Need Advice / Realistic Chances of Merit Aid for Niece - Page 2

ucbalumnus · 05-09-2012, 01:40 AM

ACT of 28 will get her the $15,000 per year scholarship at UA Birmingham, but that still leaves about $10,000 per year of other costs for an out of state student.

ACT of 34 will get her the full ride scholarship at UA Huntsville (ACT 31 is full tuition, leaving about $10,000 per year of other costs).

If she is fast enough running to attract athletic recruiters, that may be another angle to a scholarship (being female may help, since there appear to be fewer female athletes than male athletes).

If she is interested in military service, there are some additional options:
* Military service academy
* ROTC scholarship
* Enlist; after completing service, use veterans' benefit money and the fact that financial aid no longer considers parental income

Otherwise, she may have to wait until she is 24 or married to no longer have parental income considered for financial aid purposes.

Community college and then transfer is an option, but that still leaves paying for the two years at the four year school.

sybbie719 · 05-09-2012, 05:27 AM

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Are there really vouchers/fee waivers available for kids whose parents could technically pay for things such as tests and app fees but just won't?

SAT/ACT and college board fee waivers are available for students who receive free or reduced lunch. They are not available for kids whose parents could pay, but just won't pay. There are schools that will waive their fee if you apply on line.

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Since the GC is the one that controls that...yes, they can give them out to just anyone if they want to. At the very least, they could sign off on some College Application fee waivers.

Actually schools are getting fewer fee waivers for testing and from the college board. The GC may have a little latitude with NACAC fee waivers.

If your niece knows that her parents won't pay, I would recommend that she get a part time job to earn some money to defray the cost of these things because you can easily rack up a few hundred $ in test/application fees.

The thing that your brother/sister in law needs to know that parents are first in line when it comes to paying for their child's education. Need based financial aid is based on what the school feels the family could pay based on their income/assets not what they want to pay.

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I would certainly be willing to meet with her and her counselor if that is the case but I don't think it would be allowed.

Unless you are the parent of record or you come to the meeting with the parent, this is not going to happen.

Right now you/your niece need to sit down with her parents to find out realistically how much they can afford to pay/borrow to send her to college. Then she has to compile a list making sure that she has some options that are financially feasible for the family in the event that she cannot snag a merit/athletic scholarship.

SteveMA · 05-09-2012, 06:12 AM

Have her look at the Wisconsin state schools. I'm pretty sure IL has reciprocity with WI or at least they are in the Midwest consortium giving pretty good discounts. What is her UW GPA? Weighted GPA really means nothing since most colleges refigure that anyway. Guessing her UW GPA is say a 3.7, with a 27 ACT she would qualify for $14,000 at Central College in Pella, IA (they have their chart on their website). Most of the private schools in the midwest would give similar aid AND are often willing to take into consideration individual situations like your DD's. Can you take her on a couple visits this summer? If so, maybe chat with the financial aid officer and explain the situation and see what they are willing to do.

alwaysleah · 05-09-2012, 07:03 AM

I would look into University of Pittsburgh. It has a lot of merit aid, possibly even a full ride if the ACT gets up to 30, and it has excellent premed opportunities. It is more likely that she will get full tuition. If she works year round and takes out Stanfords, she could probably do it if she gets the full tuition.

With regards to fee waivers - talk to the GC. I personally have gotten a few waivers despite a high family income (most of the money is my stepfather's, and he doesn't contribute). If her district has the money, her GC could give her fee waivers. It depends on the financial state of the PTA, parent's board, district,etc. but is certainly worth asking about.

mommusic · 05-09-2012, 07:12 AM

Will the parents not help with ANYTHING? I mean, if she gets full tuition paid, will they pay for room and board, considering she's their daughter and I hope they paid for her food and so forth while she was living at home.

cptofthehouse · 05-09-2012, 07:39 AM

This happens a lot more than people would think. It is up to the parents to provide college, and if they decide that they will not pay for her to have an "away experience" or for her to go to a private college, that is their perogative. That is not considered neglect or abuse.

You niece has commuting alternatives. She can work and go to school which is really what the majority of Americans do to get their college degrees. The Stafford will pretty much cover community and state college tuitions. If you live in the same state, and are willing to give her a room, she can expand her options to what is around you as well.

