 |
 |
|
WE TALK WITH...
Hope Roth
Junior, Trinity College
How many schools did you apply to, and how did their financial aid offers affect your decision on which school to go to?
I applied to eleven schools and got into five (Trinity, Oberlin, Lafayette, Evergreen State College, and UMass Amherst). Financial aid was a major factor in my decision. One school didn't even give me enough to cover room and board, let alone tuition. Other schools gave me nice aid packages, but none of them was as generous as Trinity. Not only did they give me all the money recommended by the standard guidelines, but they also converted my loans and work-study into grants.
If you had your education to do all over again, what would you change financially?
I would have saved more of my paychecks from my campus job. I would have dropped the campus meal plan sooner. I'm cooking for myself this semester and I'm saving a lot of money and eating better. I also would have stopped ordering out sooner. Late night pizza and Chinese food thinned out my wallet and had the reverse effect on my waistline.
Over the years, how did you notice your aid package change?
My award has gone up slightly since I matriculated because there was a slight tuition increase at Trinity and because my family's financial situation got slightly worse.
Do you have any advice for students trying to pick a school?
Visit schools as early on in the process as you can. I was sure that I would get into my top choice, so I never visited any of my middle range or safety schools. Then, when I only got into my middle range and safeties, I had three weeks to decide where to go and no visits under my belt. That made for a stressful April.
Copyright © by NATAVI GUIDES.
Want to read more personal stories like this? Then buy GETTING THROUGH COLLEGE WITHOUT GOING BROKE, a Students Helping Students® guide!
Go to >>> Getting Through College Without Going Broke - Home
|
|
|
 |
|
|
