After being waitlisted by first choice UChicago and Babson, I was finally admitted to NYU with a 24000 + 8000 usd merit scholarship. After paying the enrollment as NYU, turns out my father can only afford 15 grand (if I live off-campus, expenses at NYU are summing up to be 25 grand) and I am left with no choice but to consider some random college and transfer to a better one letter. I would take up a loan, but unfortunately I don’t have a relative in USA to cosign.
I got into Eastern Illinois Honors College with a substantial International Excellence scholarship. I am thinking of going there and transferring out later. But also, I am not sure if it’s a smart idea?
Would it be better if I attend a community college and seek a transfer after a semester or should I just go to EIU?
The third thing is to just wait and apply to cheaper unis for the spring semester.
You are an international applicant.
This means that it will be very difficult for you to find financial aid. Each place sets its own policies about aid, so even if you do get off the waitlist at UChicago or Babson, there is no guarantee whatsoever that that place will prove to be affordable. Financial aid for transfers is not good either, which means that as an international transfer it is unlikely that you will end up being admitted anywhere affordable as a transfer student. Yes, you can apply, but don’t count on being able to transfer out of the place where you begin.
Beginning at a community college only makes sense if you already are living in the US, qualify for local tuition and fees at that community college, and can apply the money saved by living at home and attending that community college toward your costs once you do transfer. If you aren’t already living here, you would need to be able to demonstrate to the community college that you can pay the full cost of attendance there. The last time I checked for a friend who was abroad, I couldn’t find any community college where the cost of attendance for an international student was less than $22,000.
That you made it to the waitlist at UChicago indicates that you have strong stats. You have three options:
- Attend Eastern Illinois, and turn yourself into one of the very top students there so that you have very good options after you graduate.
- Take a gap year, and apply to a new list of places including some where your stats will flat-out guarantee affordability. For ideas, read through the links in this thread: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1678964-links-to-popular-threads-on-scholarships-and-lower-cost-colleges.html#latest You know now that your family can afford USD 15,000, so look for places where your costs won’t be more than that.
- Attend college in another country where your costs will be no more than what your family can pay.