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Moved: Question about financing for 4 in college
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Critical Language Scholarship?
Anyone else have a kiddo apply for CLS this year? My DS is applying for China. I missread the web page and thought we'd know if he made it in January but that's only the first pass, turns out he won't know if he really made it until March Unfortunately because of other future internships this may be the only summer he can do this so I really hope it works out for him.
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Moved: Transferring to Texas A&M
This discussion has been moved.
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Moved: University of Mississippi Scholarship timeline
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Question about financing for 4 in college
Now that acceptances are rolling in for our two seniors (aviator and musician), I need to help figure out how they are going to pay for their tuition. We aren't in a position to pay for more than housing (maybe) since we will have 4 in college and my hubby is disabled. Our EFC is low ($2,100) but not much in financial aid so far.
So two questions
1) When should our two seniors start applying for student loans to see if they can get them? I doubt that my hubby or I can co-sign (our credit isn't good from 3 brain surgeries that my hubby had) - but my elderly mother (with assets) can co-sign. Should they start applying now to test the waters? My mother doesn't want to fund their college as she knows that my hubby and I will likely need the $$ more than they will in the future (I've also have had cancer twice) but I would hope that her assets would be enough for her to co-sign....any thoughts on that?
2) Regarding the Parent Plus loan (we don't plan to use them) - I understand if we apply and are rejected then our kids can get more in subsized loans. What are the chances that we will be rejected? (we have tons of medical bills and have thought about applying for bankruptcy but for now we just avoid the collection calls. (don't get me started on how bad the healthcare insurance system is in the U.S.).
Thanks for your help on this.
Our kids are trying to minimize debt - but some is inevitable. The good news is that our aviator is pretty much guaranteed a good paying pilot job with a signing bonus after college, although the cost of college and flight training is not cheap in the meantime ($100k over 4 years is likely). Musician is on the scholarship audition trail - and is more reticent to take on a lot of debt.
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U of SC email from fasfa... is this good?
I just recieved this email from Uof SC saying... The Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships has received the results of your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In order for our office to begin communicating with you about your financial aid application, you will need to establish your on-line identity.
What does this mean? Does it mean I got accepted? (decisions dont come out till March)
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Left school because it was too expensive, tried to take out a loan to pay, they couldn't process it.
Background: UC Berkeley student who withdrew after Fall 2018 and is now attending CC
So a bit before thanksgiving break I was going to the FA office to try to take out an additional loan to pay off what I owed in my account, I filled out the extra paper work and whatnot and turned it in, took ages to process and I kept returning to check up on its progress and they just told me to wait.
Come January still nothing has processed, they ask me for extra paperwork and I submit it. Wait a few weeks--nothing. So I emailed asking what's up and now they tell me since I'm not enrolled (I withdrew partly because I could not afford Cal anymore) they can't process another loan for me.
What can I do? I literally have no way to come up with the money right now. I can't send my transcripts to other schools and now even if I wanted to return to Cal I couldn't.
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USC Merit awards 2019 no logic?
I was told that about 42,000 applicants were considered for the 2019 USC merit awards.
One of my kids who i will call Kid#2 with a 4.6 GPA; 1560 SAT, 35 ACT, impressive community service worldwide, member of highly regarded wind ensemble etc, ect. He was not selected for this great award. Over 80 applicants from his high school were also eliminated.
Two years ago my other child who I will call Kid#1 was awarded a presidential merit award (50 % off tuition). Kid #1 had lower GPA and lower test scores, similar community service.
I would say that kid #1 may have articulated her experiences a bit better.
So what is the secret? is it luck?
If you are to be selected from 42k applicants then I would expect that if you are lucky whoever reads and evaluate your application will find you unique and deserving.
There is not a formula, otherwise they will input your numbers into a database and select the highest scores. It is clearly subjective and I am sure that kids who you may know with lower grades and lower test scores could have been preselected to interview for a merit award.
My kid #2 was eliminated from the awards interviews and kid #1 two years ago received one. I know them very well and I can say that Kid #2 has more merit I should have been selected. BUT he was not. I am sure thousands of applicants have what it takes to be given the awards but they received the same bad news.
It is so difficult to get into a good college and even the perfect grades and test scores may not get you there.
Congratulations to all the ones who were chosen, I am sure you deserve it and I hope you will treasure and be thankful for how fortunate you are. You won a jackpot!
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Financial Advice please!
Hello!
I'm seeking the advice of experienced CCers who can shed some light on how to make the best financial choice.
I know most college decisions and financial aid packages have not come out yet, but there is a high probability that because of my high school profile, that I will end up being accepted to many matches and hopefully a few reach schools.
I'll lay out the options. Experienced CCers, please share your thoughts, advice, questions on this situation.
Some things to note:
My family is in the middle-class, may be considered upper-middle. Probably won't be getting a lot of need-based aid.
