So I’m in foster care under North Carolina and my case worker told me that I have to go to a state-funded school, so it would be free, but I want to go to a school out of state. Would an out of state colleges accept that I’m in the care under North Carolina and still help me with the financial aid and also make it affordable for me to fulfil my goal in the future and also not worry about high student loans?
What you are being told is that your will be fully funded if you attend a state school. If you attend an out of state school, you will be eligible for financial aid, and as a foster child, you might be able to apply as an independent student (not requiring parental information), but most schools will not offer full funding. Keep in mind also that if you are offered scholarships to cover everything (full ride), the portion that pays for room and board will be taxable income, and could be taxed as a fairly high rate, if your parents are still alive, so the more expensive the room & board, the higher the taxes you will need to pay (and you will need to earn the money to pay those taxes).
It might be worthwhile for you to apply elsewhere, but consider the value of a free education, if there is a decent program that suits you in-state. Even without parental contribution, you will most likely be expected to contribute around $2000 toward your own education, and aid packages will usually include federal loans.
A lot will depend on how strong you’ve been academically, but, Yes, an out-of-state college could be open to you under certain conditions. As a start, you could research whether any of these schools would be academically suitable for you: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2017-09-21/colleges-that-claim-to-meet-full-financial-need. Wishing you the best of luck!
How strong a student are you? What is your SAT or ACT score and what is your GPA?
If you are a strong student, apply to UNC-Chapel Hill which is considered one of the best public universities in the country…actually…one of the best universities. Apply to NC State.
Then there are all the other UNC campuses…
You are fortunate that your college costs will be paid if you attend an instate university, and that your state has some great options.
Sure, you might get significant aid elsewhere…big maybe.
- If you apply to a college that meets full need for all, you will probably get significant aid. These are amongst the most competitive for admissions...so you would have to be a tippy top student. Very tippy top.
- You might get significant merit aid at an out of state school...but that would be based on the strength of your SAT or ACT scores, and GPA....so what are those?
- I doubt that you will get a full ride out of state simply because you are in foster care in NC. NC offers you that benefit as a resident... other states are not obligated to do so.
In nearly all cases…no. Most OOS schools don’t have the funding.
If you are an Ivy caliber student then possibly
What are your test scores and GPA? (include SAT breakdown - don’t superscore))
Which OOS schools are you considering?
No they won’t. It’s outside the jurisdiction and authority of NC to tell a school in “Michigan” to give you free tuition. If you can’t afford the tuition, you can’t go out of state. Seriously, though…free college?
On the other hand, you’re a very good candidate for need-based aid at private schools. State boundaries don’t apply to those schools. Since you’re coming out of foster care and you have basically nothing, you should be able to get a full financial aid package.
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Except when they do. Many states have aid for students that can only be used instate. Florida has Bright Futures, Georgia and Tenn have HOPE, etc. A foster child is also most likely on medicaid and that might continue to college/adulthood (if the state has expanded medicaid).
NC provides a great opportunity to their foster children to continue to college IN the state. If the students wants something else, all the work and costs in getting that are going to be on the student. Applications, transportation, insurance, misc expenses all on the student. A very few schools do meet the need of all students without student loans, but even the most generous school have some that still require the student to take loans.
I will never understand this focus by so many on going to school “out of state.” Most states are pretty big. Couldn’t you find a nice NC uni on the other side of the state if going to school far from home is the priority? I went to college 10 miles from where I grew up. It might as well been 10 times that distance - it was a completely different world.
Ask yourself what it is you truly desire. Do you really want to go to school in a different state or is it that you’ve grown up in a rural setting and yearn for the big city? Vice versa?
NC has a lot of terrific public schools. Try to find one or two that feel a “world away” from your current circumstances but that can still provide a free education. Given the cost to attend college today, I don’t know how you could walk away from that UNLESS you’re IVY caliber and can get a financial aid package that covers the full cost of attendance.
I’m also curious what kind of support the state provides former foster children once they start college. Will your caseworker continue to check in with you? If so, does that require your attending an in-state public school?
If the OP can post their stats and possible majors(interests) we will be able to help. I am a NC resident familiar with so many of the in-state choices. Also with kiddos that attended out of state publics, ivys, LAC and service academies there are options OOS if your profile fits their and your needs.
The more info you provide, the more we can help.
Kat