Minor Success!

Paying for College
1

<p>My son has chosen his school for the fall, based primarily on cost (it’s our local directional U). He had some nice offers elsewhere ($15000 achiever @ Furman, full tuition @ Alabama) but the total COA at those schools is still well above our budget.</p>

<p>With the Hope Scholarship and the school’s guaranteed merit awards based on ACT/GPA, we will be paying approx $6,000 for tuition and room/board. </p>

<p>According to the school’s website, merit scholarship notifications were mailed out beginning 3/31, but my son did not receive anything. (He had a 3.9 and 34 ACT)</p>

<p>I emailed the scholarship office director, asking if all the scholarships had been awarded. She replied (nicely) that due to FERPA she couldn’t discuss it with me, but to have my son check his email.</p>

<p>Yesterday afternoon he was awarded a scholarship worth $1,000 a year for 4 years, bringing our yearly out of pocket cost to about $5,000. </p>

<p>It’s not a lot, but every little bit helps. And apparently, it doesn’t hurt to ask.<br>
YMMV.</p>

2

<p>good news JCC, have you checked what tax credits you can get</p>

3

<p>I’m not certain what tax credits you’re referring to - I’ve already filed for this year. Can you explain?</p>

4

<p>If your son is going to be in college this coming year…you will also be eligible for some kind of college tax credit…for your 2011 tax year. NOT this current tax prep time 2010.</p>

5

<p>All the current tax credits appear to disallow “married filing separately” returns. We would have to change that in order to qualify, apparently…hmmm…</p>