High School Class 2013: Picking Colleges..Check in Here!

[BuzznBelle'smom]

For those of you in New England - check out regional rates. We were living in RI and the state schools did not offer the major my daughter wanted (illustration). I found out that the NE states had an agreement that if another NE state school had that major, she could attend and pay a regional rate, which was just a little more than their in-state rate. She ended up going to UMASS and we saved over $8000 a year due to paying the regional rate. This was 8 years ago so I don't know if this is still offered, but it was a well kept secret.

Hope it helps!

Denise

This is still true--DD and I toured UMASS, and they mentioned it. To use an example, it might be $10k in-state, $12k regional, and $15k for people outside New England. For the Vermont person, look at UNH or UMASS. Although if you're the one whose DD is considering nursing, be aware that UMASS specifically mentioned that acceptance to the school did not mean acceptance to the nursing program.

Sadly, I still can't get DD to look at any state schools. She's acting very price-insensitive.

 

[StephMK]

On the other hand, there is some level of protected assets that are not assessed by FAFSA calculations. I'm not sure what that is - it is based partly on the age of the parents.

I just took DD#1 to college 2 weeks ago and we filled out the FAFSA earlier this year. They do not "count" the first $43k or so (can't remember exact fig but right around that amount) if one parent is 45 or older. I knew I married an older guy for a reason! It definitely helped to leave that amount out.

Jumped on here because I saw the earlier references to Clemson. That was my school and I loved it there! Tiny town but fun college & great school spirit.

ONe thing I wish I'd done differently is convinced DD to take an ACT class. She was just a few points from bigger scholarships and she just wanted to book study. I think she could have gotten it with a class that gave her tips & tricks.

I'd also get your kids to check out a few schools that you think would be good fits, financially, location, etc. even if your kid doesn't think they'll like it. DD's school pick was her last choice before she went to visit. Good luck to everyone, it goes by so quickly!!

 

[vttkdmom]

This is still true--DD and I toured UMASS, and they mentioned it. To use an example, it might be $10k in-state, $12k regional, and $15k for people outside New England. For the Vermont person, look at UNH or UMASS. Although if you're the one whose DD is considering nursing, be aware that UMASS specifically mentioned that acceptance to the school did not mean acceptance to the nursing program.

Sadly, I still can't get DD to look at any state schools. She's acting very price-insensitive.

Thank you all for the heads up regarding the NE Tuition Break program, sadly for VT students, there is NO tuition break if your major is nursing. I am assuming this is because nursing is offered here at UVM.

 

[marcyinPA]

I just took DD#1 to college 2 weeks ago and we filled out the FAFSA earlier this year. They do not "count" the first $43k or so (can't remember exact fig but right around that amount) if one parent is 45 or older. I knew I married an older guy for a reason! It definitely helped to leave that amount out.

Jumped on here because I saw the earlier references to Clemson. That was my school and I loved it there! Tiny town but fun college & great school spirit.

ONe thing I wish I'd done differently is convinced DD to take an ACT class. She was just a few points from bigger scholarships and she just wanted to book study. I think she could have gotten it with a class that gave her tips & tricks.

I'd also get your kids to check out a few schools that you think would be good fits, financially, location, etc. even if your kid doesn't think they'll like it. DD's school pick was her last choice before she went to visit. Good luck to everyone, it goes by so quickly!!

I agree with you about visiting a school that you think they might not like. In our case, we visited a state school that I didn't think I would like (for him). Turns out that he loved it, and I liked it better than I thought I would. It is near the top of the list now!

Can you further explain what you said about the FAFSA and how they do not count the first $40+K if a parent is 45 or older? Are you talking about money in savings- or assets combined? My DH will be 47 in October

I am really nervous about the whole money thing. My DS has savings bonds that face value total about $15,000 but they aren't mature. My DH has a 401K, we have about ten grand in savings in our name. DS17 has about two grand in savings, and DS13 has about the same. Will they really count DS13's savings against us?! That is awful!! Between the two of us, we work 3 jobs and make about $60K a year. We aren't rolling in it.... To make matters probably worse, I don't think DS will be getting any merit aid-

 

[JeannieNM]

As a mom who has lived through it, I feel your pain. My DS was just not motivated to do all of the college "stuff". We did have him take an essay writing course which got him rough drafts of 4 different essays. It was a struggle to get him to do that and then to fine tune the essays. I am so glad that is all behind us and I don't have to be pushing every step of the way. DS was a 2011 HS graduate so we are past it by some time and, if I had it to do over again, I'd do things differently. Good luck!

What would you do differently? We are all open to learning from others experiences.

Our DD is a junior but we have already started the process. Her summers are packed as is her school year so we have to do things slowly as there is time.

 

[LisaR]

Ok, another college question. Are any of the colleges that your kids are looking at basing their GPA requirements on unweighted, core only GPAs?

