<p>Anyways, my family and myself have come to a conclusion:
I must take a gap year. We cannot afford UT at the moment. By the time of college applications, I’ll be sure to apply to colleges where my need will be fully met OR where I’ll have a chance at great merit scholarships.</p>
<p>@Myos1634
I’ve heard only amazing things about U of Alabama. Will definitely apply there, for sure.
Also, Vanderbilt? That’s… quite a long shot. However, $3,650 net price after all aid sounds pretty epic.
And yeah, my bad, I realized what you actually meant after I had submitted my post. However, I learned a new fact about my benefactor: he’s retired.
That only made my gap year even more appealing, hah!
And damn, I wish I’d known about those schools earlier. My school only sends kids to Texas schools (our local A&M satellite, A&M-College Station, and UTSA).</p>
<p>you can start a blog for your classmates who are currently sophomores and juniors: “looking for colleges as an EFC 0” (you’d find a better title :p) or you can go meet with your guidance counselor, if they’d allow you to share what you discover with a small group of interested juniors about once a month.
Job + internship + working on applications will keep you very busy 
</p>
<p>Did you check if you were eligible for Texas state funds for college? Since you are eligible for instate tuition and you have a zero EFC, that might be an option. If you are doing things for next year, make sure you get your deadlines down pat. What UT did in terms of closing the door after a certain date for awards, is not unusual. Also don’t wait till the end of the deadline as a lot of that money goes fast and doesn’t last till the deadline and when it’s gone, you have zero chance of getting any of it. </p>
<p>You seem to be a strong candidate for private schools that would guarantee to meet full need too. If you are redoing the process, look at Cornell and the other ivies, Johns HOpkins (good aid though doesn’t guarantee) and other such schools. The state schools, unless they have guaranteed merit money do not tend to meet full need. </p>
<p>As I mentioned earlier, if you focus and do well as a freshman at UT, you could also apply to transfer to some of these schools. Lots of engineering majors drop that field of study after the first year (they often flush/flunk out) so there is room for second year transfers. Of course there is that risk you don’t do well in that first year too.</p>
<p>@cptofthehouse
I hope my post cleared a few things up!
And yes, I checked if UT could give me the TEXAS grant. No success.</p>
<p>@cptofthehouse
Johns Hopkins? Now we’re talking about gambling.
Besides a mental maths state championship, I don’t really have any hooks that would make me stand out among the rest of the applicants (unless race and first-generation college status matter, or if the latter even applies because I’d be a non-traditional student).</p>
<p>yup, URM status and first generation both matter and thus make you double hooked. Some colleges, like Hamilton (whose president is a first gen too) make it a point of pride to try and recruit first gen students. The elite colleges are indeed trying to increase social diversity.
You may want to read this story about a gifted young man who blogged for the NYT last year. read about the journey, post by post. Please don’t “read ahead” since the process is key and understanding it step by step will help you most.
<a href=“Beginning a Journey That Could Make Family History - The New York Times”>Beginning a Journey That Could Make Family History - The New York Times;
Once you’re done reading every post, you can see the rest of his adventures here:
<a href=“http://www.firstgenerationstudent.com/student-stories/the-importance-of-mentors-during-the-application-process-by-leobardo-espinoza/”>http://www.firstgenerationstudent.com/student-stories/the-importance-of-mentors-during-the-application-process-by-leobardo-espinoza/</a>
He refers to these programs:
<a href=“http://www.hamiltonfriends.org/”>http://www.hamiltonfriends.org/</a>
and
<a href=“http://www.questbridge.org/”>http://www.questbridge.org/</a>
Questbridge has a forum on this website. Caveat: I don’t know if these two programs are open to students who have graduated high school and are on a gap year.</p>
<p>How are you a non trad student? How non trad are you? A couple of years older, or beyond? Why can’t you get the low income grant for the state of TX–I don’t know how it works there In NY, and CA, it’s not up to the school, if you apply on time, which you do have to do you get it. </p>
<p>If you can get into UT, above and beyond the 7% entitlement, you are are a likely candidate for schools like JHU, Cornell, etc. Not saying you’re a sure shot. Not many are, but if you have the test scores and the grades, you’d be a likely. </p>
<p>I’m not sure what’s going on in UT’s mind.
re: “non-trad student”: A couple of weeks ago, I called TAMU to see I’d still be eligible for the Regents Scholarship after taking a gap year. They told me that, because I didn’t go straight into college following my high school graduation, I would be considered as a “non-traditional” student and therefore wouldn’t qualify for Regents.</p>
<p>@MYOS1634
Questbridge’s program is only for high school seniors, unfortunately.
