<p>i have a pretty specific topic, so i was wondering if some parents could help!
i am looking to double major in business (prbly finance) and psychology, as i am not yet sure of which of the two I would like to pursue as a career. My biggest problem, though, is money. My efc is high (20k) and my parents are, fortunately, able to pay 12k a year. I think that between loans and a job, i could pay 8k. But most schools cost 40k + a year!</p>
<p>I was wondering about good schools that would probably be able to meet the difference and end up costing me 20k a year. </p>
<p>stats: 3% at huge good public schools, IB, 2020 sat w/out studying so hopefully i can study and get 2100+, good ecs, hispanic, first generation in usa</p>
<p>thanks!
so far i can only think of UT austin and UTD as schools i will definently apply to?
should i even bother with reaches like UPenn, Carnegie Mellon, and Cornell? Is there any chance that they will not only accept me but also make it so i can go only paying 20k a year?</p>
<p>I am assuming from your name that you are female. If so, i would recommend Smith College. While you could not major in business you could do economics and psychology and thet are good at meeting full need</p>
<p>Rice is a great springboard-to-grad school with excellent financial aid. And a good liberal arts preparation (university or LAC) will work for either of those specialities so don’t exclude schools that don’t feature business at the undergrad level. What you want is a place that will give you good mentorship and you should be a good candidate for many schools so think about where you would like to be geographically…</p>
OP, I don’t believe you are doing your math right. You are both in better shape than you think , and worse shape than you think. </p>
<p>Bad news first. Assume a $32,000 school. Assume your $20,000 EFC. Assume your parents contribution of $12,000. You say that between “loans and a job” you can pay eight, well - at most schools they are already assuming that you will have loans and a school term job as part of their aid package.</p>
<p>A “normal” , not bad package at a 100% of need school will include a Stafford loan at $2625 and work study of let’s say $1800 (they call this self-help aid). The rest will be grant money you don’t have to work for or pay back. </p>
<p>So at school X that starts at $32,000 the school expects self help of $4425 and will give you a grant of $7575 for a total package of $12,000. The other twenty will have to come from your folks $12,000 and $8,000 of ADDITIONAL loans or work. (A total of $12,250 in loans or work. Per year.)</p>
<p>But on the positive side, and this is VERY positive, there is absolutely no reason to limit yourself by the starting sticker price. $32K or $50K shouldn’t matter to you. Need based aid will cover it in grants at the 100% of need schools because your EFC and self help WILL STAY THE SAME as at the cheaper school and the additional costs of the $50K school will be met (at the best FA schools) with free money.</p>
<p>If I were you I would concentrate on 100% of need schools that are attempting to increase their diversity profile. I am not that familiar with the specific programs but (assuming the scores come up some) the schools that pop in my mind on the FA side are schools like Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Richmond, Wash and Lee, and maybe Furman.</p>
<p>I believe that schools like these may be very generous to you also: some of the LAC’s like Trinity, Connecticut College, Hamilton, or even Colgate and of course the top women’s colleges are always a great admisson’s value (but I don’t think many of these have much in the way of a specific business degree, mostly economics). </p>
<p>Look into application fee waivers , you may be surprised. Folks with similar EFC’s received them this season. </p>
<p>And one final thought, (if the scores came up some) I’d send an app to UPenn, why not? It could happen. Nothing ventured… ;)</p>
<p>and one more final thought, LOL, what I said about UPenn would apply to Cornell, and I would put Carnegie Mellon in with my first grouping of schools. Also Bucknell and Lehigh now that I think about it. Gee, give us more feedback and I’ll try to cut my ever growing list back.;)</p>
<p>Are you by any chance National Merit? Many schools offered great packages for NMS. One of these is the University of Florida (where my daughter has chosen to attend…for a business major/psycho minor)!</p>
<p>Thanks sooo much for all the advice!!!
I have heard so much about USC and I def. think I will be applying there. A girl w/my stats got a really good scholarship there from my school.
About Smith - I don’t think an all-girls school is good for me.
Rice - I do not think I will get in. I heard that being from TX is a huge disadvantage, too.
The financial aid info was really good to know. How do you get fee waivers?
Trinity, Connecticut College, Hamilton, and Colgate - never heard of any of them… are they good schools? is their aid really good?
Wash U also sounds like a good choice.</p>
<p>I am not NM, but I am commended and hispanic - though I do not think it helps.</p>
<p>I really dont know much of what I want, unfortunately. I seem to like every Uni I visit. I guess just small things like a nice campus, nice ppl, and maybe close to a city for internship opportunities.</p>
Margsala, if you are seriously considering a far flung hunt for really “good schools” you need to spend at least a little time familiarizing yourself with what’s out there. There are some really cool schools we Texans don’t hear that much about. </p>
<p>All of these are National Liberal Arts colleges. My suggestion would be to use either one of the internet sites or just any guidebook you can borrow. You don’t have to buy one and they are rarely accurate but …it is a place to start. They are all top 50 LAC’s by most rankings and Hamilton and Colgate are top 15. (As a fellow Texan , it may help to know that no Texas LAC (or Arkansas, or Oklahoma, or Lousiana, or Mississippi, or Kansas, or Missouri) is ranked as high as any of those. </p>
<p>The closest we have is Rhodes in Memphis and that is where my D is going. ;)</p>
<p>So yes, they are very good schools. As far as FA, Colgate and Hamilton were the hands-down the two most generous schools my D applied to , and she applied to 14 including traditionally generous Yale and Amherst.</p>
<p>Well, I guess I did leave out Trinity University in Texas. It’s in a different category so sometimes I forget :(. </p>
<p>You say you don’t think hispanic will help but at some schools where hispanic’s are not as common as in the Southwest it could give you a bump. Go where there are less folks like you if you are looking for a break from FA or admissions.</p>
<p>If you really are interested in business programs, you should limit yourself to places with business programs, preferably ones where there are few Hispanics, and where they are working hard to increase diversity through merit aid. University of Denver immediately comes to mind (I wouldn’t be surprised to see you get a full ride); University of Michigan might love the combo, as would University of Illinois, and the University of Pittsburgh. George Washington might also work - it is extremely, extremely expensive, but they do have merit aid.</p>
<p>Look at the application instructions for every school’s application. Some schools have a form for your counselor to fill out. Some schools require a certification from your GC as to your financial need–it could come in the form of a letter on school letterhead saying “Please grant XXX a fee waiver for your college application fee. His financial situation is YYY–he’s on the free lunch program, etc.” </p>
<p>You can also get a certain # of fee waivers for the sATs also through your GC if you are financially strapped.</p>
You are both in better shape than you think , and worse shape than you think. </p>