<p>My parents decided I would go to community college to save money by getting my core classes out of the way. They also thought it would be a good opportunity to raise my gpa. So I guess they don’t realize that transfer students don’t get great aid…is the difference in aide really that much though? What is the maximum aid I could get from a public school or private school? To me right now it really appears that Bishop’s is a good deal. Especially since they guarantee 4k in scholarships after first year if you have an A average. Hmm…</p>
<p>[Phi</a> Theta Kappa - Scholarship Listing](<a href=“http://www.ptk.org/schol/newscholdir/list.php]Phi”>http://www.ptk.org/schol/newscholdir/list.php)</p>
<p>[Merit</a> Aid for Transfer Students? - Ask The Dean](<a href=“http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/merit-aid-for-transfer-students.htm]Merit”>http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/merit-aid-for-transfer-students.htm)</p>
<p>You can look at individual colleges to see if they offer merit scholarships for transfers, but they are almost always less generous than they are for freshmen. For example: [Alfred</a> University : Financial Aid : Transfer Student Scholarship Information](<a href=“http://www.alfred.edu/finaid/transfer/scholarship.cfm]Alfred”>http://www.alfred.edu/finaid/transfer/scholarship.cfm) & [Transfer</a> to Truman](<a href=“Admission | Truman State University”>Admission | Truman State University)</p>
<p>Your parents picked some nice schools and some really competitive privates. I wonder if they realized how hard it is to transfer into some of these? For instance U Chicago for 2009</p>
<p>Transfer Students</p>
<ul>
<li>Number of transfers who applied for fall term: 674</li>
<li>Number of transfers who were admitted for fall term: 88</li>
<li>Number of transfers who enrolled for fall term: 45</li>
</ul>
<p>Also Chicago may or may not accept your transfer credits, they evaluate and tell you after admission. Aside from that you are not exempt from the Chicago Core requirements which are 2 full years plus your major.</p>
<p>That said it does seem like you should leave your options open by applying to some US schools on the chance you get good merit or some publics that will be lower cost for you UT.) You have good reasons for applying to Bishop, but there is no reason not to try for a few others that interest you too. I’ve never heard of Bishop so don’t know how it stacks up. Why not grab a Fiske guide and look up the schools your parents named and see if any interest you. Then look up some for you. STudy abroad a semester or even a year is quite possible. Then check if merit is offered to transfers and also check the transfer admit rate.</p>
<p>My parents decided I would go to community college to save money by getting my core classes out of the way.</p>
<p>Many people make this mistake. It’s a good idea for those whose stats aren’t high enough for good merit scholarships, but it’s a bad idea for those whose stats are high enough for good sized merit (which is only offered to incoming freshmen).</p>
<p>With your stats, you could have gotten free tuition scholarships at some schools, but as a transfer student, that’s not likely going to happen.</p>
<p>It seems to be that your folks have a lot of beliefs based on assumptions and not based on any real facts.</p>
<p>*So I guess they don’t realize that transfer students don’t get great aid…is the difference in aide really that much though? *</p>
<p>Yes, it does make a HUGE difference!. For instance, both my kids have full tuition scholarships. However, if they had transferred into the school, they would have gotten NOTHING.</p>
<p>As for need-based aid…only a small number of schools give good aid packages to transfer students. And, many of those schools are “need aware” for transfer students.</p>
<p>I don’t think PTK will work because the student is only going to a CC for one year (and the scholarships aren’t that big anyway…certainly not enough to make a private affordable for you)</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids
Ok, so I guess a private school is really not affordable for me considering what you’ve said? What about out of state public schools, do they give a lot of aid to out of state transfer students? Also, what about in state public schools, how is their aid to transfers?</p>
<p>Bishop’s is still my first choice, and from the information I am gathering on here, I am becoming more convinced that it is a good choice for me. I would be able to transfer after only one year (where if I stayed in the U.S I would probably have to wait another year), I will be able to afford it with not too much debt (about 12k for 3 years), and the experience of going to another country to study really appeals to me.</p>
<p>Also, I heard PTK was not really worth it…especially since I’m not getting an Associates Degree.</p>
