Finding Financial Aid for College Transfers

[amb123]

Hello all! I know many of you must be experienced in applying for aid, via federal assistance (fafsa), loans (bank) and scholarships. I do not believe I qualify for any scholarships being I am a transfer student who is leaving my home state this Fall to go somewhere (not sure where yet.) It appears most scholarships are for graduating hs students, or in state transfers.

Anyhow, I will be filling out the FAFSA as soon as I get my W-2, but how do I find other aid? I was accepted to Rose-Hulman, but will likely not go there if I get into GA Tech or Berkeley or even UCSD. I won't find out about all of my apps until early May and must decide on a school by the first of June. So, do I wait until I get my answers and choose a school to find assistance? Or, do I contact lenders with proposed loan info once I get back FAFSA info? And, when do I know what I will get, if anything, from the government after filing the FAFSA?

I know these are probably frequently asked questions so I don't mind referral to a similar thread if one is out there. I just don't know how to go about this. Also, I hear things saying that women going into engineering are likely to find money, but where?

Thanks!
-A

 

[ktpr2]

Here's what I'd do:

1. Contact the schools you've applied to ask explain your situation and ask what fin. aid they can hook you up with. Take note of the school that cares the most, for they may be the best.

2. Apply to every scholarship you can find off of here: http://www.swe.org/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=9&ssSourceNodeId=5
even if you only get 2/10, the money'll add up.

3. When fafsa is over, contact lenders and make tenative loans, if needed, if the above doesn't go through. If it does, before the disbursment date, cancel the loan ASAP. If you cancel before they distribute the money then you never owed anything.

good luck

 

[BobG]

Try www.finaid.org

A few years ago, this was the best site for learning about financial aid. Good enough that it now is a lot more commercial. The site map still has some of the flavor of the old site and it has lots of information.

 

[amb123]

Thanks, guys! I will check out both sites once I'm done with my Organic homework. Much appreciated!

-A

 

[amb123]

"2. Apply to every scholarship you can find off of here: http://www.swe.org/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=9&ssSourceNodeId=5
even if you only get 2/10, the money'll add up."

Well, I checked out this site, and the due date is Feb 1. Which wouldn't be a bad thing but in order to qualify you must already be accepted to or enrolled in a baccalaureate or graduate program and specify the particular program. Most schools don't tell you if you are accepted until Late April (too late to apply for this scholarships.) The only thing I can do is apply for scholarship to Rose Hulman Inst. Tech. because I've already been accepted there. But, if I get into Berkeley, UCSD or GA Tech I won't be going there. Should I bother?

Are most scholarship apps like that? You must be admitted to a particular school to apply?

On another note, I filled out the FAFSA with my income for 2004. I am past the age of parental contribution, but with just my income my EFC is $12177. How the hell do they expect me to afford that? I guess that is 13000++ in loans i'll be taking in order to go to school:(

thx!
-A

 

[ktpr2]

Actually I wondering about something along those lines myself. You might be able to apply to all of them under Rose Hulman Inst. Tech and then tell scholarship people that you've switched schools. I would email one of them or the website itself and find out if this can be done. The reason I was considering this is because I'm thinking of transfering from my school to a better school. It'd be a lot easier if I knew any scholarships I get now would follow me to my new school.