Okay…I am looking at the calculator for UA…with a 34 ACT score it shows we are stilling looking at $19,000 for out of pocket per year. Really? That seems really high to me. What are your thoughts?
@Tgirlfriend The calculator is kind of bogus. It assumes the absolutely highest cost of everything. UA includes a very generous “misc” category of $2380 (which equates to $300/mo) and transportation of $1736 and even includes a loan fee of $66. You will probably NOT have these additional expenses, if your student is careful with discretionary spending, and if you shop hard for travel back to your home at breaks. You can save additional money on parking (not having a car), books (shop hard online - much advice on this is given on this forum in other threads), and not spending the mandatory Bama $$$/Dining Dollars (or whatever they are calling it these days). Next year, your student can save a bundle on not having the mandatory meal plan, and/or by moving off campus can avoid the high dorm fees. Living in a fairly luxurious suite on campus does cost extra, and you can save a heap by going into a traditional dorm instead.
I will have D apply as soon as the OOS Engineering scholarships are posted. She has the stats for the Presidential, but the extra $2500/yr for engineering would be icing on the cake. UA will be her only OOS school as well as her financial/safety school. The early admission (plus large merit award) will definitely take a lot of pressure while awaiting results from our instate California schools (UCs and top CSUs), which are a very difficult admittance for engineering/CS.
@Tgirlfriend It does seem high, but I think the breakdown is like this:
$12,000 Room & Board
$2,000 Books & Supplies
$2,000 Travel Cost
$1,500 Personal Expenses
A 34 gets full tuition. If DC is in engineering there is a stipend. Others know of additional scholarships, but that’s what your getting from the NPC probably.
^ Remember when you are choosing UA to compare apples with apples with the non-tuition costs of other universities. Just because your tuition is paid for doesn’t mean your college experience is free or even in-expensive!
UA is very conservative with its figures (i.e., posts the upper end of what a student could spend) and is upfront about these out-of-pocket costs, as all colleges should be. There are many ‘hidden’ o-o-p costs to going to college, as you families will find out! I’m very pleased that UA includes travel and miscellaneous expenses in their budget for students. It makes families aware of this and should start a discussion about finances with your students.
Agree now with your student what your collective o-o-p budget for college is, because even will tuition paid, it IS expensive, no doubt!
@aeromom I would absolutely approach the GC if we had any idea where he was. Literally, he was fired over the summer but we did not find out until today when I emailed him about the LOR and got back an automated email saying he was gone. Not clear on any of the circumstances why- my son loved him-- but also doubt the school will give us his new personal information. He taught my son in his psych class and knew him as his Guidance counselor but …unfortunately I doubt we are going to be able to find him.
@Tgirlfriend assuming you are OOS. I think that is pretty far to me. Also remember that some of those costs are indirect.
@Tgirlfriend A 34 ACT gives Presidential scholarship. My twins, DS and DD, have that and first semester bill for this fall is $5200 for each or $10,400/year.
Out of pocket includes books/parking/travel which are all variable and UA goes high on these numbers.
I usually look at Tuition and R&B because those are the main costs that I pay the university. Hard to predict the others and definitely I do not use the university projections. Remember, their projections are used for students to qualify for aid/loans so it is beneficial to be pumped up to be sure the students can get enough loans.
We are going to have to way it all out. If he goes out of state then he looses his Valedictorian scholarship and anything he would get from being UIL State Champion. I think those are pretty much in state only. OMG…brain overload!!
@CyclonesGrad …that is not bad at all. He will be applying for Engineering and I think there maybe another scholarship for that. Not for sure though.
@2muchquan …thank you for the break down. I just had a panic attack for a second.
@aeromom …great advise. Thank you. I will keep all that in mind. We will have to way everything out. I see a spreadsheet in my near future.
@tgirlfriend also remember that I think those estimates are based on 1st year/dorm situation. (I think Bama’s res hall fees are some of the highest I’ve seen, but they’re also the nicest dorms I’ve seen, so there’s that.) Not sure the rental market in Tuscaloosa, but typically your room&board should be lower after leaving dorms.
@Tgirlfriend A spreadsheet is a very useful tool in this process. My son and I share a Google Sheet, so its with you at all times on your smartphone.
@Tgirlfriend The expenses besides the tuition may seem like a lot, but there are other ways to help pay for the cost, especially with your DS’s stats. I’ll be a freshman this fall and I had similar stats to your DS. In addition to the Presidential scholarship, I’m also receiving money from CBH, the Alumni assocation, MDB, and local scholarships. I’m not even in engineering, UFE, or a NMF, so there’s even more money available!
@STEM2017 …google sheet. Great idea. @Raxterfawk …we will be applying for anything and everything he can get. The whole community service thing may get him on some stuff. Between band and UIL there is not much time in the day for community service. We are looking for a unique solution now.
Need advise…Well i just got into the “mybama” and young S typed in his phone number wrong. I don’t see both SAT and ACT there either. I do NOT see anyway to change the phone number or check about the ACT score. We need both things corrected. What do I do now?
I guess it’s time to call admissions. My suggestion is to talk to someone on staff, because you’ll probably get a student at first…that was my experience, and they weren’t to helpful with app questions. You just reminded me that my D’s birth year was wrong :). She needs to fix that too.
@2muchquan …I was afraid of that. I hate trying to call and get a hold of the correct person to find out or change information when it comes to colleges. I told my S he needs to be a little more careful with filling out things. I should make him call then he would realize what a pain it is.
Did anyone else see that Alabama changed the scholarship information for out of state students? The New and Old SAT are greatly different. Are they saying that the new SAT was easier. My S thought it was about the same if not harder.
PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR
A student with a 32-36 ACT, 1400-1600 old SAT score or 1450-1600 new SAT score and at least a 3.5 GPA will be selected as a Presidential Scholar and will receive the value of tuition, or $107,800 over four years ($26,950 per year). .