done so that might be an option too.</p>

<p>@Thumper, Re: Public Schools… sorry, I should have explained much earlier. I know it may sound crazy to some by preferring private over public, but I have seen the differences myself and will stand by it strongly.</p>

<p>I am a graduate of public school (Pre-K-some college) in HI. Both my sons attend(ed) Kamehameha Schools, a private school here for Native Hawaiians/ part-NH, and I can definitely see a big difference in education and opportunities (compared to the public schools we have here).</p>

<p>Based on my experience, there is a noticeable difference in overall quality that is somewhat lacking in our public education system of Hawaii today. Don’t know if it’s a problem we have solely in HI but I don’t want to deal with it. Lack of funding = limited resources, administration issues, focus on standardization, stale curriculum, etc… I am not for it, and rather be spending my money elsewhere. </p>

<p>For those who claim that “college is what you make of it,” I disagree… to an extent. It’s hard to make something of it if “nothing” is there in the first place. A lot of these internal issues for the public universities here do not make it worth attending (my opinion).</p>

<p>That being said, we are not opposed to ALL public universities. (On the other hand, I also understand that ALL private universities are great.) I know there are great public institutions out there, just not here in Hawaii. We will do some researching on WUE schools and see where it will lead us. </p>

<p>For what it’s worth, I believe that college is more than just getting a degree. But I do understand what you’re saying. I started this thread to shorten the list of 14 by only having him apply to schools that would give reasonable aid. I also fully understand that we might not like what we see. Just wanting to try and see what he gets (by ask around to strengthen our chances of “succeeding”).</p>

<p>@ucbalumnus, we are on the Big Island of HI (Hawaii Island) and UH Manoa is on the island of Oahu. The only university he might be able to commute to would be UH Hilo on the other side of the island (two hours drive, one way). </p>

<p>If he were to stay in-state, his first choice would be Manoa. When he applied there a couple years back, he received a $2000 grant (21,000 COA) and the rest being loans… wondering how it will pan out for next fall when he receives his FA package in a few months. </p>

<p>@Thumper, I believe he had to maintain a 3.5+ for the scholarship. He was hospitalized a couple times (personal medical issue) and simply could not maintain his grades.</p>

<p>On the other hand, I also understand that ALL private universities are great.</p>

<p>???</p>

<p>Are you serious? you think ALL private univ are great? Sorry, but that’s simply not true…at all. </p>

<p>Hopefully your son can identify some schools that really want more URMs and will provide an outstanding pkg.</p>

<p>Your son may not have filled out the CSS Profile. I just learned that NYU only recently began requiring it.</p>

<p>That said…be aware that the schools that do give the best aid will likely require the CSS Profile…and will require the financial info of your son’s father - if he is alive. </p>

<p>The schools that I’ve heard that give very good aid (don’t know about transfers) to students who aren’t spectacular are Loyola Maryland and DePauw. There may be others.</p>

<p>I’m not sure why you wrote that you’re not sure of “why the bad aid” from NYU when in the same post you wrote:</p>

<p>He used to have a scholarship but lost it due to academic performance</p>

<p>there’s the reason…he had better aid and lost it.</p>

<p>I hope that when you’re speaking to your kids about public vs private that you’re not using the words that you’re using here. The reason is this… Your older son is going to face an uphill battle finding a school that will give him lots of aid. If one isn’t found, his instate public may be his only option. If that’s the case, then his morale will be low because of how you’ve dismissed publics.</p>

<p>He was hospitalized a couple times (personal medical issue</p>

<p>I hope his medical issues have been resolved otherwise won’t this happen again??</p>

<p>I’m not wishing to beat a dead horse into the ground…but…you the parent went to college at least 18 years ago. Please don’t try to compare your college experience with what your son might experience now.</p>

<p>You are trying to find affordable options for your son as a transfer student. The current list you have in post 1 of this thread contains NO guaranteed affordable options. NONE meet full need, and all are expensive ($50,000 a year…or so). </p>

<p>Looking at the WEU option is a good ones if you really are not thrilled with higher education in Hawaii. Those WEU schools are also public universities.</p>

<p>Absolutely, apply to other schools…but be prepared to walk away if they are unaffordable.</p>

<p>Also, if this was a health related issue, did your son discuss this with NYU? Was NYU affordable BEFORE he lost his scholarship?</p>

<p>You might try Wesleyan in CT. I’m not sure if they meet full need, but they are very transfer student friendly.</p>

<p>ETA…how much in loans is grandma consigning? For discussion and easy math, let’s say your 14 schools on the OP are $50,000 a year. Your son has at least two more years…plus there are any loans he has cosigned or his own Direct Loans from NYU years.</p>

<p>For those last two years, the total cost at those privates will be about $100,000 (or more). His max Direct loan will be $7500. Unless your EFC is below $5000 a year, that is ALL he will be guaranteed (if your FAFSA EFC is below $5000, he would be Pell eligible).</p>