Every single school we have visited has addressed this and they have all said it is the number one question they get emailed or called about. All the ones we have visited (public and private) recalculate the GPA. All used core classes only and this was emphasized. Two of them made a big point about the fact that your A in art is all well and good but this isn't an art school so we really don't care about your A in art. Most of the places we visited (not all) awarded a full point extra for DE, AP, & IB and a half point extra for honors.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Every single school we have visited has addressed this and they have all said it is the number one question they get emailed or called about. All the ones we have visited (public and private) recalculate the GPA. All used core classes only and this was emphasized. Two of them made a big point about the fact that your A in art is all well and good but this isn't an art school so we really don't care about your A in art. Most of the places we visited (not all) awarded a full point extra for DE, AP, & IB and a half point extra for honors.

We found this, too. Every school has their own way of calculating GPA. And financial need. One question DD had was, she's taking a tech class (in Early Childhood--she wants to be a teacher). All her other classes are honors/APs. Every school said they'd weigh it like a regular class. In choosing to take this class, she decided she'd look better for taking things in her area of interest, rather than just taking the "regular" honors track, if that makes sense. I'll have to let you know if that works out for her.

 

[georgina]

Marcy, it sounds like you could have a low EFC (expected family contribution) when you fill out FAFSA. However, something that we learned when our first child went off to college, is that many schools now offer loans as part of their financial aid package. There are very few that have enough money to meet a student's need with grants. (Those that can are Ivy league and some private colleges.) So while some private schools are generous with financial aid, definitely consider what a state school would cost. There are quite a few good ones in PA.

 

[ugadog99]

Well, we have made a few modifications to our list. After really looking at Evansville's course requirements, we have decided to drop it from the list. I know it has a good theatre reputation, but there is a lot of core for a BFA. We have schools like that here and would get in state tuition plus HOPE. So, that has been dropped.

I have given so much thought to CMU vs University of the Arts. Although I know UArts gives good aid, I've also heard from quite a few that it just isn't enough. Although I think she has no shot at CMU, I am just about leaning toward going for it. We will already be visiting Pittsburgh for Point Park at some time, so why not just shoot for CMU, too? It's the ultimate stretch (even beyond UNCSA and Purchase, I think), but if she doesn't try, we'll never know.

 

[trip]

Loving this thread - thank you! Question - my DD applied to her top pick in July under their early application opportunity. They said they would let us know mid August. She emailed her advisor on Monday to see if he had any idea when notification would be made and he advd her that they never received her ACT scores. Called the HS to find out this is the first year that our HS wont be sending ACT/SAT scores with official transcripts but they had not told the kids this. She said they were planning to tell them once school resumed later this week. Do we think that my DD missed out on the first of acceptance letters because of this? And what, if anything, would you say or do? She is our oldest and we are treading on new ground.

I thought when you took the ACT you selected what universities to send the results directly to.

 

[Christine]

I agree with you about visiting a school that you think they might not like. In our case, we visited a state school that I didn't think I would like (for him). Turns out that he loved it, and I liked it better than I thought I would. It is near the top of the list now!

Can you further explain what you said about the FAFSA and how they do not count the first $40+K if a parent is 45 or older? Are you talking about money in savings- or assets combined? My DH will be 47 in October

I am really nervous about the whole money thing. My DS has savings bonds that face value total about $15,000 but they aren't mature. My DH has a 401K, we have about ten grand in savings in our name. DS17 has about two grand in savings, and DS13 has about the same. Will they really count DS13's savings against us?! That is awful!! Between the two of us, we work 3 jobs and make about $60K a year. We aren't rolling in it.... To make matters probably worse, I don't think DS will be getting any merit aid-

From everything I've seen with people around me, you have to be fairly dirt poor to get any grant money. While I'm sure that you feel strapped at $60,000 annually, by FAFSA's standards, I don't think you're poor enough.

And, yep, they will include you child's savings in the calculation. That's what this is about--determining how much to loan or grant people for college. If you've been able to save money, they want you to use it. Grants are really for people that are so strapped that no matter what they did, they couldn't save.

I got a Pell Grant once for college. I was newly married to an E-3 in the military and could not get a job myself because we lived in a remote area. I kid you not, I was B.R.O.K.E. I could barely afford to buy groceries. It was terrible. Even with that and it was the more generous 1980s, I still didn't get enough grants to cover it all.

My friend's niece did get Pell Grants for most of her tuition but that was because her dad was a lifelong welfare recipient and her mother hardly made any money and lived in a high cost of living area, plus had 3 kids. Her mother then unexpectedly died and she started receiving full Pell Grants.

 

[JeannieNM]

Well, we have made a few modifications to our list. After really looking at Evansville's course requirements, we have decided to drop it from the list. I know it has a good theatre reputation, but there is a lot of core for a BFA. We have schools like that here and would get in state tuition plus HOPE. So, that has been dropped.