<p>Ok, so I guess a private school is really not affordable for me considering what you’ve said? What about out of state public schools, do they give a lot of aid to out of state transfer students? Also, what about in state public schools, how is their aid to transfers?</p>
<p>No…you’re only hope for aid is with a very good private. OOS Publics aren’t going to give you aid. (Maybe UVA or UNC might but it’s hard for OOS students to get accepted). </p>
<p>Your instate publics (in texas, right?) are iffy. It sounds like your family’s income and your savings are too high. </p>
<p>I think you need to apply to some top privates that you KNOW give aid to transfers, some inexpensive state schools, UArk (which will probably give you instate rates), and Bishop. Maybe Miss St and LSU might give you some transfer merit or waive OOS costs.</p>
<p>Do you know what your EFC will likely be?</p>
<p>Quick EFC
[FinAid</a> | Calculators | QuickEFC](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Quick EFC - Finaid)</p>
<p>I live in Texas, so yes, my instate publics are in Texas. </p>
<p>I’m not actually sure what my EFC is. My parents have done one of those EFC calculators before, and they told me that their EFC was probably too high due to their savings, income, and assets to qualify for any need based aid. They’re going to be filling out the actual FAFSA soon though. </p>
<p>I’m not really sure how to fill out the calculator since I’m not sure how much my parents assets are worth, and I’m not sure what to put for my own assets. All I know is that I will have about 20k of my own by the time I transfer, maybe slightly more. I see that businesses are included in the parents assets…will it raise my EFC a lot if my Dad has his own business, and him and my mom are the only employees of that business? Also, how will the EFC differ if my sister goes to community college next year, or if she goes away to school?</p>
<p>*My parents have done one of those EFC calculators before, and they told me that their EFC was probably too high due to their savings, income, and assets to qualify for any need based aid. *</p>
<p>???</p>
<p>If your parents said that then WHY did they think some paid consultant could get you financial aid somewhere? </p>
<p>Your choices are VERY limited. </p>
<p>Your EFC is going to be high based on family income, family savings/investments, and your savings…</p>
<p>For instance…If your family has 5 members and income is $150k, their (non protected) investments are $80k, your income is $8k, your savings is $20k, then FAFSA EFC is going to be about $40k per year. That is too high at nearly all schools to get any “real” aid since the need would get nearly covered with a $6500 student loan.</p>
<p>You need to talk with your parents because you’re paying the “price” for bad advice (going to a CC first). Obviously, if your sibs have similar/better stats, your family won’t make the same mistake.</p>
<p>The paid consultant is to help me find colleges, get into colleges, and I guess get merit aid. </p>
<p>I’ve already tried talking to my parents about this situation, and they just become frustrated with me and don’t believe anything I’m saying. They went to community college first and then transferred and so that’s what they think is best for me too. In their minds I will save money at community college and then transfer to a college that will give me lots of aid. They still believe this is the right path for me and my sister. My sister actually has higher stats than I did in high school, and my parents are planning to send her to community college next year. She hasn’t even considered applying anywhere, and neither did I my senior year…</p>
<p>Argh, this is really frustrating…I don’t know how to explain this to them and make them understand. I think no matter what they will think me going to Bishop’s is a bad idea :/</p>
<p>* In their minds I will save money at community college and then transfer to a college that will give me lots of aid. They still believe this is the right path for me and my sister. </p>
<p>My sister actually has higher stats than I did in high school, and my parents are planning to send her to community college next year.** She hasn’t even considered applying anywhere, and neither did I my senior year**…*</p>
<p>OMG…please have your parents look at this thread. They don’t understand how things work financially with colleges these days. They can’t use 25 year old info from their own college days!!</p>
<p>your sister NEEDS to apply to a few schools that will give her big merit for her stats. Seriously, going to a 4 year university with a big scholarship can be CHEAPER than going to a CC for 2 years and then transferring and getting zilch in aid and merit.</p>
<p>What are your sister’s stats? What is her GPA, ACT and SAT (including breakdown)?</p>
<p>*The paid consultant is to help me find colleges, get into colleges, and I guess get merit aid. *</p>
<p>Someone needs to explain to your parents that the amount of merit that YOU need is NOT available to transfer students. </p>
