<p>The University I want to go to is about 36,157 dollars a year. An average financial aid is about 18,000 it leaves at the most 18,000 dollars left? I calculated our EFC and its barely anything.
I know I could get a couple scholarships but what are some other choices?</p>
<p>Sounds like this school may not be affordable. </p>
<p>Use the school’s net price calculator to see what kind of aid YOU might get.</p>
<p>Private scholarships are usually only for ONE year so they won’t make up a shortfall for all four years.</p>
<p>A school might have the " average" financial aid package of $18,000, but that can also mean some students receive $28,000 and others receive $8,000.</p>
<p>Sit down with your family and determine what you can pay through savings, loans and current income.
A student generally should not take on more debt than necessary, and a good rule of thumb is no more than your salary upon graduation or to be more conservative- maximum Stafford loans.
Not a good idea to take out private loans.
If this school is unaffordable, what are your other choices?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Find a school you can afford!</p>
<p>Look for schools that would provide the full (or near full) need-based or merit aid that you need. There are lots of schools out there. Find several where your GPA and SAT/ACT scores are above the 75th percentile for that school - that’s where you’ll find the aid you need.</p>
<p>Setting your sights on a single, unaffordable school won’t get you very far . . . unless you’re prepared to take a several years off to earn the money you’ll need to pay your tuition.</p>
<p>There is no money fairy. Find a school you can afford, now.</p>
<p>If financial aid isn’t enough, you will not be able to attend the college. Someone has to pay your college bills for all four years. </p>
<p>As others have said…you need to have at least one school on your application list that is affordable AND that you would be happy attending.</p>
<p>The University I want to go to is about 36,157 dollars a year</p>
<p>What school is this? Is the tuition only cost? Is this the COA? It sounds like either a small religious private or an OOS public.</p>
<p>Basically, when you are applying to colleges, and you have your eyes on schools that are not a certainty in terms of admissions (you might get rejected) or in price, you want to make sure that you have other schools on your list that you can both afford and know that they will take you. In my day, they were the first schools on ones list, and you then looked further out for other possibilities, and possibilities they were and still are these days if they have selective admissions and cost more than your family can pay. </p>
<p>It is possible the school could come up with some money. My son was surprised and delighted when the local Catholic college gave him a full tuition award. He could commute there, essentially for free. Throw in a part time and summer job and he would be in the gravy. It would have been less expensive than the community or local state schools where no award was given. So the sticker price there was not an issue, AFTER he got his award. He also got some partial merit awards, had a state uni with a low sticker price, OOS publics with lower than privates’ sticker prices, and schools that were out of range and did not offer any money. If you vary your list, you will likely get such a spread. </p>
<p>So don’t just cross off the school from your list, but be aware that it is an option for you only if the school gives you fiancial or merit aid that makes it affordable. What the average package any school gives becomes a moot point when you get your award, since only what is in that award package is going to matter for you. You might get better than average, or less, much less, or nothing. Most schools do not meet full need, and many just give what you are entiteld to get anywhere in terms of state and federal funds. Just because you show a need or EFC of a certain dollar amount does not mean a college is necessarily going to give you what you need. It’s a chance you take when you apply.</p>
<p>So keep your options open and make sure you have a few choices that you know are sure things.</p>
<p>Another issue that I’ve seen at pricey schools that don’t meet need.</p>
<p>If you have a LOT of need (very low EFC), unless you have top stats for the school, and the school is willing, it’s not likely that you’ll get enough aid. It’s very hard for many schools to “meet need” for students whose EFCs are “barely anything,” especially if the cost is about $40k per year. From the school’s perspective, to meet need for a nigh need student is around a $160k commitment. For many schools, that’s not possible, even for a top student. Some schools have a scholarship that can help “meet need.”</p>
<p>You need a financial safety (as does everyone) - a school where you know you will be admitted, where you would be happy to attend, and that you can afford under the most pessimistic assumptions about financial aid and scholarships.</p>