- J
- J
- J
Why Do I Need Help?
I just got into my top school, my dream college, the one that only accepts 3% of the people who apply: Carnegie Mellon University! It's been my reach school for a year and I couldn't believe it when I got the acceptance. I was absolutely over the moon. It was great! I'd gone on visits and made a lot of friends there, and I loved the program I was appying to. Everyone was so nice there, the professors were amazing and had great connections in the business, and the food and housing were fantastic.
Sure it was expensive, I knew that, but since my family is so financially unable to pay for college by almost all standards I was sure I'd get enough aid to go - at least enough so I didn't graduate drowning in debt. Especially after everyone I talked to there told me they were getting great financial aid.
But I didn't even get enough to meet the $32K Expected Family Contribution (EFC)the FAFSA said we should pay. The regular tuition is about $68,000 a year and they gave me $28,000 in aid. Leaving $40,000 a year for me to cover.
No big deal, I said, everyone tells me that you can appeal for better financial aid. Maybe when they look at my specific circumstances, take into account that I live in an expensive area, lack any expendable income and will be paying for college myself they'll reevaluate. I didn't even ask for much, maybe just ten thousand or so to soften the blow a bit.
But I got nothing. Not even five thousand. Not even one thousand. Nothing.
And so now, I'm looking at paying at least $160,000 out of pocket over four years - money I don't have, and my parents can only give me if they take out a loan for the entire equity in our house, forsaking both their retirement and my twin brothers' chances at college.
I really don't want to take out loans that will leave me drowning in debt that I may not ever be able to repay, but how can I turn down having gotten into one of the best schools in the country? I just don't know what to do.
I'm absolutely crushed and heartbroken - my top school, my dream, has suddenly become so taxing and not worth much in the end compared to the debt I'll be accruing. I just don't know what to do or how I'm going to get through it ... which is why I turned here.
About Me
My personal passion is art. I'm a sequential artist (you probably call them comics!) and a costume designer, which is what I'm going to college for. I've designed for shows at my school, at other schools, at our community theater, and I just got my first professional job at a theater in NYC (woo hoo!).
Here are some of my designs:
"The Mystery of Edwin Drood" at Northport High School
"A Midsummer Night's Dream" at Commack High School
"The Taming of the Shrew" at Syosset High School
(I also designed the set!)
My Goal
Right now, I'm only working in the short term. I need to get together enough to pay for my first year's tuition, room and board. I'm not trying to cover other expenses like textbooks or supply fees - I'm just concerned with the life-ruining-debt stuff here. Even if I could only raise half of this, I would be grateful for the support and the vote of confidence.
I just got into my top school, my dream college, the one that only accepts 3% of the people who apply: Carnegie Mellon University! It's been my reach school for a year and I couldn't believe it when I got the acceptance. I was absolutely over the moon. It was great! I'd gone on visits and made a lot of friends there, and I loved the program I was appying to. Everyone was so nice there, the professors were amazing and had great connections in the business, and the food and housing were fantastic.
Sure it was expensive, I knew that, but since my family is so financially unable to pay for college by almost all standards I was sure I'd get enough aid to go - at least enough so I didn't graduate drowning in debt. Especially after everyone I talked to there told me they were getting great financial aid.
But I didn't even get enough to meet the $32K Expected Family Contribution (EFC)the FAFSA said we should pay. The regular tuition is about $68,000 a year and they gave me $28,000 in aid. Leaving $40,000 a year for me to cover.
No big deal, I said, everyone tells me that you can appeal for better financial aid. Maybe when they look at my specific circumstances, take into account that I live in an expensive area, lack any expendable income and will be paying for college myself they'll reevaluate. I didn't even ask for much, maybe just ten thousand or so to soften the blow a bit.
But I got nothing. Not even five thousand. Not even one thousand. Nothing.
And so now, I'm looking at paying at least $160,000 out of pocket over four years - money I don't have, and my parents can only give me if they take out a loan for the entire equity in our house, forsaking both their retirement and my twin brothers' chances at college.
I really don't want to take out loans that will leave me drowning in debt that I may not ever be able to repay, but how can I turn down having gotten into one of the best schools in the country? I just don't know what to do.
I'm absolutely crushed and heartbroken - my top school, my dream, has suddenly become so taxing and not worth much in the end compared to the debt I'll be accruing. I just don't know what to do or how I'm going to get through it ... which is why I turned here.
About Me
My personal passion is art. I'm a sequential artist (you probably call them comics!) and a costume designer, which is what I'm going to college for. I've designed for shows at my school, at other schools, at our community theater, and I just got my first professional job at a theater in NYC (woo hoo!).
Here are some of my designs:
"The Mystery of Edwin Drood" at Northport High School
"A Midsummer Night's Dream" at Commack High School
"The Taming of the Shrew" at Syosset High School
(I also designed the set!)
My Goal
Right now, I'm only working in the short term. I need to get together enough to pay for my first year's tuition, room and board. I'm not trying to cover other expenses like textbooks or supply fees - I'm just concerned with the life-ruining-debt stuff here. Even if I could only raise half of this, I would be grateful for the support and the vote of confidence.