<p>hi im currently attending SDSU and i am not liking it so far. I am considering transferring and i was wondering if i do proceed with transferring how do i go about my financial aid?</p>
<p>You need to know that there is very little merit aid available for transfer students at most schools.</p>
<p>Schools which “meet full need” will do so for transfer students, but those universities are extremely competitive and many of them take very few transfer students anyway.</p>
<p>I saw on another thread you asked about transferring to a CC. Your credits from SDSU will transfer to a community college, and then to whatever other four-year school you choose to attend. However, if you go outside the California public system, articulating those courses will be more complicated.</p>
<p>if i have financial aid now will it be available for the private? and what is merit aid?</p>
<p>Federal financial aid will carry over (Pell Grant/Stafford loans) and if you attend a private university in California, CalGrants will also carry over. Institutional aid directly from SDSU will not.</p>
<p>However, private universities are MUCH more expensive for California residents than public colleges are, and the state/federal aid you get will not increase concurrently. This means that if the private university does not provide you with significant need or merit aid, your family’s out-of-pocket cost will be much higher.</p>
<p>There are two types of financial aid: need-based and merit-based. Need-based aid is provided depending on your family’s ability to pay the costs of college, while merit-based is provided depending on your academic achievements.</p>
<p>Schools which “meet full need” will do so for transfer students,</p>
<p>Not always…many schools that meet “full need” for frosh do not do so for transfers.</p>
<p>Ben…do not cut ties with your current school until you see the FA package of any other schools that you apply to. It is very likely that a transfer school will give you lousy aid. Exceptions are like Cornell. </p>
<p>What is in your current aid package?</p>
<p>What is your EFC?</p>
<p>A private may use CSS Profile.</p>
<p>What schools are you considering transferring to?</p>
<p>Are you a new frosh at a CSU?</p>
<p>Again…do not cut ties… When it comes to registering for next semester or next year…do so. don’t give up housing, etc. Wait until you see aid packages from your other schools.</p>
<p>And…try to make it work at your current school…it’s very likely you won’t be able to afford to transfer. Incoming frosh get the best aid packages.</p>
<p>Hmm, news to me. In my perusals, I’ve not found any “full need” university which (publicly, anyway) restricts its “full need” financial aid policy to incoming freshmen only. Not saying you’re wrong, but do you know which schools, specifically, have such a restriction?</p>