Suggestions needed from mom2collegekids

<p>Is her declared major music performance? Declaring some form of engineering instead and then declaring music performance on or after the first day of classes would get her an extra $2500 in scholarships. Such a double major is possible, but she’ll need to plan carefully. The music department and College of Engineering will be able to work out a course schedule. This type of advising is somewhat complex and would need to be done before Bama Bound.</p>

<p>Does she plan on taking a car to campus? That’s can potentially be an expensive proposition if she’s driving it multiple times per day. A lot of money could be saved by finding a way for her to not have a car on campus and get reduced insurance premiums for doing so.</p>

<p>As an in-state student with a 31 ACT and assuming as a valedictorian her GPA > 3.5, she’d earn the full tutition presidential no matter what her declared major is.</p>

<p>From: <a href=“http://scholarships.ua.edu/types/in_state.html”>http://scholarships.ua.edu/types/in_state.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Presidential Scholar
A first-time freshman student who meets the December 15 scholarship priority deadline, has a 30–36 ACT or 1330–1600 SAT score (critical reading and math scores only) and at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA will be selected as a Presidential Scholar and will receive the value of tuition or $37,800 over four years ($9,450 per year).</p>

<p>As SEA_tide noted if she’s considering engineering and declared that, the engineering stipend will provide an additional $2500 per year. </p>

<p>That $2500 + $5500 in federal loans could cover $8000 of expenses. Assuming she earns just $2000 over the summer - she’d only need to earn about another $1000 working part time while in classes to cover expenses. And that’s with $0 assistance from parents. Any money she could earn over $1000 during the school year or over $2000 during the summer would cover misc expenses and travel costs. In engineering she could defintely look into co-oping which, I believe, she could start the summer immediately after freshman year which should provide enough to cover the basic expenses of future semesters. If she began a co-op immediately after freshman year and found she needed more money to cover the final semesters of classes, I believe it’s possible to do 2 co-ops prior to graduation…I know it is occasionally done at other schools. And as aeromom noted there are additional scholarships she can look into through the honor’s college, through emails from her department, or through other outside sources.</p>

<p>I’m a VERY frugal parent on a single income too, so I understand being leary of costs, but it really doesn’t seem like there’s so much of a gap that she should let this opportunity pass. It seems that the expenses are fairly manageable, especially if she’s able to get the additional $2500 from the engineering department. She might not have enough money to join a sorority or take a spring break trip with her friends or travel abroad, but if she’s willing to live frugally it seems very possible.</p>

<p><<<her full tuition scholarship is via Dr. Snead in the music department.<<<</p>

<p>???</p>

<p>did she apply too late? </p>

<p>How can she have a full tuition scholarship for music and be in engineering? Is she planning on being a double major? she is losing the 2500 engg award by declaring music.</p>

<p>did she apply after Jan 6th? we need more info.<br>
is there someone I can talk to directly? something doesnt sound right.</p>

<p>What does she have to do to keep that music $?</p>

<p>why wasnt she given the Presidential and engg scholarship?</p>

<p>since there is no biomedE at bama, she needs to select either ChemE or MechE and then take some extra classes such as Tissue Engineering. BioMedE is an unnecessary undergrad major…totally unnecessary (and often a waste).</p>

<p>Did she receive nothing from the univ? that would only happen if she applied too late or her act was too late. she should still contact Mary Spiegel to see if any other univ money is available. I can help her with that…afterall the school will be using her stats.</p>

<p>I Pm’d you with my cell …have them call me…you can call me first if you want.</p>

<p>Ok…if one of these is the situation…</p>

<p>1) if she applied after jan 6th, then she should write a nice note to Mary Spiegel to see if she can get something from the univ for her stats.</p>

<p>2) if she did apply on time, then there seems to be some mix-up as to her awards. she should be able to be any major (engg) and get the Presidential and the 2500</p>

<p>3) If she had to declare music to get that scholarship and she applied on time, then she should ask that prof if she can temporarily put engineering first, then add music at matriculation so she can get both. </p>

<p>hmmmm…does anyone know if a step-parent can apply for plus? If this SD’s credit is hurt from his situation, then if he applied and was denied, she’d get an add’l 4000 in loans.</p>

<p>I dont like the double major of music and engg…tooooooooo demanding. something will fall thru the cracks. </p>

<p>Instead, she needs to find out if:</p>

<p>she can get that Presidential for engg plus 2500…and then get a half tuition scholarship for a minor in music. </p>

<p>per <a href=“http://www.direct.ed.gov”>www.direct.ed.gov</a>, yes a step-parent can apply if the parent is remarried;</p>

<p>“You must be the student’s biological or adoptive parent or the student’s stepparent, if the biological or adoptive parent has remarried at the time of application”</p>

<p>Thanks so very much for your thoughtful replies!
I agree about the double major and have told her grandmother that is an awfully demanding situation. It’s like all the other kids…waiting until all the scholarship offers were made. She had a full ride to Mississippi State, but Dr. Snead has pursued her and a couple of other things have opened up that just seems to be paving the way to Tuscaloosa and music studies.
I’m sure the family is hoping to avoid as much borrowed money as possible.
I’m sending all this info to her grandmother (to whom the student is very close). They know they have to move fast.</p>

<br>

<br>

<p>does that mean that she applied to Bama after Jan 6? IF so, they should have had Dr. Snead put the pressure on Scholarships to give her the Presidential so his offer could stack on top to make up for the full ride at MSU.</p>

<p>they probably need to get Snead back involved. and she needs to re-contact MSU to see if that offer is still available.</p>

<p>Ok…assuming that she applied after Jan 6th at the request of Dr. Snead…</p>

<p>1) contact MSU and see if that offer is still on the table.
2) if so, contact Dr. Snead and tell him that MSU is back in consideration UNLESS he can help convince Mary Spiegel to cough up the Presidential on top of that music award. Since she is instate, that isnt too much money for her stats. Snead needs to make the point that he wants/needs her and needs to lure her away from MSU.
3) Remind Mary that if this student enrolls, the school will be using her ACT score to its benefit.<br>
4) this all needs to be done politely.</p>

<p>Passing all that on!</p>

<p>Frankly, she needs to get MSU back in line because if Snead isnt willing to go to bat for her then she needs to go to MSU and simply tell Snead that she doesnt have the funds for room, board, books, etc, so she has to go where those things are covered.</p>