Transfer just to save money - worth it?

Transfer Students
1

Short version: Baylor student considering UT Austin transfer in order to save on tuition, would eventually like to end up at their law school as well.

Currently enrolled at Baylor. Looking to maybe transfer to UT Austin. Absolutely love Baylor and I can’t really picture myself leaving, but I’m not sure how much longer I can swing these massive tuition payments. I can’t get approved for loans - my parents had to do the PLUS option. They’ve since bought a second property, and I’m not sure they’ll be approved again. My freshman year I paid about $20k, but I moved off campus second semester so, assuming I got the same aid, I think I would be at around $15k. I don’t know that I’ll get the same aid - it’s looking like I may not get a $15k departmental scholarship I was given freshman year (despite 4.0 major gpa and 3.8 overall).
I’m a TX resident and my parents make less than $40k/year combined, neither attended college. Was top 10 in my class of 80 or so in high school, so not that impressive - subpar/average ACTs at around 26/27.

Long term, I plan to continue on to law school, ideally at UT, so I thought in addition to maybe lower tuition, I would have a better chance at their law school. I don’t think I’d be inclined to leave Baylor if I needed to pay more than $5-8k/year for tuition, and I’d likely stay off campus.

Has anyone transferred to a school they were less excited about just to save money and not completely regretted it?

2

Your parents bought a 2nd property? I’d expect that to show up in your financial aid forms as an asset, so that could affect your aid too. How much are your parents borrowing? Since their total income is < $40k, I’d go to UT Austin to reduce the loan burden.

3

Yeah, I tried to explain that to them but they were adamant about not paying rent. It won’t show up until my junior year on tax returns. They borrowed $18k for the first year, and around $40/45k on the second property.

4

How are they borrowing that kind of money on an income of ~$38k or less? They may not qualify for 4 years of loans.