<p>Your parents are VERY naive about merit opportunities for transfer students and they are going to PAINFULLY learn when it’s too late for your sister as well. </p>
<p>Your parents aren’t listening to you because you’re focused on going to Canada, which they don’t like…so they’re not listening to anything you’re saying. However, even if you scrapped your Canada plans completely, THEIR way wouldn’t work.</p>
<p>Please ask your parents to post here or to start their own thread.</p>
<p>My sisters’ stats are 3.8 GPA uw, and 4.1 weighted. She just retook the SAT and is expecting anywhere from a 1700 to 1850 depending on how her actual score compares to her practice tests. She has not yet taken the ACT, and I’m not sure if she will.</p>
<p>I’m actually not sure I want to show them this thread…they’d probably get upset with me, especially since they don’t really like sharing their financial information with me, including information about their income :/</p>
<p>They also feel that they are well informed, and I feel like questioning them on something so major could make them completely reject my desire to go to away to Bishop’s…</p>
<p>I guess I’ll try to collect some evidence and hard facts for everything that has been said here, and then present it to them on paper. I suppose I can start by looking up schools of every type (in state/out of state publics and privates) and showing them what kind of merit aid I can expect with their EFC. This also is a problem though since I don’t know their exact EFC -_-</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Paige…you are confused.</p>
<p>Merit aid is USUALLY based on your academic stats…NOT on your EFC.</p>
<p>Your EFC and need based aid are based largely on your parents income and assets, NOT your academic stats.</p>
<p>There ARE some merit awards that also are need based. In other words, you have to demonstrate need to get them.</p>
<p>BUT you will not be able to show your parents MERIT awards based on your EFC…sorry…they just don’t go together that way.</p>
<p>You need to show them MERIT awards that you can get based on your STATS.</p>
<p>You need to show them NEED BASED AID based on their income and assets, you calculated family contribution AND the schools’ policies of awarding need based aid.</p>
<p>Oh, I understand that…I just meant that because I have no idea what their EFC is, I have no idea if I will qualify for any need based aid at any university. Or should I just assume their EFC is too high to qualify for any need based aid at all…?</p>
<p>No one here can tell you the amount of need based aid you might or might not be eligible for. I will say…with a family income exceeding $100,000 a year, the only federally funded need based aid you will receive will be a Stafford loan. You MIGHT qualify for work study…depends on your school.</p>
<p>Remember most schools do not meet full need for accepted students. There are 3000 or so colleges and their funding of need based aid varies from school to school. </p>
<p>If you go to an expensive school with a huge endowment where full need is met, you will probably get some need based aid from the school when TWO of you (you and your sister) are in college at the same time. These schools are highly competitive for the most part (think Ivy league and equivalent competitiveness).</p>
<p>Personally I think you need to look for merit aid, just like you have done for Bishops.</p>
<p>And don’t totally toss out the idea of staying in Texas. Have you looked at or considered Trinity in San Antonio? Might be worth a look.</p>
<p>Ok…so start a new thread without any private parent income info…</p>
<p>Include… that you’re a transfer, your stats, how much you can contribute, how much your parents will contribute, the part about the college counselor, etc.</p>
<p>Include your intended major, colleges that you’re considering, your home state, etc.</p>
<p>Then we’ll post again explaining why transfer students don’t get much merit or need-based aid.</p>
<p>Then you can show THAT thread to your parents.</p>
<p>your parents need to be enlightened before it’s too late.</p>
<p>Sigh…I think my parents will be upset either way. They’ll most likely not like that I’m taking the word of people online, but not the word of this college adviser that they hired. I’m just going to compile some information and show them.</p>
<p>I just looked up Trinity University, and it doesn’t look like they have a major for what I’m interested in…? I’m interested in majoring in biological sciences. </p>
<p>How should I go about finding schools that can be affordable for me here in the U.S.? I’d still like to go to Canada, but I would also like to find a list of colleges to compare to Bishop’s to make sure I really am making the best decision for me. Is there something I should search for in Google that will bring up colleges that would be good matches for me? Sorry, I’m just sort of lost at this point :/</p>
