Should I apply to a private college despite costs?

College Search & Lists
1

<p>I have numerous reasons for asking. However, my main reason is that I do not want to be stuck applying to one college that I actually want to transfer to, nor do I want to have to go to my last resort school. I do not want a huge list of schools to choose from, but I would at least like to have a little list. I actually had one more college to apply to in mind, but it is an expensive private school.</p>

<p>By expensive private school, I am talking about Syracuse University. I want to transfer for their Accounting program and it is one of the few colleges nearby that has a good Accounting program. The other college I am considering is SUNY Oneonta.</p>

<p>I have a great GPA for my first semester at a local community college, which is a 3.78 weighted and unweighted. I work in the school’s Financial Aid office as a temp. that they hire through the agency on campus. My SATs weren’t that great and I am considering retaking them, or taking my ACTs - 540 Math, 470 Critical Reading, and 490 Writing. I have not had time lately to sign up for them again.</p>

<p>Since I have a job now and my dad has been helping me with my savings, I know our EFC for future FAFSAs won’t be too good until my brother attends college. This won’t be until 2015, I believe… My parents make too much for us to be eligible for Pell or work study. We were barely eligible for TAP, as we only earned $500 this year, compared to $2200 last year, and there was a slight shift in the income because my dad switched jobs, and we applied late this year since my dad was in an accident when we were supposed to do it.</p>

<p>My dad is able to afford me going to college, and he would rather have him pay for it than me, with me paying for miscellaneous things, like books, gas, going out, etc… With what he has saved, he is well-able to afford me and my brother to go to college, but he is concerned with his money (even though he has well beyond enough; his savings totals up well above 100k) and the same concern rubbed off on me. I talked to him about it and he said that as long as I don’t change my major again, we won’t have to take out loans, and he doesn’t want me to unless absolutely necessary.</p>

<p>I heard that SU is a great school for financial aid… With my credits, I would most likely not have to attend more than two years. I just don’t want my parents to have to drain half of their savings for my education.</p>

2

<p>Syracuse does have very good FA. <a href=“https://oira.syr.edu/_private/pdf/CDS2012-2013/CDS_2012-2013H.pdf[/url]”>https://oira.syr.edu/_private/pdf/CDS2012-2013/CDS_2012-2013H.pdf&lt;/a&gt; You need to check with them if you CAN take the ACT or SAT now. Some colleges don’t accept tests taken after graduation. And you may not have to. <a href=“https://oira.syr.edu/_private/pdf/CDS2012-2013/CDS_2012-2013D.pdf[/url]”>https://oira.syr.edu/_private/pdf/CDS2012-2013/CDS_2012-2013D.pdf&lt;/a&gt; Talk to your GC about what their thoughts are.</p>

3

<p>Why don’t you apply to Syracuse as well as some of the other financial/academic safeties on your list? Also, assuming you transfer after getting your AA or completing your prereqs, your SAT scores, high school grades, etc don’t matter.</p>

4

<p>Alright, I didn’t know that some college didn’t accept ACTs or SAT scores taken after graduation. I’ll keep that in mind.</p>

<p>I may end up applying to Syracuse. They say their maximum amount of credits they will allow to transfer is 66 and by the time I receive my AAS in Business Administration, I will most likely have around 60/61 credits, but I don’t know if they would all be transferable, and the only way I would know is to apply and have a transfer credit evaluation.</p>

<p>Yes, I am transferring after I receive my AAS in Business Administration. I’m not sure what other academic/financial safeties I have aside from SUNY Albany and SUNY Oneonta; I don’t plan on going too far from home. Anything over 2.5 hours is my limit. I’m avoiding Albany because it would basically be me commuting from home again, and I want to see what it is like living on-campus.</p>

5

<p>Have a chat with the pre-Accounting advisor or the pre-Business advisor, and find out where students from your CC are being admitted for the major that you are interested in. Chances are that someone at your CC has useful information for you about that.</p>

<p>It is perfectly OK to contact the transfer admissions offices at the places on your list, and ask about their requirements for admission, and about financial aid for transfers. The people at Syracuse should be able to tell you if their Net Price Calculator is accurate for transfer students or not. If it is accurate, run it to know whether Syracuse be affordable for your family.</p>

<p>Leave Albany on your list as your worst-case-scenario option. Everyone needs a back-up plan.</p>

6

<p>I know that my aunt went to HVCC when she was younger and took a few years off before going to SUNY Delhi for Accounting, but I was accepted there when I applied for C.A.D.D. there during my senior year of high school and want to aim for more challenging colleges.</p>

<p>I managed to pull up one more college, which is Binghamton University. As far as I know, I believe that is all I need on my list. If worse comes to worst, then I take a year off and work. I’m not too sure about this “SUNY guarantee” I hear about.</p>

<p>happymomof1: Thank you for the suggestions about contacting them. I never thought to ask them about the accuracy of their Net Price calculator for transfers. However, I wouldn’t know if Syracuse would be affordable for my family into I know how many of my credits will transfer.</p>

7

<p>It is fine to apply to Syracuse and see if it works out, but have other options open. A friend of my D who wanted to go to Syracuse and didn’t get in went to SUNY Buffalo and absolutely loves the school so I’d say that is worth looking into Buffalo if you like the vibe of Syracuse but want a lower cost option. SUNY Binghamton is a fine schools as you mentioned and you can look into SUNY New Paltz as well.</p>

<p>Also to become a CPA one now needs 150 credits so many people go for a master’s degree or some type of additional coursework to get to that point (most BS programs are 120 credits). The Big 4 only hire people who will have 150 credits by the time they start work. Be sure to factor that in.</p>