<p>I want to go away but my mother is extremely concerned about paying for college. Do you think I'll get a good package if my mother is a single parent making $45,000 a year? I am her only child also</p>
<p>There are a number of online financial aid calculators you can use; google “Financial aid calculator” . You’ll need all of your mom’s income and asset information; also, if your father is alive, you would need his information for schools that require a CSS/Profile form be filed; some schools only require a FAFSA form, which only needs custodial parent info. The online calculator would give you a good estimate of what colleges would expect you to pay, but you have to combine that information with statistics from the specific colleges you are applying to; some meet 100% of need but may meet it with loans and work study.</p>
<p>Many colleges are not able to meet the full financial need of their students, particularly students like you who are relatively low income. Consequently, just because a financial aid calculator says, for instance, that your family can afford to pay only $800 a year for college wouldn’t mean that all colleges would give you the financial aid that would leave your family with just $800 to pay for your yearly college education. Many colleges “gap” aid, meaning that the financial aid package of loans, work study and grants may leave 40% or even more of the college’s costs not covered (meaning you may not afford to go there). Some colleges may offer you $15,000 or more a year in loans, far above what would be wise to take out (The average college student takes out a total of about $17,000 to cover their entire college education). </p>
<p>The best way that I know of to get an idea of what financial aid may be is to look at the financial aid sections of each colleges’ web sites.
Also, it is very worth it to pay the $15 to access the U.S. news premium college guide’s on-line website until Aug. That provides detailed information – admission, financial aid --for thousands of colleges.</p>
<p>Usually, the most affordable way to go to college is to live at home and commute to a local 2-year or 4-year public. For financial reasons, many smart students will start college at their local 2-year public, then transfer to an in-state public after they get their associates.</p>
<p>Also check the posts pinned to the top of this board for more tips.</p>
<p>Colleges also may need financial info from your father even though he’s not raising you. CC’s archives has posts from students for whom getting such info has been difficult or impossible, and how the colleges responded.</p>