How big a Provost scholarship, and how much remaining net price would it leave?
For PhD programs in engineering, the reputation of your undergraduate school may matter, but but how much can be opaque unless you ask PhD-granting departments what they think of Buffalo and they actually answer. You can also see if the Buffalo career center or the undergraduate engineering departments know what PhD programs graduates have gone to.
In terms of a gap year, will your parents let you live at home and work while you reapply to a merit-seeking list? Of course, whether that is a good idea depends on whether you like any of the merit scholarship offering schools better than Buffalo, and whether you can actually find work in your area as a high school graduate.
Even people who go to unknown mediocre state schools can get into prestigious grad schools. I’ve seen it happen, and it is related to the discipline and drive of that individual. They made opportunities for themselves (eg applying for and getting into prestigious summer programs, applying for grants, etc)
@ucbalumnus 5k provost scholarship, and around 1k remaining net price. And thanks for the info on gap aswell. I will definitely do more research on local employment and see what I can find. Still being <18 will definitely hurt job opportunities, so I will have to see.
@choirsandstages That gives me more hope for UB. I am definitely committed to being an engineer and will have to read up on these summer programs and other EC opportunities . Thank you
@whitespace I downplayed it as it does not hold a candle to any of the other schools I applied to in terms of what I desired for majors. Seeing now that I have no financial opportunity elsewhere and its my only option besides community college or take a year off, it leaves me in anguish thinking just a couple of days ago I “thought” I my other schools were actually viable options.
Well, my prediction is that you’re going to go to Syracuse. So, when you get there - make the most of it. Don’t spend your four years wondering what if. It’s a fantastic school and has great opportunities for you to take advantage.
If it is a $1,000 net price over four years, you may as well go there.
However, are you sure it is that low? http://financialaid.buffalo.edu/costs/undergradcost.php indicates that the billed costs are $9,770, so even if your parents subsidize all other costs, your net price after the $5,000 scholarship would be $4,770 – still very doable with small federal direct loan or some work earnings if that is the case. You are not likely to get much better even with a full ride merit scholarship elsewhere, since you would have travel costs and such that are not included in tuition, fees, room, and board that would be covered.
If “grad school” means law school, then undergraduate school prestige matters much less than college GPA and LSAT score. See http://lawschoolnumbers.com .
I constantly need to remind myself to try not to get too emotionally invested in any one school. It’s important to try to do on behalf of yourself and your child.
A few thoughts. Stanford offers a wide selection of online courses, with various admission requirements. I believe they offer some summer courses as well. If not a Stanford education in full, you may possibly be able to at least access some enrichment material in your field of study or in another field of interest.
There’s a great book coming out from two Stanford professors: Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. Coming out in September. It’s based on a popular course they teach. Do some research on this book and the course and see if it might be interesting to you as well.
I also recommend What I Wish I Knew When I was 20: A Crash Course in Making Your Place in the World by another Stanford professor, Tina Seelig.
Also, I hope I’m not the first one to tell you that this won’t be the last time you get pounded by life! It happens. It happens to us all. It is part of becoming an adult. Yes, it sucks. But you have to find a way to get through.