@BrownParent @intparent
Okay, perhaps I should make myself more clear. It’s not as if I won’t take any federal loans, ever. My parents are much wiser than I in these matters and so I’m choosing to trust them and their judgment. As such, I’m searching for schools or programs which I could attend without taking out loans. However, that is not to say that I won’t take them out if it comes to it. I’ll do whatever I need to get where I want to be. That said, the end goal here is a PhD, so loans may not be in my best interest anyway.
You won’t get into a PhD program from Minot or Argentina. You came for advice, but schools that will offer you a completely free ride with no loans that are of high enough quality to get you into a decent grad school program are non-existent. And you are looking at low paying majors. Something has to give…
@partyof5, the OP broke down her scores in post #5.
@intparent Oh, honey, I know I came for advice. I’m not mad at you for telling me the truth of the matter. If I wanted a Yesman I’d go to my guidance counselor who will tell students, “Of COURSE you can get into Harvard with your 3.5 GPA! But you’re gonna have to work very hard!” (I’m exaggerating a little but yeah he basically says yes to whatever we want to do, no matter how unrealistic it is.) That’s why I’m asking questions, to find out what I can do.
But…just for the record…you know Argentina has doctors too, right?..
There’s also Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Germany for Grad School. We’ll see how that might work out down the road, or on a different post.
@intparent that’s not true. I have several friends that went to HBCUs on full merit scholarships, no loans that went to prestigious grad schools. Actually, I have too many to list, but two that come to mind: one went to howard and went on to Harvard medical, and one went NCAT and went to Cornell vet school.
@partyof5 Yay! Hope!
@Girlwitharabbit For some reason folks discount HBCUs and its annoying. I realize they weren’t called out specifically but they are some of the schools that you could get a full ride with no loans. Actually a good path in my opinion is an hbcu undergrad and ivy grad school. You get the best of both worlds and two amazing networks.
If you have good grades and good GRE scores you can get into a good grad school.
@partyof5 People don’t like anything that messes with their preconceptions about reality. Do you think NCCU falls on this list of schools that with excellent grades/GRE could get one into good grad schools?
Minot State is not an HBCU. I have not said anything negative about HBCUs. Certainly you can get to grad school from some of them, although you might find it an uncomfortable environment to go to school in as a white Jewish student. Regarding the countries you listed for grad school, you have to have proof that you have the assets to live on before they will give you a visa (I know because one of my kids studied abroad as a direct enrolled student at U Helsinski for a semester). No bank statements proving your assets, no visa. No visa, no grad school attendance.
I am going to be super honest. I think you are on a path where your kids are going to have a zero EFC just like you do. You need to think hard about what majors will help you get out of the poverty your family lives in now. Even if you scrape through undergrad with minimal debt, you will be buried in debt from grad school in a low paying profession. I probably wouldn’t say this to a kid who has well off parents to backstop them, but you unfortunately are not in that position.
To me it sounds like you are reaching far afield for straws – when you should be looking closer to home to a CC and your very good state university that definitely sends a lot of students to good grad schools. While it is possible to go to grad schools from a lower ranked school, it is honestly harder, and a lot fewer students pull it off. @partyof5 has given you a few good in-state options to consider as well.
Something I forgot to ask earlier. Have you factored health insurance costs into your estimates? Pretty much all colleges require you to provide proof of health insurance with good coverage in the area where the school is located, and a deductible that isn’t too high. They make you purchase the school health insurance if you don’t have that. It can be a couple thousand dollars a year, it depends on the college. The net price calculators don’t usually mention that, and scholarships don’t usually cover it.
You have several threads going, but I thought I read in one that in some years your father earns $60k. If so, your EFC will not be zero. You may qualify for a Pell grant, but it may not be a full grant.
You are doing a good job at looking at all kinds of schools and financial arrangement, but you need to have flexibility for things like transportation, health insurance, and the possibility that all expenses will not be covered by grants and scholarships.
If you think you would be uncomfortable at an HBCU (it sounds like you wouldn’t), some of University of Arkansas campuses give full rides to about the same level of student as the HBCUs.
@twoinanddone He doesn’t earn that much. The real problem is fluctuating income. He’s a contract worker. On the best year, he earned 55k ish. However, in this year, he earned less than 30k. That plus medical bills and taxes and both my brother and I entering college put as at EFC at 0. Or at least, according to him. I’ll be honest that I’m not sure of all the moving parts. (My brother’s income, my mom has income sometimes, my income, occasional food stamps.) But due to the fact, I might get a full Pell Grant one year, and nothing the next, I wanted to focus on merit, not need. At least for now.
@intparent But thank you both for bringing up health insurance. I hadn’t been aware and will look into it.
The college usually has a relationship with an insurance company that provides coverage to students. Lots of colleges require all students to purchase their insurance, and you have to apply for a waiver if you want to use your own insurance. You provide the details of your insurance, and they decide if it is good enough to grant the waiver.
What is your brother planning to do about college costs if your parents aren’t contributing?
If you are in Columbus, could you take the bus to Ohio State? Tuition is around $10k.
OP, have you run the net price calculator for Ohio State? While the other schools on your list have some things you may like, none is higher ranked or positions you better for grad school admissions or employment than your in-town flagship. (I went to their arch rival across the state boarder, and rarely have a kind word for OSU, but getting down to academic brass tacks, this seems like a very obvious avenu to pursue). I didn’t realize in-state tuition is only $10k. You might avoid the health insurance fee, travel expenses, and room&board.
The following grants showed up for OSU with $30k income.
Estimated grants and scholarships
Trustees Scholarship $2,000
Scarlet & Gray Grant $4,000
Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG) $1,048
Federal Pell Grant $5,525
Tuition and fees is listed as $10,010
Other costs for you would be transportation costs, unless the school pays for student’s bus pass.
I would call them and see if it’s too late for any merit, I think the deadline was Nov 1.
But you might not even have to take out loans.
2015 income would be used for 16/17 and 17/18 FAFSA. If your dad’s income would be higher the last two years then you could take out loans of $7,500.
Looks like your options 1-2-3 are good backups for away/living on campus, though transportation is something to consider.
Miami and OSU are both fairly expensive (to live on campus) and do not meet need - none of our state schools promise to do that. OSU as a commuter is doable as long as your parents live in in Columbus (w/in 25 miles, otherwise you HAVE TO live on campus the first two years).
Wooster, OWU, Capital, DePauw, Adrian (in MI) were all generous to my S’12 with similar SAT scores to yours and a 3 gpa. However, all of these schools included the max federal loans in his FA packages. I think even Kenyon and Oberlin include loans, and Denison as well.
Cincy and OU might offer you more but deadlines for merit are passing or have just passed so if interested, check.
@mommdc My brother has his own income plus federal aid will let him go to Community College. His work has Tuition Reimbursement, so he only has to be able to afford the first year, then use the reimbursement for year 2, and be paid back completely at the end of the next year. He says he has “ways” to let him go to OSU after that. But, he won’t tell what that means so I think that’s him assuring the folks rather than actually having a plan.
EDIT: OSU requires all freshman to live on campus and participate in their meal plans.
I don’t understand, why is it unaffordable? Would it be possible to commute? Based on your dad’s income of $30k grants would cover the tuition.
Look at the exemption here. If you live within 25 miles of campus, you can live at home.