I plan to go to graduate school but I'm not 100% what field (masters, PhD or MBA in the future), aiming for a top program
Options:
1. In-State Honors college Full Tuition
As a national merit SF (most likely finalist as well), I have already been accepted to my in-state honors college with full tuition, I will only need to pay housing/food etc. (Please PM me if you wish to know where). Ostensibly, this is the best *financial* option--I'll be out of college with very little debt. However, I don't thrive in a huge public university system where professors are often more focused on research and students are simply "cycled" through. Even within the honors college, class sizes are still big and professors not as accessible. I do not want to live in the state I am in in the future.
2. Top LAC Minimal Aid
This is where I know I will thrive. I'm ~80% sure that I thrive best at small undergrad focused LACs, specifically the top ones. I will be in a *much* better position academically if I go to a LAC, especially because they have such great placement into every field. I want a liberal arts education, and don't know what I want to study so LACs are perfect in this regard. I will be better positioned to get into a good graduate program with strong relationships with my professors and more personal development. No question about it--LACs are a great fit for me and I would be happy all four years, especially with the specific ones I'm aiming for. While some LACs are known for generous need based aid, it will still be very costly, and potentially leave me less options for graduate school if I'm burdened with student loans/can't afford some programs.
Pros- being surrounded by top students and minds from across the US, experiencing unparalleled personal development.
Cons- Expensive
3. Ivy League, etc--Minimal Aid
These are categorized as "other". I applied to Ivies, comparable universities and other top universities like UChicago, USC etc. These places could provide unparalleled opportunities and connections. Some of these universities probably have connections and resources that aren't offered at other schools, making them ideal since I want to pursue graduate school. These places will have research opportunities and name recognition in the academic world. However, since I don't know what I want to do, maybe I should save the money for a top graduate school when I'll have a better idea of what I want to study?
Off topic question: Should I be applying to scholarships? I've heard that they are a double edged sword because if you win a scholarship, sometimes colleges will deduct that out of your need-based aid! Are most scholarships like that? Is it still worth it to apply?
Thank you all in advance!
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FERPA and using Letters of Rec from College Apps for Scholarships?
Hi, so I am done with submitting apps for colleges. Right now I am looking into applying for scholarships. Can you use the same letters of recommendation for scholarships that you used for the college admissions process? Some of these scholarships I am looking at have *me* directly upload the letters of recommendation, with no link to send to the teacher. I am wondering if this would be not following the FERPA, even though I am done with applying to colleges. Thanks!
I have three teachers I asked for letters of rec for the college admissions process, I’ve used all three of them for college apps. I’d hate to ask them to write another letter- they’ve worked so hard on the current ones.
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Fafsa application and younger siblings trust account
Hello, I have 18 years old daughter who is going to college and 14 year old son.
I am thinking to set up revocable trust account for my 14 year old. Does this trust account have to be declared as my asset in my daughter's FAFSA application? Thank you.
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FAFSA Verification sheet help
I am having trouble filling out my FAFSA my mother is here undocumented, I filled out my FAFSA completed the signature page but my school is asking for a dependent verification sheet and asking for my mothers ITIN but she does not have one and it is also asking for a verification from the IRS for proof she didn't file as well but she doesn't file taxes and does not have the proper information to do so what can I do in this situation ?
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FAFSA
FAFSA only allows you to put 10 colleges? If I applied more than 10 colleges? How do I put all the colleges on my FAFSA?
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Reliable Scholarships
What are good websites to apply for scholarships that are reliable?
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FAFSA and student ROTH IRA
My son has a ROTH IRA that has about $900 in it. I don't believe it would be reported anywhere on the FAFSA (at least I didn't see a spot for it). Can anyone confirm this?
I'm also filling out the CSS Profile. I did see a specific question for it there.
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Moved: Syracuse 2023 Merit???
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Wrongly identifying family members in IDOC
I submitted my parents' 2017 tax return on IDOC but identified it only as my father's, not my mother's even though both of their names appear on the tax return (they're married so everything is combined). I didn't notice this before submitting... Is that a big deal? Should I notify colleges about this mistake or is this just a detail?
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Moved: any merit scholarships announced yet for UNC Chapel Hill
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Financial Aid
Can/Will schools deny you for needing financial aid/applying for scholarships+aid etc...?
I didn't think so but then I read some stuff on here and now I'm just confused
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Student's income(?) kerfuffle
Hi! I've already applied for financial aid to all the colleges I applied to, but it seems I've made a mistake (or not?) on my CSS and ISFAA forms. See, trouble began when I asked my "boss" to give me some kind of wage statement to go with my tax non-filer. They can't get me one because my income isn't "technically" income and I'm not "technically" employed (I help out at my mother's friends' restaurant).
But I already stated on my forms that I earned income! It seems like I have three options:
- ignore it and just not send any documentation with my tax non-filer (it's not as bad as it may sound because I only "made" about $200 so maybe the colleges just won't care)
- attach some kind of document explaining that I can't get an official statement (seems like the most honest option but can I even do that?)
- message all the schools that I've made a mistake declaring my income (basically a whole lot of mess over 200 bucks)
What do you think I should do?
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