<p>Note that SATs don’t cover final year material. Most students take them in their junior year (year 11). Fall of senior year is reserved for re-takes for higher scores.</p>
<p>Taking the exams in the junior year gives you plenty of time to have scores to determine which schools might be good matches for your daughter.</p>
<p>This is an older thread with assured merit aid, somewhat different from Bob Wallace’s which is focused on full tuition. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html</a></p>
<p>There are also a number of scholarships available for National Merit Finalists: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html</a></p>
<p>Going back to the alternative of bridging a local education <em>UG in OZ%</em> to an advanced degree in the US, I think there are other considerations.</p>
<p>** Doesn’t the school year in Australia run from January to December?</p>
<p>** Aren’t most undergraduate degrees earned in three years, with the fourth year reserved for hono(u)rs?</p>
<p>If that is correct, the transition to the US after high school seems to add more than one year to the local “solution.” </p>
<p>All in all, it appears that combining a three year degree with an extended stay in the US for an advanced degree might offer a financial solution all the while maintaining the US experience. One could have a 3+2 degree in the same time as seeking to attend a 4 years college in the US … and at a fraction of the cost, even if the advanced degree is a full -pay one.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your advice. I will look into everything outlined in your posts. For those of you whomasked questions, I left NY 40 years ago. My father still lives in the US (Florida) and my oldest brother lives in Cal. Part of me would be excited by the adventure of moving all of us to California but then I think about the great job I have here and the booming Aust economy and think I would be crazy to risk our retirement in order to be in the same country as my D eho wants to live away from us and experience life a little by going to college overseas.</p>
<p>I certainly agree with the thoughts about graduate school instead. It would give us time to save up and pay for it. I am also looking into Aust universities that offer a semester or a year overseas.</p>
<p>The problem is it has been D’s dream for 5 years now and a hard dream to shatter for something as unimportant (but challenging!) as money.</p>
<p>Re merit, I am not sure her grades would be high enough now I look into it. She is an average student in an above average private school here in Aust which would probably put her in the top 20% not top 5% of students.</p>
<p>Looks like I’d better start buying lottery tickets or something!</p>
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<p>Well, the money (affordability) is pretty important. Being burdened with heavy student loan debt is not a good way to start one’s career at graduation.</p>
<p>Check each state rules on how state residency is determined. Do not be optimistic. California makes it particularly difficult to carpet-bag state residency. Here are the California residency rules: [UCLA</a> Registrar’s Office: Residence Classification for Tuition Purposes FAQ](<a href=“http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/faq/residencefaq.htm]UCLA”>http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/faq/residencefaq.htm)</p>
<p>Perthgirl, our family is an expat family as well. All 3 kids went to US colleges getting some sort of merit scholarships. None of my kids were/are superstars in academics, by the way. The first thing you can do, is perhaps target schools that look like they may want your daughter there. Start by look at schools in the south or midwest, maybe away from big metropolitan areas who may welcome an Aussie girl :-). Look for schools where the stats are a bit lower than your girl’s. Don’t give up yet.
If you file US income taxes, you can fill out the FAFSA form just to see what your Estimated Family Contribution would be.</p>
<p>You don’t need to be in the top 5% to get merit aid, top 20% and she will have ample offers for merit aid at schools all across the US.</p>
<p>Also, since your school year is really winding down and things are just starting here, would it be possible to enroll her in a school in the US (high school) for what would be the end of a senior year here but after she graduated from her school there–sort of like a mini-gap year many kids take. That would show her “graduating” from a US high school. Not sure all the particulars on that but something to look into.</p>
<p>With family in the US, there may be the option of a cheap living situation while she studies at a commuting distance community college or 4-year institution. Or, at least a place to hang her hat for a gap year before heading back to Perth. It’s good that you are investigating everything well in advance. By the time she starts applying, everyone will have a good sense of the options.</p>
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<p>I thought about that but the mini year might yield many dividends. The graduation part is really irrelevant to college applications as the bulk of the information used for decision comes from the junior and start of senior year. The residency should also be determined by information for the previous year, and it is doubtful that it will change because of a short stay. In addition, it is also possible the the local school might no be able to enroll a student who has technically graduated from high school --short of an exchange program. </p>
