Well then what are they willing to pay for college? Will they tell you that? Otherwise you are spitting in the wind.
I apologize for swearing @jwm626 I just feel so stressed out. And if I apply to another college I’m gonna have to pay for it which blows because my mom will be mad that I’m applying to another school.
Idk I just know they think 60K a year is wholly unrealistic. My sister got into BU and Northeastern but couldn’t go because she got no money off so whatever their tuitions are are too steep. @jym626
You need to know what they will be willing to pay for college. Start from there. You need a financial safety.
I know they’ll pay for UNH like my sister goes to UMass full tuition and they pay for it soo @jym626
So…if your sister couldn’t go to BU or NEU, and she clearly is bright enough to have gotten accepted…why do you think $60,000 is a reasonable amount for your parents to pay for you?
And FYI…you claim that you are the only one who isn’t a slouch in the family. That is simply not true if your sis got accepted at BU and NEU.
URI. The Centennial scholarship is generous. It’s no longer called that in most publicity docs, but it was against tuition and based on min scores…
“You may be eligible for these awards if you have earned a GPA of 3.2/4.0, as well as SATs of 1050+ (critical reading and math) or ACT of 23+, and have demonstrated leadership and involvement in your school and/or community. All applicants are considered for these scholarships by submitting a complete application by February 1.”
But you’d need to call and ask because the link also says Dec 1 for the highest awards. ? http://www.uri.edu/admission/scholarships.html
Don’t put down URI based on its general rep. It’s strong in sciences, pharm, nursing and oceanography. It’s the kids with lib arts majors who sometimes encounter frustrations.
Also I think the Tufts grad program is in conjunction with BU.
…
adding, found this: “Centennial and University Scholarship Guidelines
Outstanding freshman candidates with minimum SAT score of 1200 who rank in the top third of their class are eligible to be considered for a Centennial Scholarship ranging up to full tuition.”
Tkat97, you can apply where you want but you need to get a clear understanding from your parents as to how much they will pay, and definitely you should be filling out the FAFSA now so you know what your FAFSA EFC is. That will give you a much better picture of what you potentially will get from other schools. The private need-only schools also will consider home equity and may have a different view of your parent’s income from self employment, but they are unlikely to do any better than meeting FAFSA EFC. In other words, if your FAFSA EFC is, say, $12,000- then there is at least a chance that a school like Yale may be affordable – if the FAFSA EFC is $40K, then your mom is right – you probably won’t be able to afford those schools.
It’s great that you worked hard and have strong grades and GPA, but it’s a mistake to look at that as if it entitles you to attend a more prestigious (and expensive) school. Simply wanting to attend those schools does not make you spoiled – but expecting your parents to pay as if it is some sort of reward for outperforming your siblings is not appropriate. Your reward for the hard work might be the merit money you get from schools that widens your opportunities.
What do your parents say about UNH now that you have figured out the true costs? Are they still willing and able to pay for you to attend – or do you need to focus your attentions right now on finding a financial safety?
It sounds like your parents are both self-employed, probably with fluctuating incomes – and they have three kids to put through college. They would be wise to conserve assets as best they can. You need to focus your energies on making sure that you have a spot at some college next fall that the family can afford --otherwise you might be in a lot worse shape than simply being disappointed in the ranking of your college.
@thumper1.
My sister had a 1700 SAT, got tons of C’s in High School, and had a 3.0 GPA at Umass this year.
She admits she doesn’t try and just gets by with minimal work. It really is a mystery to me how she got into those schools, part of me thinks she lied. I’m not saying i’m the best person in my family but no one else gives a crap about school.
They’ll pay for UNH. @calmom
Your parents just don’t understand. Paying OOS tuition is going to be the same or even more than paying tuition to one of these private schools that have endowments. Apply anyway and see what comes back. Also, I don’t understand why UNH appeals. Does Rhode Island not have an OT as a major? If it doesn’t, you will qualify for an additional reciprocal grant–where by the OOS New England schools will give you a break because your own state school does not offer a particular major.
Also, for OT, where you work is not going to be changed by whether or not you went to Yale. Don’t take on debt if you don’t have to. It’s a huge albatross for the rest of your life.
@redpoodles
Since New England Tech offers Occupational Therapy at the associate level in my state, I am only eligible for the NERSP tuition starting my junior year. And URI doesn’t have an OT program so I didn’t apply.
Our family will be in the same boat. If S is accepted to any of the Ivies/top tiers for his major, then we have to look at forking over a ton of money vs free at some third tier schools where he was given full rides.
I told him we won’t make any decisions til we file the FAFSA and see ALL the financial aid packages from all the accepted schools and then go from there. I so want to lose sleep over the agony of such decisions, but myself as a parent, I have put all that off until we are looking at concrete examples in front of us rather than “what ifs”. Who knows he could get rejected and all that worry over nothing?
So, go ahead and apply. I do know the Ivies and some top tier schools that don’t do merit aid specifically say on their websites that they feel it is important for the parents’ to provide a big chunk of their money towards their childrens’ education. They don’t dance around the issue. They will expect you to pay.
I read on another CC thread that a family sold their beautiful historic Craftsman style house to fund a child’s education, as the colleges looked at that as money to spend. Only your parents’ retirement is “safe” from scrutiny and only in retirement type accounts.
I hear ya, young lady. Go ahead and apply. If you get rejected, then your answer will have been made for you and you’ll never wonder. If accepted, then you cross that bridge when you come to it and compare ALL the financial aid packages.
You can go look now at payscale.com and look at average salaries in the majors that interest you from the different colleges. See if paying more for college is worth the pay…just make sure the pay is considerably more than your second and third tier school choices. I’m rambling now so I’ll end here. Congrats on your tenacity and commitment to excellence!
Thank you so much that was really helpful! @RDtsmith
I am working with a student who wants to be an OT. Is looking at kinesiology or Exercise Science for an undergrad major.
This is going in circles. If the parents will pay for UNH OOS, then there should be many other schools they will/can pay for IF the proper financial aid paperwork is submitted. The roadblock is in getting them to acknowledge this fact, and fill out the forms. Sounds like OP has tried to get them to do this, to no avail.
OP, can you enlist the help of another adult, say, a trusted relative with some experience in these matters?
And perhaps tell your parents it is beneficial to fill out the FAFSA period, because the state school they want you to go to may also give need based aid. Even with high incomes, it is always recommended to fill out…you just never know how each college fills out the FAFSA and many people on here can give examples of two different colleges setting two different EFCs from the exact same FAFSA information. It’s worth filling out regardless IMO…tell them that you may get more than merit aid, so mom and dad can we fill it out?
I know, OP. Now that we know their work, if they are self-employed, the NPC will be off.
Agree with jym and others, you need to learn how much they are willing to pay.
If they did not run a Fafsa, you aren’t at even the first step yet, with regard to need based aid. If your computer consultant mom is unwilling to try, there seems to be something else going on in the family dynamics. Fafsa is easy and you can run the sample Fafsa Forecaster which isn’t recorded anywhere, won’t be official or final, but gives ballpark. (Eg, if it comes in at 60k, you are way out of league for need aid. If it comes in much lower, then you collect the details and enter them for an official return.)
how each college interprets the FAFSA I meant.
Also, merit and grant $ are two different things. Did your sister apply for grant money at BU and NEU but didn’t get any? Or did she just cross them off her list b/c they didn’t offer her merit $$?