<p>If he got the max Pell ($5600 of your EFC was $0) and took the max Direct loan for both years, that would be $13,100 a year in aid. Subtract that from $50,000, and you still have $36,900 PER YEAR in costs. Times 2, is $78,000 plus…and that does NOT include any loans from the NYU years.</p>

<p>The payback on a $73,000 loan will be about $800 a month for at least ten years.</p>

<p>I’m sorry, but in my opinion, that debt is TOO high. If your son cannot pay, then grandma WILL be paying because a cosigned loan is HERS too. </p>

<p>This scenario has a lot of holes in it financially, in my opinion.</p>

<p>Is your son returning to NYU for spring semester? If so, how is that being paid? It seems to me that there’s going to be a lot of debt for this child.</p>

<p>Efc is 5025, less than $1000</p>

<p>He won’t get full Pell. He might get a tiny amount. But when his sibling goes, then his EFC will be about 2500…then he’ll get some Pell. Maybe $3000?</p>

<p>Have you ran the NPCs on these schools’ websites? If not, do so. Keep in mind that if they don’t ask for transfer status then the numbers may not be accurate…the real amounts may be less generous.</p>

<p>For interest, I used the NPC on Gonzaga’s website (which states that it’s ONLY good for incoming frosh)</p>

<p>This is for an income of about $62k and with 2 children going to college.</p>

<p>Results:
*
Estimated tuition and fees $34,570
Estimated room and board charges
*<strong><em>(Includes rooming accommodations and meals) $9,120
Estimated cost of books and supplies $1,058
Estimated other expenses
*</em></strong>(Personal expenses, transportation, etc.) $3,782
Estimated total price of attendance: About $48,530</p>

<p>Estimated total grant aid:
(Includes both merit and need based grant and scholarship aid from Federal, State, or Local Governments, or the Institution) About $19,230</p>

<p>(I am guessing that the above is a $15k grant from the school and the rest is Pell/SEOG).</p>

<p>Estimated net price after grants and scholarships: About $29,300
(Grants and scholarships do not have to be repaid. Some students also qualify for student loans to assist in paying this net price; however, student loans do have to be repaid.) </p>

<ul>
<li><br></li>
<li> This estimator only applies to full-time, first-time, degree-seeking students at Gonzaga University. </li>
</ul>

<p>These estimates do not represent a final determination, or actual award, of financial assistance or a final net price; they are only estimates based on cost of attendance and financial aid provided to students. Cost of attendance and financial aid availability change year to year. These estimates shall not be binding on the Secretary of Education, the institution of higher education, or the State. </p>

<p>As an incoming frosh, your son’s net cost would be about $30k per year after grants. As a transfer, it likely will be higher. I would guess that the grant would be much less…maybe $20k per year or less. </p>

<p>(your son’s travel costs will be higher)</p>

<p>This also gives you an idea of what your other son may get.</p>

<p>Since your son had health issues, is it a good idea to have him go to college so far away?</p>

<p>I will keep my fingers crossed for you that your younger son gets significant merit aid at whatever private schools he has applied to. Otherwise, he also is going to have significant debt when he graduates. </p>

<p>If the grandparent plans to cosign of BOTH of these students, you may find that her load eligibility runs out before they both finish college.</p>

<p>As noted upstream, many Profile private schools also require the non-custodial parent Profile and financial info from the non-custodial parent, if that parent is alive.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Not true at all.</p>

<p>Also, UH Manoa (and other less prestigious public university) grads do successfully go into good jobs and careers.</p>

<p>@mom2 and ucbalumbus, sorry it was late last night. I should have reread my post before submitting. I meant to say that NOT ALL private universities are great.</p>

<p>Thank you for the tips, I’ll have him look over this thread tonight and hopefully have a shorter list by tomorrow.</p>

<p>Re: the scholarship, it was not an NYU scholarship. This scholarship was privately funded by a local foundation for Native Hawaiian students who graduate from KS. </p>

<p>DS totally understands where I am coming from when giving my view. He’s not bothered much by it and is open to public school, if needed. We had a talk late last night and this thread is making us face reality.</p>

<p>His health condition was short term and likely won’t happen again so I don’t feel too bad about letting him go far from home.</p>

<p>@Thumper, actually, the problems I stated in my previous post about public education is at its peak today in Hawaii. Always on the local news…</p>

<p>We will look over the list tonight and likely cross off at least 90% and add some WUE schools.</p>

<p>Re: his health issue and the scholarship. I don’t think he informed the foundation that funded his scholarship and we both assumed what’s done is done. Now that you mention it, I wonder if health documents could have been provided. Never crossed my mind that they’d give exceptions… might be too late now, unfortunately.</p>

<p>My mom is willing to cosign the $10,000 loan maximum per year for the next two years. He is maxed out for his Direct loans so far (including 4000 because I couldn’t borrow as a parent [recent bankruptcy]).</p>

