Need college financial aid advice for my son if any are familiar with this
He scored 1450 on his SAT but is not going to college this fall because his parents couldn't afford to send him. I thought a score like that would have had the scholarships rolling in but they didn't. Is there anything my wife and I can do to explore some other financial aid options that we are missing?
Replies to: Need college financial aid advice for my son if any are familiar with this
This is a very helpful book
The very top colleges give little merit aid. They just don’t need to.
Aim one tier down. He will still get a great education and has a much better chance of a great aid package. The rest can be made up in loans and work-study.
You’re not alone on this. It will work out.
Link: https://books.google.com/books?id=AWhlygEACAAJ&printsec=copyright
Thank you!
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You’re far too kind.
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Need to know a bit more to provide useful advice
What does he plan to major in? (There are many degree specific scholarships.)
What schools was he accepted to?
What state does he live in?
What does your FAFSA score indicate your family contribution should be?
What was his high school rank/GPA?
Are there any other family members also currently in college?
Where do you work? Are there any employer or union based scholarships?
Do you have a 401k that you can take a penalty free early withdrawal?
Some schools (e.g. Purdue) have “income share agreements” (ISA) instead of loans. 1450 SATs would put him just a little above the mean score for acceptance at Purdue, so he might have a shot at getting accepted there.
Re: Need to know a bit more to provide useful advice
- Plans to major in something computer-related
- Accepted to University of South Carolina-Aiken
- We live in South Carolina
- Not sure of the FAFSA score. Whatever it is, we can contribute maybe $1,000 per year at the most
- His high school GPA sucked because he spent more time playing video games in school rather than doing the work. 2.95 if I recall correctly.
- No other kids in school
- No help from employers
- We have no retirement funds of any sort
A few ideas
First, you should contact the TRIO program at USC for guidance. They can advise on his prospects.
His low GPA is going to be an issue for many merit based scholarships. The only exception I can think of may be an ROTC based scholarship. (Generally 2.5 and above.) He should look at that.
He could also consider employment at someplace with tuition reimbursement, and start out part-time college to get his grades up. For example, in Aiken he could go to work in the factory at ASCO Valve (an Emerson Subsidiary), and get his tuition covered. There are many others that offer tuition reimbursement.
I’m not familiar with the community college situation, but working to get his grades up has got to be first priority if he ever wants a merit based scholarship.
SATs measure aptitude, but GPA is a measure of motivation. (Generalized statement, but how it is typically viewed by academia.)
For bright kids that were not motivated in High School, I think the best path in life may be through the Military. He should take the ASVAB, and see if he can enlist into a computer based (or other technical) MOS. That training for a few years, plus the GI Bill may get him on the path to college.
I hope this at least gives you a few ideas.
These are great ideas
We will look into some. Unfortunately he has zero interest in the military but knowing his maturity level (about like a 12-year-old) and physical build (5-5 and extremely weak) I don't think he's cut out for it anyway.
In some states you can do comm college for two years and then finish at state uni.
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This is a very cost effective option. CC can even be free in some states depending on HS grades.
Your end degree is from the state university. Employers won't care about first 2 years not being at the university.
There are no community colleges here in South Carolina
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Mark, you’ve got quite a sense of humor….
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Some described as "Technical Colleges" there but many offer broad courses. My daughter goes to USC
... (The Gamecocks) and I know there is Midlands there in West Columbia for instance...
See there are at least 20 and that Trident is in Charleston...which I think would be a cool location to go to school if convenient.
Here is one in Aiken that includes a path to a 4 year degree
He may have to start part-time and work to afford it.
Link: https://www.atc.edu/Study/Programs-of-Study
Re: There are no community colleges here in South Carolina
Interesting. There are reportedly 28 community colleges in South Carolina, including Aiken Technical College, Central Carolina Technical College, and Clinton College. Keep looking….
See if there’s anything called bright futures in your state
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Don’t waste your time, Mark is playing games…
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Very respectable score, but merit scholarships aren’t easy to get
It depends on a number of factors, many of which are outside of your control. Given the current environment around education, schools are tightening up the merit base stuff quite a bit, and for some schools, attracting white males is not a high priority.
Not knowing what your financial situation is, you can look at two other scholarship options: need based scholarships and aid and private scholarships. Need base scholarships are based on your income as a parent, and depending on the situation, you may qualify. Schools like Notre Dame and Vanderbilt commit to providing 100% of need based aid. Contact the schools admissions office to learn more about that.
Private scholarships are provided through a number of places so you should look into those. His high schools counseling center can probably assist you with that. Also niche.com has some information about free scholarships.
Finally, if the school wants him, and it’s a matter of money, you can always go back to the school and tell them you can’t afford it I’ve had a number of friends and acquaintances do this and schools will usually move on the price. Also depending on the school, it might be to your benefit to wait to accept the offer because usually the longer you go the more incentive so throw on the table.
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