I have given so much thought to CMU vs University of the Arts. Although I know UArts gives good aid, I've also heard from quite a few that it just isn't enough. Although I think she has no shot at CMU, I am just about leaning toward going for it. We will already be visiting Pittsburgh for Point Park at some time, so why not just shoot for CMU, too? It's the ultimate stretch (even beyond UNCSA and Purchase, I think), but if she doesn't try, we'll never know.

I am so glad you added CMU to your list; I know it is extremely hard to get into but so worth it if your daughter ends up getting in. Good Luck

 

[marcyinPA]

Well, we have made a few modifications to our list. After really looking at Evansville's course requirements, we have decided to drop it from the list. I know it has a good theatre reputation, but there is a lot of core for a BFA. We have schools like that here and would get in state tuition plus HOPE. So, that has been dropped.

I have given so much thought to CMU vs University of the Arts. Although I know UArts gives good aid, I've also heard from quite a few that it just isn't enough. Although I think she has no shot at CMU, I am just about leaning toward going for it. We will already be visiting Pittsburgh for Point Park at some time, so why not just shoot for CMU, too? It's the ultimate stretch (even beyond UNCSA and Purchase, I think), but if she doesn't try, we'll never know.

CMU= Carnegie Mellon? My friends son goes there. He is a junior this year. He loves it, but it is quite pricey. He got a good aid package.

 

[ugadog99]

CMU= Carnegie Mellon? My friends son goes there. He is a junior this year. He loves it, but it is quite pricey. He got a good aid package.

Yes, Carnegie Mellon, but we have to do more research into what is required in the portfolio before finally deciding if she will apply. CMU is a top notch theatre school and beyond competitive, so I don't know....we'll see.

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

Just dropped off son#1 at school - so exciting!

The only word of advice I have (and MarcyPA - your situation sounds a lot like ours) is that all this talk about moving money around for FAFSA is really not worth it. Our EFC was about 28% or so of our gross reported to IRS. No - that is not the formula - that was just our experience. We had about $20,000 or so in savings at the time, and our son had $6000 in a college savings plan through USAA. The difference in our EFC and the total bill from his school was about $8,000 or so. We were offered LOANS. I don't know why folks think they are going to get grants - or free money. Even if you can't afford it , it is a LOAN for most. And of course us giving up 28% of our gross, or having saved at that rate for the last 18 years is a bit crazy. Said son was almost 3 before our yearly gross went over $50,000.

Your yearly income has to be extremely low to receive free money from the gov't as a result of your FAFSA, However, some colleges (especially private) may use this info to extend money to you. Our state school doesn't do this. Just be sure your sitting down when your EFC is calculated. It's a hoot!

This was just our experience - I wrongly thought that financial need = grants when I heard about FAFSA. Nope, it's loans for most. However, we did fill out the FAFSA because the school required it for any financial aid including small private scholarships. He did receive a $1,000 scholarship from an alum from his HS that went through the same program at his college. We will also fill it out next year because we will unfortunately probably need a loan, and there are small subsidized loans offered.

 

[maxaroni]

What would you do differently? We are all open to learning from others experiences.

Our DD is a junior but we have already started the process. Her summers are packed as is her school year so we have to do things slowly as there is time.

We always have stressed a good education to DS, it seems as far back as kindergarten DS was always a good student, not GAP in younger years but a solid A/B student. He took some honors classes in HS, no AP classes. In his younger years he did a lot of community service but it dropped off as he got older. He did work throughout HS. That is a bit of background. However, what I would do different is take a step back and listen to his wants. It is ok to encourage and suggest ideas but remember that this is their journey. DH and I got so hung up on what others were doing and what THEY thought we (and DS) should do. I feel that we were pushing him too hard to do what we thought...more so our dream and not his.

DS always said he wanted a D3 school for sports as he didn't play baseball for the HS as he didn't like how it ran. He wanted to be a walk on player. DH and I were on him so much as if he was trying for ivy league. Nearly badgering to do community service or take AP classes. Our HS is highly ranked and he had 450 graduates...he was ranked in the top 20% In the end he was accepted at 6 of the 7 schools he applied to. He did what he needed to do for him but we went nuts and should have listened more to what he wanted. For the schools he wanted he had the SAT scores well above where he needed to be first shot out yet I had him taking them 4 times and the ACTs 3 times. This sort of thing. It all created more stress than needed to be.

Talking to my neighbor who has a high school senior this year she and DH offered to by their DS a car if he went to community college. Basically to save money. A no go. But she said the same thing it is their journey. We are there to guide them but it's time for them to start being more responsible.

We know people that have made their boys become eagle scouts, dragging them through as it was the parents dream. Point being, sometimes it's hard to let them start living their life

Now that I've rambled on, hope that makes sense and helps

 

[maxaroni]

Just dropped off son#1 at school - so exciting!

