How to be polite and talk about getting more financial aid.

Paying for College
1

Our family lives a very middle-class life. If anything we are in constant financial stress. My mom has recently had to take up part time subbing to get us through our bills especially skyrocketing health insurance (which we are doubly hurt by as we pay for it as a family and as a medical practice). Unfortunately, because my dad partially owns a medical practice our financial statistics look quite inflated from what we can really use. Even though we live fairly humbly all of these need calculators make it sound like we are living in a mansion.

My parents said they could pay 20k a year.
The FASFA said we can pay 33k a year.
The CSS as calculated by northeastern says we can pay 65k a year.

The only financially feasible school I have found that also actually fits my academic needs is UWashington. Unfortunately, they don’t do direct admissions into Computer Science very often and it would absolutely kill me to have another semester of being a general student. I have known I have wanted to study this since about 9th grade. Since then I have pushed through independently studying CS. I am to the point where a few of the people I code with suggest I shouldn’t be going to college at all.

But, I don’t want that. I really want to explore deeper and maybe have a bit of a college experience. It would be nice to experience what it is like to go to classes with other people who care deeply about the subject.

Anyway, my point in saying this is that I really need to find some more options aside from UW. I have quite a few safety schools I have gotten into however I am fairly sure they are not going to offer me the aid to get fees and everything down to where they need to be.

I am going to start looking into factors like work study, loans, etc and how much I can earn from internships/co-ops. I am fine going in a fair bit of student debt because I know I am disciplined enough to live humbly and pay it off and hard working enough to get the money to do so, but I am not really sure how much I can or should borrow.

And who knows maybe the app I am releasing in a couple months will get viral and pay for everything. Wouldn’t that be nice.

What I really need help/advice with is negotiating financial aid. Frankly, I need to tell each and every college that I need more. But I don’t know exactly how. Should I back it up with how I feel I would be a contribution to their school? Could I convince them that my financial statistics are inflated? Should I play one school’s offer against another’s? How much can I expect to increase my aid offer by? Should I go in person, over phone, or over email?

And how do I do this politely? I just feel really rude when asserting myself like this. I know there are plenty of other students in my position and it feels weird to say I deserve help more than they do. They probably have similar ambition.

Anyways if you have any tips, guides, stories, or encouragement that would be amazing. Any linked articles are great too.

I suppose I am still open to school suggestions. I have a 33ACT, 3.96 GPA, <5% class rank and some great EC’s so I can probably give a good shot at any school. Please understand that I am hoping to pair an affordable school with a computer science program that can grow me for the next four years. I have heard of schools that would give me a full ride (U Alabama I think is one of them) but I am not convinced that they would be better than going into UW.

2

You have nothing to negotiate.

Schools are not going to turn a blind eye to the fact that your father is a partner in a medical practice. CSS profile school believes that based on your parents income and assets that you could afford the full freight. Unfortunately, your situation is not an unusual one. Financial aid is distributed based on what the school (and the Federal Government for FAFSA) believe what your family can pay.

You must find an affordable option or school where you stand a good chance of obtaining significant merit money. Your parents have given you a budget of $20k/year (you are in a much better position than a lot of other students). Your job is to find a school that you want to attend that will be their financial parameters.

Unfortunately you just missed the application deadline (yesterday) for UA (which is an excellent option for computer science)

3

Which will “kill you” more? Having to endure another semester of being a general education student before being accepted as a CS student…or not going to college at all because your family can’t afford the costs to send you where you think you should be allowed to go?

4

Are you a National Merit Finalist?

5

“I have quite a few safety schools I have gotten into however I am fairly sure they are not going to offer me the aid to get fees and everything down to where they need to be.”

It sounds like you have NO safeties, then. A safety is a school you will get into and will be able to afford.

Go to UW, do well, get into their CS program. It’s a fine school, offering a fine education, and you can afford it.

6

http://aes.utdallas.edu/prospective-freshmen

^UTDallas offers good scholarships, not sure when the deadline is.

https://www.sfs.opm.gov/

^The NSF sponsors a"scholarship for service" program where you can get a scholarship in return for working for the government in cyber security.
I think they offer scholarships for up to 3 years, maybe your parents contribution could pay for the 4th year.

7

A couple of weeks ago you were premed.

Are you really a premed CS major or what?

Are you instate for UWash? If not, then how is it affordable?

A SAFETY IS ONLY A SAFETY IF IT’S AFFORDABLE!!!

How could a school be a safety if you can’t afford it??? Think about it…a safety is a back up school. How could a school be your “back up” if that’s your only choice and you can’t afford it??

8

@sybbie719 What is UA? University of Arizona?

@Madison85 Unfortunately, I am not a National Merit finalist.

@mommdc I definitely want to plug into the SFS! That is sorta what I hope to go into anyways. The problem is that much to my dismay most schools only allow you to use it your Senior undergraduate year if at all. However, if you know of exceptions please let me know. It is also difficult because there is no way to guarantee I will get it when I get there otherwise I could consider the tuition of all four years and cut it by 1/4th.

@mom2collegekids Yes good catch. The premed was a question for my buddy, I understand how that is confusing. I should have just had him make his own account rather than asking it for him. I am an instate Washington student.

I am just confused at the whole term “safety”. For the most part all colleges seem to be around 55-65k a year whether they are private or public. I suppose I need to go back to the drawing board with that list.

9

UA is Alabama

10

You could contact the participating schools for SFS and inquire how it works.

UA Huntsville might also be an option

11

‘full tuition scholarship’ and ‘full ride’ are two different things. If you are a strong student in CS, you should be able to do the UWashington route. Look at how many can claim CS once there, and what it takes. Can you do community college and transfer in later if you don’t have 4 year merit consideration there?

Your stats would have given you good merit at UA but you have missed the application deadline. You would have received full tuition scholarship and $2500/year ($10K total) engineering scholarship Automatic (CS is in college of eng at UA). It would have been an affordable option for you. DD is an eng student there on that scholarship ‘package’, and she is going into her 2nd semester junior year - UA has been a terrific school for her.

IDK if UAHuntsville has a later application date available. If your ACT was 34 and with a 4.0 (not sure if also eligible if weighted GPA) UAH offers 4 year tuition and room.

One does need to consider travel costs with OOS. Sounds like your budget is for r/b and you are looking for full tuition or near full tuition scholarship. There is lots of info on CC about where to look. However now may be too late for many schools.

Try to get some options for yourself - places you want to study, and where you can financially afford.