BMH

Thank you! My parents have brought up another question which is definitely a good one to ask. One of my main reasons for wanting to attend UC is because of co-op-- I think having this kind of hands-on opportunity is really a great way to help me learn my craft. But does this bad economy have an effect on the ability to co-op and/or on the pay students receive? I have already been told not to expect that co-op would ever help cover my tuition-- at best it will cover living expenses wherever I go. That's okay, but I would not want to come to UC and then not be able to get assignments or have to take on even more debt in order to support myself while on co-op.

taxguy

I just called financial aid at UC. Yes, they definitely got rid of the $3,000 out of state suppliment to the Cincinnatus Scholarship. I wrote President Zimpher a letter complaining about this and asking for the reason for this change. It frankly makes no sense.

taxguy

As an update to the Cincinnatus scholarship, UC will take all of the money that they saved by not automatically awarding the automatic $3,000 extra money to out of state students and use the money in a more discretionary way. They will still keep the total amount of scholarships but will use it more selectively. Thus, they may give higher awards than $3,000 for certain schools and less for schools that are in demand. They might award more based on top grades, gender, diversity, etc..

I was assured that the total amount of scholarship money will stay the same. It is the allocation that will change.

helen3

...if other OOS families think like mine and believe that in this economy, it would be inadvisable to attend the most expensive school on your list just because it's your first choice. I am disappointed, and incredulous that when the merit aid is factored in, UC is higher than the private schools I applied to!

helen3

Forgot to say THANK YOU for all the info you have provided.

taxguy

helen3, actually, you can get even more than the $3,000 that was automatically given to out of state folks as part of the Cincinnatus scholarship. That was the reason for removing the extra $3,000 because UC wanted more ability to pick and choose and give even more than $3,000 for a quality applicant.

I do agree, however, that UC for an out of state person becomes very expensive if they only get the $2,000 Cincinnatus grant.It is, however, still much cheaper than other schools such as Carnegie Mellon and Michigan etc. I guess it would depend on the major and school involved to see if it would be worth the tuition.

helen3

They tell you upfront the ACT and/or GPA you need to get a certain amount of $ if you are out-of-state. So you know, going in, exactly what the cost will be-- and then you are pleasantly surprised if you get additional aid on top of that, like a housing allowance. I think UC should have been more upfront about how their policy was changing this year, or at least have told their out-of-state student tour guides. Even with Cincinnatus, UC is double my EFC.

taxguy

Well they did change all of their web sites and marketing materials. Thus, there is no bait and switch.

brain5ide

Hello, I'm a prospective international applicant from Lithuania. Just today I got an email from UC and got all interested. The email says that I'm eligible for the 7000$ scholarship, however, the tuition costs >20000$. And as international I won't be able to work more than 20h per week. I have a good GPA(9,8 out of 10 in Lithuania or 3.9 by US), relatively good SAT's(CR550,WR560,M780, Math2: 690, Physics: 730) and not enough money to pay even the damn tuition. Aren't there any other scholarships at UC or I just missed the 20000$ deadline and now just won't be able to attend?

taxguy

Brain5ide, call up UC and see if you are eligible for more money. Frankly, international kids get shafted by many schools when it comes to scholarship money. However, if your tuition, net of scholarship, is only $13,000 per year then you are getting a REALLY good deal! Many private schools are now charging between $30,000-$37,000 per year.

nathanb

If any of you also applied for financial aid, and qualify for it, they give a decent amount (at least they did for me). They gave me about $8,000 of grant aid (including $2000 Cincinnatus scholarship), and another $20,000 or so of loan aid. I won't need all of the loan aid, though, because I get in-state tuition since I live just across the river. Some of the grant aid came from the university itself, and not from federal programs.

flalaw97

Thanks Taxguy for the followups.

Have you heard any more on switching from the quarter system? That would really mess up the Co-op program as it fits nicely into the Fall & Spring or Winter & Summer now.

Since the main draw to U of Cinci is the co-ops - a major switch like that by the Board of Regents (which would be hard to oppose) could really reduce the attractiveness of the interior design program.

Chris

flalaw97

Helen3 - it actually looks like you made out better since most OOS were just getting $5k ($2k + $3k for OOS). I think that the $6k is a reflection of them directing some of that saved money towards better candidates such as yourself

flalaw97

Remember that while you are on co-op, you don't pay tuition so that really helps, even if you are not making alot of money. Also, you largely control where you go so if money is important, you can choose a co-op that pays more (or allows you to live at home). If money is not so important you may choose the co-op based on the experience or location of the co-op. Our tour guide said she chose one close to her home but some of her friends wanted to go to Atlanta so they got co-ops down there and rented an apartment together.

flalaw97

I just checked on U of Cinci web site and they have alot of answers to the becoming an instate resident question: http://www.uc.edu/registrar/faq_residency.html

It is possible - but they have to become "independent" residents if mom and dad aren't Ohio residents. I think that means no more tax deduction and they basically have to be earning enough to live independently...