And hell, as a senior I never saw myself applying to Cornell. Now I’ll definitely apply, because it’s worth the shot.</p>
<p>The “non traditional” thing is for TAMU only. Many colleges (including the 100% ones) have kids on gap years who apply as freshmen. In the same way, NACAC fee waivers are only valid for seniors, but if you email top private colleges indicating EFC 0, URM, first gen, ACT33, so can they waive the application fee, typically they’ll waive it. Your counselor can also check “other reasons” on the CommonApp and detail your situation justifying the fact you’re deserving of a fee waiver.</p>
<p>Yeah that is too bad about TAMU, hardly anyone penalizes a gap year. Non trad student usually means several years 5+ out of school.</p>
<p>I ran across this article, maybe it has some resources for you:
<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/a-primer-on-gap-years/2012/09/20/005d2a5c-033f-11e2-91e7-2962c74e7738_blog.html”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/a-primer-on-gap-years/2012/09/20/005d2a5c-033f-11e2-91e7-2962c74e7738_blog.html</a></p>
<p>Thanks for the link!</p>
<p>Fredjan, your situation is atypical enough that you really need to sit with those who know it well personally to get all sides of the argument. Though you can take info we give you here, you still need to verify it, and you need to apply all of your options to your individual case A lot of certain rules of thumb do not apply to you. Many of us do not know how things work in terms of your situation in the state of Texas, your status as student, your parents, etc. We don’t know who this benefactor is. Taking a gap year is NOT always a great idea. It’s something I most often see with kids who did get into a college, commit to it and then just want to take a year off doing something else other than going straight into academia. A luxury, usually, rather than a necessity, though the same concept can be used for other situations. But with public colleges in the picture you may not get to keep your spot, and I know that UT Austin, the little I know about it, is no easy admit. You had to be a strong candidate to get accepted as non 7%er. None of my nephews made the cut and they were very strong high school prospects now in very selective schools. </p>
<p>How far is it to travel to TAMU from where you live? Perhaps you can visit various dept and find some kind of answer to your dilemma - perhaps they can find a loophole or allow some exception based on your situation on the gap year scholarship. I am a TAMU alum - a visit to the right people might work and might not, but at least they will be able to put a name to a face.</p>
<p>You definitely need to get the application in to UA as well for next year and follow all the requirements for gap year (no college work anywhere, etc).</p>
<p>ut, TAMU, UA are all viable options with the right leg work and jumping hoops.</p>
<p>@SOSConcern
TAMU is about seven hours away from where I live. However, after my experiences for both universities (TAMU & UT), there are no incentives to apply to either again. Given my financial circumstances, it’s better to apply to UT Dallas.
@cptofthehouse
This is what happened:
I applied to UT as an out of state student, and sent my FAFSA with my parents’ data (my parents aren’t citizens and do not reside in the U.S.).
After receiving my financial aid (late in March), I sent an appeal to be considered as an in-state student.
I received my notification of the change on April 12th and promptly appealed for more financial aid.
A week later, my tuition was reduced to in-state rates, but I didn’t receive the TEXAS grant.
(Note: I never sent UT a new FAFSA, or a corrected FAFSA - the person I reside with does not claim me under her income tax).
After calling the financial aid office, they told me my financial aid awards were final and wouldn’t change. All of the money had already been depleted, and all the scholarships had already been distributed. </p>
<p>re: The benefactor:
He’s a retired man from a family of old money. For example, all of his sons have their tuitions fully paid for at UT because he did the Texas Tomorrow Fund for them (which is, in essence, a trust fund for college tuition).
The family is known locally for providing financial aid to students in financial hardships (I confirmed this last fact from anecdotes told by my counselor and teachers).</p>
<p>@cptofthehouse
I am not interested in keeping my spot at UT. They’d just award me the same financial aid next year (contacted the financial aid office).
For the record, the officers kept referring to the additional grants (e.g. TEXAS grant) as “discretionary” grants. This suggests that the university, and not the state, is responsible for distributing this specific financial aid.</p>
<p>Since you have high need and UT won’t meet need, you can still apply for merit scholarships and try to get into the honors programs (ie., Plan II, etc.) Merit is awarded based on grades and scores, not need.
In addition, you’re right to look at large scholarship competitions and schools that promise to meet need. Make sure you do have good safeties.
Since you were considered OOS, you couldn’t be selected as part of the 7% or 10% rules, but now that you’re considered in-state, you will. So check to see if UT has merit scholarships and apply early under the 7% or 10% rule.
However the McDermott at UTDallas would be a great program to apply to and compete for. Not comparable to Plan II, obviously, but financially it covers absolutely everything.
Note: are you a permanent resident? Or just a resident for the purpose of tuition in the State of Texas? Because it makes a difference. </p>
<p>Resident for the purpose of tuition in Texas.
However, I am a U.S. citizen.</p>