<p>It seems that the alternative would be to negotiate an early departure from Australia and see if any US credit would transfer into a HS diploma in Australia. This seems overly complicated as there is no hardship involved (like a forced expat move.)</p>
<p>The good news is this student has a full two years to research the issue, and plenty of time to change … dreams! :)</p>
<p>Of course, the OP should be filing for and paying US federal income tax … even though she left the US at 13.</p>
<p>As a USA Citizen, she is eligible for all financial aid that any USA Citizen can receive. It does not matter where the parents reside. In-state tuition is a different matter. There is a thread on schools that offer full-ride scholarships for merit aid. University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa (Division I school) will give full tuition (even to out of state students) if she has high enough grades and SAT/ACT scores (about $13,000/yr net). Univ of AL - Huntsville (smaller school, some would even say commuter) ups that to tuition and room and board (about $3,000/yr net).</p>
<p>There are state schools where out of state tuition is much less than private college tuition. Many offer some merit as well. So it depends on where in the US she wants to be, what kind of school, her academic interests, etc. but school in the US could be affordable.</p>
<p>Wow, I am overwhelmed by all the supportive information. But I must say one thing blew me away - that I am supposed to be filing income tax with the US government. I have never worked in the US and don’t think I even have a social security number! Why would I have to pay tax in the US if I pay them here? And I pay a lot here!</p>
<p>It is good news about her maybe eligible for merit scholarships if she is top 20%, because we don’t ‘do’ scholarships in Australia (or rarely anyway) I assumed you would have to be super smart. For example, I think the biggest university in Perth gives out 5 a year - and that would be on the high side. But having said that it isn’t as big an issue here since the average 3 year degree (yes, the average is 3 here) is less than $30k in total. </p>
<p>My plan was for her to take her SAT’s next year (Nov) before she starts her senior year in Feb. Then if she is still desperate to go she could resit them at the end of her senior year for us to apply for her to start Aug/Sept 2015. We would encourage her to apply to a university in Australia as well (so she would do one semester here) just in case she didn’t get accepted anywhere she wanted to go and we could afford. We would also take a trip to the US at the end of her junior (?) year to check out colleges (Dec 2014) and get a feel for where she would apply.</p>
<p>My plan B (and my preferred option for cost as well as because I would miss her!) is to look for an Australian university for her UG that has the ability to do a semester in the US (that way we pay Australian tuition but US living costs) with a promise of fully funded graduate school in the US if she enjoyed the US experience. Seems like the best option for all of us.</p>
<p>Now to get on to my US taxes…</p>
<p>Trust me, as a U.S. citizen you are subject to U.S. income tax on foreign-earned income. We are just about the only country that does this to its citizens. There is an exclusion for the first $95,100 you earn overseas.
<a href=“Home | University of Minnesota Office of Human Resources”>Home | University of Minnesota Office of Human Resources;
<p>If you are earning income ANYWHERE in the world, you are obilgated to file a tax return to the IRS every year and report on the maximum balance you hold in every foreign bank acct you have.
<a href=“http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/FAQs-Regarding-Report-of-Foreign-Bank-and-Financial-Accounts-(FBAR)---Filing-Requirements[/url]”>http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/FAQs-Regarding-Report-of-Foreign-Bank-and-Financial-Accounts-(FBAR)---Filing-Requirements</a></p>
<p>Applying for U.S. federal financial aid for college will require a Social Security number.</p>
<p>It is good news about her maybe eligible for merit scholarships if she is top 20%</p>
<p>This is only true if…</p>
<p>1) The school offers good sized merit scholarships (many top schools do not)</p>
<p>2) Your D’s stats are top 20% at the college (not top 20% at her high school).</p>
<p>Use the links above in post #22 to get some ideas of school that give merit.</p>
<p>None of the UCs will work unless you are willing to pay full freight ($50k per year). Even the couple of UCs that give need-based aid up to instate costs won’t work for you because you don’t have “need.”</p>
<p>Your D should take a SAT soon to get an idea of what areas she needs to work on. Get a SAT practice book. Also take the ACT if available in your area.</p>
<p>I doubt any state would consider your D “instate”, so you need to look for schools (public and private) that give merit for her stats.</p>
<p>Figure out how much you can pay each year. Since you mention that you have little discretionary income, then figure out what the college budget is.</p>
