So basically, you have $40k, or $10k per year?
$40k total, $10k per year, yes. Thanks!!
I know “urm” and “orm”… what’s erm?
If you would consider something with a service commitment, the Coast Guard Academy has several engineering majors including EE, and has a more traditional application process than the other service academies.
Have you run the NPC for Notre Dame? They’re pretty generous, and they would probably appreciate your faith-based EC’s… and while your statement that you’re really not religious is noted, it appears that you’re at least comfortable in faith-based settings.
Rice has very generous need-based aid; how does their NPC look? Terrific engineering and overall student experience.
U of Louisville has a great engineering school (modeled after Cal Poly’s hands-on “learn by doing” approach) and has some big merit scholarships, including full rides. U of Cincinnati has some big scholarships too, and it has strong co-op-based engineering programs if that appeals.
The net price calculators are currently set up for students starting college in fall 2026. That’s not you, right? So please use the results as estimates only. And if you do use the NPC, and you are starting college in fall 2027, use tax year info from 2025 because that is what will be used for the 2027-2028 financial aid forms.
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One question— do your parents know how much college costs now? Just wondering if they think the $40K you in inherited is plenty to cover all 4 years at a state school? And if they don’t realize it’s only enough for one year — not quite enough for a year and a half?
Case western, university of Rochester, wpi, RPI, union are all places I’d review and get on their mailing list. All offer good merit and have outstanding engineering. Unfortunately you won’t know if they meet your budget until after youve applied and been accepted. As other suggest make sure you have some options that you can afford.
You should ask your guidance counselor to nominate you for the RPI medal. It comes with $40,000 a year merit money to RPI. Receiving this award may also help progress the conversation with your parents.
You are a great student and are going to do well wherever you land!
On $40k, they can ‘squeeze’ two years or near two years down south. As you move off campus, costs may come down a bit too.
Hopefully that money is in a CD or something earning another 3% over the years and through next year - add on a bit more.
UNCC has full rides too. The Levine Program. Engineering has the Albert Engineering Scholars (not a full ride). Of course, winning not easy.
Let’s hope the ACT comes back 32+
I am talking about a North Carolina state school because the OP lives in NC. My question is specifically if their parents know how much going to an average North Carolina public university costs.
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I get it but sometimes kids have to leave for less cost.
Here’s the UNCC ones for OP to look over.
I think they apply to a wide variety including in state that can get close to cost. Picking up a part time job now may be a good idea. The one thing I’d tell OP. - make sure the school offers the major within engineering of interest.
But my point was do the parents know how much college costs. That’s what I’m asking. Not where Napoleon should go – but are the parents aware that 40k is not going to come close to covering average in-state college costs?
If Napoleon is their only kid and they haven’t done this rodeo before they may be under the illusion that 40K is more than enough to cover costs for an average school, when it’s more like it covers one year with a little leftover for the average North Carolina public university. It’s possible that they might give more money if they knew, or they might not have the cash flow to cover it and might feel like Napoleon needs skin in the game.
In any case it’s worth running the numbers with your parents, Napoleon, so they can see how much it costs to go to NC State.
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They do realize, they just don’t care. Unfortunate, but it is what it is I guess.
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Thank you so much! I’ll talk to my counselor about it!
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Still unclear whether an HBCU would work for you, but if so, your in-state option, NCA&T, is excellent for engineering and has some big scholarships that would be worth a shot: Scholarships for First-Year Students | North Carolina A&T State University Even if you’re not Black, the percentage of white and Hispanic students there (around 4.5% each) is not unlike the percentage of Black students at many PWI’s.
Some parents are unwilling to put up money, but are willing to cover live-at-home and commuting costs (even though these actually do cost money, but those parents have already built that into their household spending and may not realize that they go away if the student leaves for college). If that is true for the OP’s parents, then $10k per year seems like it would cover in-state tuition and fees at NCSU, NC A&T, or UNC Charlotte.
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I don’t think WPI offer enough merit or need based aid to bing the coa down to 10k or less.
OP, also check out Notre Dame, Rice, WashU, and Olin as these all meet full financial need. However, you should still do the NPCs to determine what each of the schools you’re considering defined your financial need to be.
What is your PSAT Index Score? There are a couple combinations to get you to National Merit. But, Miss State offers a scholarship for College Recognition, which is given by College Board for a few things. You may have already gotten that by email. I don’t remember the timing from last year. Miss State indicates it may be given with a non-resident tuition waiver and would cover tuition: https://www.admissions.msstate.edu/scholarships/details/national-recognition-program-scholarship
And you are close to the housing scholarship too. It’s just one year and you need a 34ACT or 1490 SAT score. Those 2 could leave just food, books, etc for year 1. The $5,500 loan would cover that. That leaves the loans and $40k for just 3 years instead of 4.
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