<p>Edit: Also just wanted to clarify this…the merit aid I will possibly get from U.S. schools will not be enough…? Will it be enough to bring the cost of attendance down to 23-25k a year like bishop’s?</p>
<p>The cost of attending any of the instate Texas public universities will be within your price range. Please don’t shut the door on that possibility. </p>
<p>If you attend a private university, you will have to get enough aid to make up the difference between your parents’ contribution and the cost of attending. I’m not sure that will be easy to do, but you don’t know if you don’t try.</p>
<p>There ARE some schools where the costs would be in the $25K range…even for OOS, the University of South Carolina, and some of the UNC campuses (NOT the Chapel Hill one) would be in that price range. I’m quite sure you can find biological sciences (whatever that means…is it biology…which is a major at almost every school?) at one of these schools.</p>
<p>If you are anticipating financial assistance from your parents, you might find that you need to compromise on this college selection a bit. Clearly, they do not want you to go to Canada. To be honest, I’ve not heard from you a compelling reason to do so.</p>
<p>I will look at in state public schools and affordable out of state publics, I would still really prefer to go to Bishop’s though. Just curious, what would you consider a compelling reason to go to Canada, thumper1?</p>
<p>A compelling reason would be one that would set Bishops apart from any other choices. I’ll give you an example. My son considered McGill for a short time. His reason was VERY compelling…the private music instructor (he is a music performer) there was an outstanding one. MUCH better than at any of your instate public universities. In fact, DS didn’t apply to our instate publics despite the reduced costs because the private teacher was paramount in his program decision.</p>
<p>Why DO you want to go to Bishops? What sets this school apart from others? How did you hear about it? Is there no other school that meets your major or price criteria? What will Bishops offer YOU as an individual student that you can’t get anywhere in the U.S. (like my son’s private teacher issue)?</p>
<p>Right now, all I"m hearing is “I want to go to Bishops”. No reason…just an “I want to go there.” If you were my kiddo, I’d want a good reason for choosing a school so far away.</p>
<p>Just FYI…we imposed only ONE criteria on our kids’ college selections and that was distance. They either had to be within a three hour drive of our house (DS chose that) or within one hour of a close friend or relative (DD chose that) in case there was any kind of emergency. I will tell you…we had to call in the favor from that relative who loved near my DD’s school in January when she had surgery two times in four days. We sure were glad someone was there…no way we could get there from across the country. So…I fully understand your parents’ issue and I’m with them on this one. UNLESS there is something so compelling out Bishops that it trumps everything else. I can’t imagine what that would be…so help me out.</p>
<p>*I just looked up Trinity University, and it doesn’t look like they have a major for what I’m interested in…? I’m interested in majoring in biological sciences.
*</p>
<p>??? Doesn’t every university have a biology major (which is the same as biological sciences)???</p>
<p>[Trinity</a> Biology Department](<a href=“http://www.trinity.edu/departments/biology/]Trinity”>http://www.trinity.edu/departments/biology/)</p>
<p>What is your intended career?</p>
<p>Also just wanted to clarify this…the merit aid I will possibly get from U.S. schools will not be enough…? Will it be enough to bring the cost of attendance down to 23-25k a year like bishop’s?</p>
<p>I think I mentioned earlier…UArk, Miss St, and LSU might be affordable if they waive OOS tuition rates. UArk is very good about that for Texas students. [Office</a> of Academic Scholarships](<a href=“Academic Scholarship Office | University of Arkansas”>Academic Scholarship Office | University of Arkansas) </p>
<p>The problem with many OOS schools is that they have COAs of $35k-50k+ per year and they don’t give much or anything for transfer students. So, even if you were lucky to get a $2000/yr scholarship, that wouldn’t get the costs down. You might get a $10k scholarship from a $50k school, but what good would that do?</p>
<p>check out UArk. Also look at your instate publics.</p>
<p>Since your parents are insisting that “their way” is possible, I think you should compromise with them…Say something like…"Ok…I’ll work with this counselor under one condition. If it doesn’t work out financially, then you’ll pay more money each year for Bishop (or some other school).</p>
<p>When people are stubbornly believing something that isn’t likely going to happen, then sometimes it’s best to 'play along" just to have them proven wrong…otherwise you’ll be stuck for the rest of your life listening to them claim that their way would have been better.</p>