<p>For instance, if you can pay $10K-15,000 per year, then your D would need a full tuition scholarship so that your contribution can cover room, board, books, fees, int’l travel. She could take a small student loan to cover any shortfalls…up to $5500 as a frosh.</p>
<p>Obviously, if your D needs a full tuition scholarship, then that might sharply limit her choices since those can be more rare.</p>
<p>Sorghum, filing is one thing, owing is quite another. Given the various protections from tax treaties, and exclusions for foreign earned income, it is not likely that Perthgirl owes one cent of US federal income tax. Lots of fun reading on that topic can be found at [Internal</a> Revenue Service](<a href=“http://www.IRS.gov%5DInternal”>http://www.IRS.gov)</p>
<p>Perthgirl,</p>
<p>You might not have a Social Security Number give that you moved out of the US when you did. Pick up the phone and call the closest Consulate, and get help sorting this out. Citizens Services will know what to do.</p>
<p>I know I’m harping on this point–but what state did you last live in in the US? You might be able to get in-state tuition for schools in that state–you should contact the flagship state college in that state and ask them. (Did your daughter ever live in the US at all? That might make a difference.)</p>
<p>mom2collegekids–there are 1000’s of schools across the nation that give great merit aid. There ARE more schools that are wonderful schools with excellent programs outside of the Ivy league. Between our 4 kids, they have applied to about 40 schools and ALL of them offer substantial, AUTOMATIC, merit aid for GPA and test scores. Most of them are private schools, a few are state schools. In our experience, however, with the merit aid from the private schools they almost always come in less than state schools for above average or better students.</p>
<p>perthgirl–do you know your DD’s GPA? Can you figure it out if you don’t have it? Do you have access to her transcript online or anything like that? If so, try to calculate her GPA so you have an idea where she stands. Here is a conversion chart that might work for you [GPA</a> Calculator](<a href=“http://www.foreigncredits.com/Resources/GPA-Calculator/]GPA”>GPA Calculator) . For the SAT/ACT, have her take that in what would be her last semester Junior year, while she is still in school and the information is fresh in her mind. There are plenty of online tests she can take now that will give you a ballpark score too. It might be worth doing that so you can see where she falls. Most kids in the US have taken at least the PSAT so they have a ballpark to work with. Knowing those two things will help your significantly with costs, college selection, etc.</p>
<p>As for the top 20%, you don’t have to be in the top 20% for the college for merit aid at a lot of schools. Obviously the higher the better and more money, but again, there is a wide variety of schools that award merit aid to a wide variety of students. Our oldest got a pretty substantial merit package for his 3.1 GPA and 28 ACT score. He has been gainfully employed since he finished school, had a job within a month of finishing and is making good money. Of course, he didn’t go to an Ivy so according to a lot of people here he should be flipping burgers, but he is not :D. He has 3 months left on his student loan payments, too…and has only been out of school for 2 years…:D.</p>
<p>Two things. If you want to be eligible for significant merit, it might be worth trying for National Merit Scholar status. Ideally to do that she would take the PSAT next year, but I would contact them to double check when she should take it, because the school years are so different - is Australia considered ahead of us, or behind us? Because she is now a sophomore, she might be considered part of the current class of sophomores that just started their year here, or she might be considered part of the sophomore class that finished in May/June, (assuming her year ends before December 31). You need to contact them to find out where she fits. If she is considered part of the previous class, she needs to take the SAT soon, as a substitute for the PSAT (which is offered only twice a year, coming up Oct 17 and 20th this year, so not time enough to make arrangements).</p>
<p>While there are plenty of other merit scholarships, many colleges use National merit as a basis for qualification.</p>
<p>As for taxes - yes, get social security numbers and start the process. You shouldn’t owe any back taxes, but if your daughter applies for financial aid, a red flag will be raised if you have never filed. The IRS usually looks back 3 years if you don’t owe anything, but they are likely to look back farther - I’ve had clients who had to file as many as 10 years of back returns. The IRS won’t file them for you, but they can provide guidance on how far back they really need you to go.</p>
<p>As GMT mentions, a portion of your income is protected, but if you’re paying taxes there, you will also get credit for paying those foreign taxes. If your spouse is not a US Citizen, or otherwise eligible for a Social Security number, you will also need to file for an ITIN, which is essentially a substitute number for tax purposes. That process takes longer (typically 6-8 weeks).</p>
<p>Good luck with all this - at least you’re asking now, rather than her Senior year, when there wouldn’t be time to deal with the tax returns.</p>