The only word of advice I have (and MarcyPA - your situation sounds a lot like ours) is that all this talk about moving money around for FAFSA is really not worth it. Our EFC was about 28% or so of our gross reported to IRS. No - that is not the formula - that was just our experience. We had about $20,000 or so in savings at the time, and our son had $6000 in a college savings plan through USAA. The difference in our EFC and the total bill from his school was about $8,000 or so. We were offered LOANS. I don't know why folks think they are going to get grants - or free money. Even if you can't afford it , it is a LOAN for most. And of course us giving up 28% of our gross, or having saved at that rate for the last 18 years is a bit crazy. Said son was almost 3 before our yearly gross went over $50,000.

Your yearly income has to be extremely low to receive free money from the gov't as a result of your FAFSA, However, some colleges (especially private) may use this info to extend money to you. Our state school doesn't do this. Just be sure your sitting down when your EFC is calculated. It's a hoot!

This was just our experience - I wrongly thought that financial need = grants when I heard about FAFSA. Nope, it's loans for most. However, we did fill out the FAFSA because the school required it for any financial aid including small private scholarships. He did receive a $1,000 scholarship from an alum from his HS that went through the same program at his college. We will also fill it out next year because we will unfortunately probably need a loan, and there are small subsidized loans offered.

Totally agree with you. We went through it last year for the first time and were stunned. The EFC was laughable. DS was offered a subsidized and unsubsidized stafford LOAN. We had even gone to several financial aid meetings and do not believe things are presented in such a way that it is made clear that most do not get grants. Unless we needed a seminar for dummies. I do not know anyone that has gotten grants.

 

[allison443]

Just dropped off son#1 at school - so exciting!

The only word of advice I have (and MarcyPA - your situation sounds a lot like ours) is that all this talk about moving money around for FAFSA is really not worth it. Our EFC was about 28% or so of our gross reported to IRS. No - that is not the formula - that was just our experience. We had about $20,000 or so in savings at the time, and our son had $6000 in a college savings plan through USAA. The difference in our EFC and the total bill from his school was about $8,000 or so. We were offered LOANS. I don't know why folks think they are going to get grants - or free money. Even if you can't afford it , it is a LOAN for most. And of course us giving up 28% of our gross, or having saved at that rate for the last 18 years is a bit crazy. Said son was almost 3 before our yearly gross went over $50,000.

Your yearly income has to be extremely low to receive free money from the gov't as a result of your FAFSA, However, some colleges (especially private) may use this info to extend money to you. Our state school doesn't do this. Just be sure your sitting down when your EFC is calculated. It's a hoot!

This was just our experience - I wrongly thought that financial need = grants when I heard about FAFSA. Nope, it's loans for most. However, we did fill out the FAFSA because the school required it for any financial aid including small private scholarships. He did receive a $1,000 scholarship from an alum from his HS that went through the same program at his college. We will also fill it out next year because we will unfortunately probably need a loan, and there are small subsidized loans offered.

I think the conventional wisdom is that the EFC will generally be around 1/3 of your income.(rough estimate, not an absolute). To get a Pell grant (free money from the government) you have to be pretty low income. I think there are other qualifiers like if a parent is on disability, etc.

There are online EFC calculators that you can run to get an idea of what you will be dealing with. I think some schools have these on their websites as well.

 

[padams]

I think the conventional wisdom is that the EFC will generally be around 1/3 of your income.(rough estimate, not an absolute). To get a Pell grant (free money from the government) you have to be pretty low income. I think there are other qualifiers like if a parent is on disability, etc.

There are online EFC calculators that you can run to get an idea of what you will be dealing with. I think some schools have these on their websites as well.

Colleges and universities are legally required to have a EFC calculator on their websites.

 

[ugadog99]

I'm back, again. The list has been modified once more!

We sat down this morning and really looked at the portfolio requirements for CMU. She doesn't have the material to even consider applying. Their requirements are just at a different level than others. I think she would be a great asset to their program, but she hasn't been involved in a program here that allows the design experiences that CMU requires. It would have been amazing to have been accepted, but we have to be realistic, somewhat, anyway.

We have found two schools that require NO math for its BFA students: Purchase and Otterbein. Purchase was already on the list, but Otterbein is a new addition. (Well, not new but back on the list now.) Purchase is going to be very difficult for admission (not grades but artistically), but Otterbein may be a bit easier.

I'm still really up in the air about University of the Arts. It is so, so expensive, but they do have a reputation of giving great aid. However, I've also been told by several that the great aid is still not enough because the COA is just so high. I don't know, I guess it wouldn't hurt to try.

So, another weekend of applications for her and for me another weekend of trying to get the binder organized, letters requested, and maybe, just maybe a schedule of visitations arranged.