<p>Now that those numbers are in front of me, I wouldn’t want both my mom and son faced with that much to pay… on the verge of convincing him not to send any applications anymore.</p>

<p>@mom2, after talking last night, we are petitioning the option of having him take a break this spring semester. Loans taken out by my mother would have paid an overwhelming majority if he were to go. I’ll be running some NPCs tonight to cross off majority of the schools on the current list.</p>

<p>Looks like Gonzaga is off the list.</p>

<p>@Thumper, thank you for your kind words. I do hope S2 will get some scholarship for his tuition also. We’ll be hearing about his aid in the coming months.</p>

<p>@ucbalumnus, a little off topic about UHM but still in regard to your comment about UH Manoa. I’m aware of the Career Graduate Survey posts you make on these forums and was wondering if you’re aware if UH Manoa (or any other HI institution) has similar surveys.
This discussion is sparking further discussion between my son and I about majors and ability to find a job afterward. It would be interesting to see where UH Manoa grads get hired after graduation. </p>

<p>What type of majors are worth paying for at universities such as UH Manoa and UH Hilo? (going off of mom2’s mention of Poly Sci and Psy not being worth it in the end)</p>

<p>Ahhh…that makes sense. Thanks for the clarification. :)</p>

<p>Is your son returning to NYU for this semester? What aid was he given by NYU? Any? Not much? </p>

<p>Look into:</p>

<p>Chapman Univ
Loyola Maryland
Depauw
URedlands</p>

<p>WUE schools…</p>

<p>While the 150% tuition can be nice, be aware that RARELY will a WUE school give the WUE discount AND a scholarship. IT’s usually one or the other.</p>

<p>I think you are doing this backwards. The first thing to figure out is YOUR price point. What CAN you pay per year? Then go from there. Look on that transfer forum for schools that offer aid to transfer students.</p>

<p>Your son can take a $7500 direct Loan. If you are denied a Parent Plus, he can take an additional $5000, I believe. That would be $12500. Add to that a partial Pell (if your EFC with ONE is $5100, it is possible that with two in college, your EFC will be below $5000 and a partial Pell will be given). Let’s say $500. Now you have $13,000.</p>

<p>Is there ANY college where your son could attend for $13,000? As Sybbie pointed out upstream…a CUNY school would be $15,000 for OOS tuition…but you would then have to deal with housing, food, etc. on top of the tuition costs.</p>

<p>You don’t sound like you can (or should) take on any loans. I would boldly suggest that grandma not take out or cosign loans either…unless she feels confident that SHE can repay them if necessary. This is NOT something I would want to have my parents do in their golden years.</p>

<p>Your son should also get a job ASAP…and he should plan to work during the summers at least one job. He could earn $3000 per year working, and if nothing else, he could pay for books, and ALL personal expenses including travel home.</p>

<p>Honestly, unless a huge scholarship comes your son’s way, those private schools with $50,000 plus price tags are not affordable now. They are not affordable to a LOT of people. Please don’t think you are the only ones who can’t afford $50,000 plus per year for college costs.</p>

<p>We have more than a handful of CT student friends who actually CHOSE to attend the University of Hawaii. They loved it there. Two remained in HI where they work, one as a teacher, and one in the hospitality industry. Both met their spouses there. </p>

<p>Re: majors…your son should choose a major where he has high interest, and good learning potential. He can talk to the career counseling folks to find out what careers can be had from ANY major. Keep in mind that many students have careers that have little to do with their undergrad majors. Picking a major solely based on earning potential might not work. </p>

<p>Keep an eye on the finish line, and view every step as a means to that end. You want your kid to have a college degree. And you do NOT want him or any member of your family drowning in debt to get there. If its not at a top 50 school, so what? There are tons of kids who attend the 2950 or so colleges outside of the top 50, and many, if not most, find careers and have wonderful lives.</p>

<p>I agree with Thumper. You need to come up with a list of schools that you and your son can afford, for starters. After you have some such schools, you can then start the lottery ticket process for anything else. It is possible that any given school will come up with sufficient funds for him. But as 3 pages of posts have made it quite clear, the chances are not good, because of his transfer status. Even schools that guarantee to meet full need often do not extend the guarantee to transfers. </p>

<p>I also urge you and your son to look at a list of some schools that do guarantee to meet full need, call them up and find out how transfers fare, and add some schools to his list. I know kids who successfully transferred to BC, USC, Cornell and some other such schools that give generous aid, got full need met as transfers with gpas like your son’s. Unless he has some low grades in there, his average does have him in the running for some selective schools like NYU, and some do have better aid policies than NYU does. So I would replace some of the schools on the list you have with some such schools Also call each of those schools and ask what kind of aid they have for transfers, if they can give you the % of transfers that get full need met. If the answer is that it’s rare, well, you know the odds are particularly poor, and you might want to drop that school from the list, and go for those where he has a better shot of getting money.</p>