As for merit money, there is no thread better than Momfromtexas's about free ride scholarships. As soon as she can get her working papers, she should be getting a part time job to cover some of these expenses. My kids worked during their high school years as did my cousin's son, and they did just fine in terms of grades and college.

Munequita · 05-09-2012, 08:19 AM

Look at Loyola in Chicago, I think her stats are good for some merit aid, specially if she can get a better ACT score. She may be able to live at home (not ideal for some kids but ok for others).
There is also DePaul but I don't know about their merit aid.

ILAunt · 05-09-2012, 08:22 AM

She does have a job and is saving everything she can. She is not afraid of hard work or working her way through college. She just needs help on knowing what her options are. Every response on here has been helpful. I hope that if she can get full tuition, she can take a loan for partial room and board expenses and then I pray her parents will pick up the rest somehow. I've talked to them a few times but they just don't understand yet that she won't be able to take out unlimited loans in her name.

We are willing to take her on visits and help her in any way we can.

We do have a good community college but I think that's a last resort due to the little amount of aid available for transfer students.

mommusic · 05-09-2012, 08:27 AM

Wait, the father made some bad financial decisions, so he wants the daughter to make some bad ones, such as take out unlimited student loans?

Some people don't learn from experience.

2collegewego · 05-09-2012, 08:30 AM

The total loans available to her will probably be 4 years of federal loans totaling $27K. Parent income is high enough that additional Perkins loans are unlikely. That means the only other loans available will likely be loans for the parents to take out-- PLUS loans.

If you think her parents will bridge the gap with full tuition, she needs to focus on the testing. Has she taken a practice SAT? Some kids do a lot better on one than the other.

Oh, and she should dual enroll or take AP classes senior year. State schools can be particularly good about accepting dual enrollment classes and she may be able to knock out a semester or year of costs.

ILAunt · 05-09-2012, 09:14 AM

She has 3 APs this year and will take at least 3 next year. That's one reason I think CC is not the best option.

It's not worth anyone's time or effort to discuss her parents. Honestly, learned that long ago in this case.

Creekland · 05-09-2012, 09:22 AM

Consider LaSalle. A pre-med student from our high school with similar stats is going there with at least free tuition from merit and he said after a visit that he's in love with their Honors College. Other schools gave him money, but LaSalle was his best financially. It brought that school onto my radar for suggestions.

If taking AP or dual enrollment classes, don't take credit for the pre-req science classes (don't even do dual enrollment for those classes - AP is ok to do - just don't accept credit). It could come back to haunt her if she follows through with pre-med. Other classes are fine.

If she gets in the mid 30's ACT, re-ask and other schools come into play.

Pitt (a suggestion from earlier) doesn't state it on their website, but generally to get merit aid one needs a 33+. They've been edging those numbers higher each year as the competition for merit gets tougher.

boysx3 · 05-09-2012, 09:36 AM

I was going to suggest going the ROTC route....my son has a friend who was able to get a full ride ROTC scholarship and is now in med school on the military's dime as well....he will have a long period of service when he finishes, but he is fine with that. If she is at all interested in this option, she needs to start with her GC now so that she can get all her ducks in a row.

katwkittens · 05-09-2012, 10:04 AM

Are the parents together or divorced? Makes a difference for FA, looking to FAFSA only schools if divorced.

Kat
ps you might post this on the financial aid forum as posters there will know exactly financially how to advise....the legalities and options

MiamiDAP · 05-09-2012, 10:19 AM

"27" in relation to her very high GPA indicates that she did not prepare for ACT, at least not as seriously as for her classes tests / exams. Her chances will improve greately with 32+ and she needs to apply to schools that are known for good Merit packages. Re-taking over and over without additional prep. seems to be waste of money and time, IMO. My own D (pre-med). was on full tuition Merit award in UG, but she has received very different amounts at each school. While Merit award was not her criteria #1 for choosing, it just happened that she decided to attend the one that gave her the most (we were very thankful). Look for state and also some private colleges.
Her job whatever it is and if she is able to get any position at all will bring a bit of pocket change, nothing serious to contribute to cost of her education. Her most important job that can seriously contribute is to get her ACT higher and to choose the UG with the best Merit package.
I would not recommend CC as they have very limited resources (not sure if they even have Merit awards) and might not be the cheapest UG option at all. Best wishes to the very hard working kid, medicine definitely needs these type!