Price tag on Berkeley

ucbalumnus
Sat, 20 Apr 2013 21:45:40 +0000

QUOTE=RoLaReveuse

My other options are UCLA (very similar fin. aid), UW (full tuition provided in grants and loans w/ the majority being loans), and Boston University (49K financial aid out of 58K COA). I didn’t apply to any colleges in state because I didn’t like any of them (not to sound picky or fussy).

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Assuming EFC = AFC = $0…

The UCs are unaffordable. Taking on that much debt, even if a lender would lend it to you, would be foolish for a biology major with low paying job prospects after graduation.

If Boston University’s financial aid is all grants, then you could cover the remaining $9,000 from a $5,500 Stafford loan and $3,500 work earnings, which is about the most that one can reasonably assume that a student can contribute. If the $49,000 includes loans and work, it is unaffordable.

When you say that Washington is “mostly loans”, what is the net price after deducting scholarships and grants (not loans)?

There is a very real possibility that you have been financially shut out. No idea on how Oregon publics are with in-state financial aid, but you should have at least checked their net price calculators and applied there if they would have given sufficient non-loan financial aid.

If you have been financially shut out, then your choices are:


Not attend college next year, reapply to a new list of financially feasable schools, including any of the full rides in the http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-17.html#post15743177 that you qualify for that has your major.
Go to community college, then transfer to an Oregon public university as a junior, if (based on the net price calculator) that is financially feasable.


Of course, if one of the waitlists produces an offer with enough non-loan financial aid, go there.