pattyishere

Here is the unofficial financial aid award s received:

Total UCSB Cost Estimate $33110
Tuition Estimate $12924
Student Services Fee $1483
Health Care $1395
Room & Board (On-Campus) $13275
Personal Expenses $1462
Transportation $838
Telephone $305
Books & Supplies $1428
Minus Unofficial Grants and Scholarships - $12924
Equals Unofficial Net Cost = $20186
Minus Stafford Loans= 5,500
GAP =$14,686

Between family members and myself we can contribute $10,000, that leaves balance of 4,686.

I know some of the expenses above are estimates, can someone give me a more accurate figure on the GAP of $14,686?

lerkin

If you are covered by health insurance on your parents plan, then you don't have to purchase health insurance through UCSB.


Depending on your major, books and supplies can be reduced if you buy used books. Try Abe books. I was able to buy $100 text books for under $20 on that site (you have to hunt for them sometimes).

arabrab

Is telephone a required expense? A cheap cell phone (prepay) ought to run a whole lot less than their $305 estimate. How much do you estimate for transportation costs vs. what they estimated? Books and supplies sounds high unless you're an engineering, hard sciences, or studio art major. Could you cut back on personal expenses some? Perhaps look for a job of about 10 hours a week on campus? Are there dorm options (perhaps a triple) that are less expensive?

This doesn't look terrible -- if it had been my kid (social sciences major) and we didn't live too far away to drive her there & pick her up for vacations, and we already covered her on our health insurance, I could see the "real" total being about $1800 less than what they estimated, and lower still if there were cheaper dorm options. (Usually the standard COA presumes a double room with a certain meal plan. Depending on what the school offers, a freshman might be able to get a cheaper dorm room and a less expensive meal plan) One point in your favor is that the gap might only be this much for freshman year, since you can live off-campus as a sophomore, which can definitely be cheaper.