Scholarship Transfer if Cadet can't afford R&B?

Full Metal Bulldog

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If a cadet at a school can no longer afford R&B at the school with which his scholarship is assigned, is it possible (ie probable) for his scholarship to be transferred to less expensive school so that he may be able to afford housing so they can still commission? This is concerning AROTC.
 
Wait...you are on scholarship, receiving a monthly stipend, and book money, and you can't figure out how to pay for room and board? You can request a to transfer to another school and you may be allowed to retain your scholarship, but I would suggest looking into a part time job, loans, help from family. There shouldn't be a good reason why you can't afford R&B, and I would imagine anyone with the decision authority to grant that transfer will be as skeptical.
 
Sounds like it's time to fill out that FAFSA in January.
 
There shouldn't be a good reason why you can't afford R&B, and I would imagine anyone with the decision authority to grant that transfer will be as skeptical.

Bulldog, I hate to pile on. I am sure you're plate is full with exams and what not, but Clarkson is being generous when he says the decision makers would be skeptical.

In addition to his suggestions, have you even exhausted scholarships, grants, etc. offered by the Citadel's office of financial aid. Have you tried a Pell Grant (the specifics of which I know nothing about)? That is where I would start.

Second, I would find a list of the local Citadel Alums and hopefully one will own a business. The best is construction work. My experience in the 1970's was that I was paid considerably above the minimum wage and generally worked 10 hour days, which meant 10 hours overtime at time and a half. Do the math.

Use the Christmas Holiday to figure this out before taking it to the "decision authority".
 
So many long time posters stress to new posters one thing when it comes to the scholarship acceptance:
Make sure you can afford the college without the scholarship!

I have even gone to the position stressing that as long as I have been paying college bills (O8) the colleges (3 kids/3 different schools) have increased their rates by 10% per yr.

Yet, so many recipients are thrilled to get it that they just sign on the dotted line without reading the teeny tiny fine print.

I am with kinnem, time to fill out that FAFSA, and take the loan.

For candidate posters/lurkers understand this is not uncommon. The reason why is when they apply for college as a hs sr. they think that will be the cost for next yr., especially as a 1st child. They don't place into the equation R & B as a jr at 10K a yr., can easily be 14K by their sr. yr in college.

Our DS went OOS. His bill was 28K as a freshman. 4 yrs later the incoming class was paying 41K. Our DD IS, started @16K, and it is @23K now (she is a sr.), so next yr it will probably be 25K.

Off topic, but on topic the next bubble that the financial world is discussing is student loan default. Until it bursts colleges are going to keep increasing at the rate of 10% a yr.

This is my personal pet peeve. Colleges will boast about their 500 MN endowment, yet increase the cost to attend, and send/call parents monthly to donate money for their endowment!:mad: :thumbdown:
:bang: :barf: :argue1: :hammer: :rant2: :blowup:

Get the idea of how mad I am at this?

I am sorry you are in this predicament, but kinnem is correct. Time to take a loan to pay for college/ Transferring to a new college will only create other problems.
~ Finding a new social group (Emotional)
~ Determining how to graduate on time if you are going to be a junior next fall (Economic).
 
If a cadet at a school can no longer afford R&B at the school with which his scholarship is assigned, is it possible (ie probable) for his scholarship to be transferred to less expensive school so that he may be able to afford housing so they can still commission? This is concerning AROTC.

I think you will find that R&B at any other school will still be expensive, it may be cheaper then where you are at now, but not by that much.

My son found a couple friends and moved off campus to an apartment, with the stipend he received the total out of pocket was about $3000.00 per year. This was a lot less the the school room and board cost, a lot cheaper.

A part time job can help, you would need one that is flexible with hours since you will still have ROTC obligations above academics to deal with.

Now my question is this, are you even allowed to move off campus at the Citadel, does the Citadel allow cadets to have part time jobs off campus, can you get a job on campus.

The next thing to consider is taking out student loans to cover what you can't afford, if going to a different school with lower R&B would work, then stay where you are and just take out loans that cover that difference.

When you graduate and commission, just don't go out and buy some expensive car, use your new salary to pay off your loans, you'll be making enough to pay them off quickly if you budget right.

I highly doubt you will be able to transfer and keep your scholarship. The other issue with transferring is whether you could still graduate in the required four years, not all credits transfer the same.
 
Thanks yall.
I already recieve a Pell Grant and various other small Federal aids (this is why getting a job would be difficult, as any income would compromise federal aid).
The main issue is that due to the economy improving, so has my parents income, which as beneficial as that has been, has a negative effect on all of my financial aid.
The Citadel is actually slightly cheaper for Sophomores than for Freshmen, it's just that my family's personal financial situation has changed and is now in that awkward limbo where we don't qualify for need-based aid but also aren't able to fund college ourselves, either.....
Definitely visiting financial aid next year, though last year they didn't offer much help.
 
Bulldog...I'm sure you already feel this way but make sure you search out EVERY option possible to stay at The Citadel. You obviously worked very hard to get into such a prestigious institution. Not many other ROTC programs are going to provide the same experience you are receiving there.

Unlike everybody else, I can see how the costs for R&B can be overwhelming. I know my daughter would never be able to pull off R&B at her school on her own (luckily for her that the school covers it for ROTC cadets). The bill there would be about $11K. No way can a freshman cadet afford $11K with a $300 stipend and $1200 in book money.

Good luck to you!!
 
Bulldog, first off good job on recognizing you may have a problem affording R&B and being proactive about it. In looking at the Citadel website the annual R&B is listed at $6,265 annually. I highly doubt that you will be able to find a lower R&B rate than that. As an example, DS R&B at CU Boulder is $6,129 PER SEMESTER!. This is a 110 sq. ft. basement dorm room he shares with another 6'4" 215lb monster of a roommate. I will give you the same advice I would give my DS in this same situation. Stay at the Citadel. Start looking for scholarships TODAY, seek help from your schools finance office. If all else fails you can get a loan to cover the last 2 years R&B. www.salliemae.com
Worst case scenario is you will have about $13K in loans after you graduate.
$13,000 at 6.8% would be $256.19 per month for 5 years. Even if you ultimately have to take out a loan you will still be sooooo much better off than most recent college graduates. Good luck in your decision.
 
Quick math: federal loan 7500 for a junior + 3000 stipend funds (which wouldn't even be entire amount of about $4000) = $10500. Use the federal loan before any private loan like sallie Mae.
 
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You CAN work

Thanks yall.
I already recieve a Pell Grant and various other small Federal aids (this is why getting a job would be difficult, as any income would compromise federal aid).
The main issue is that due to the economy improving, so has my parents income, which as beneficial as that has been, has a negative effect on all of my financial aid.
The Citadel is actually slightly cheaper for Sophomores than for Freshmen, it's just that my family's personal financial situation has changed and is now in that awkward limbo where we don't qualify for need-based aid but also aren't able to fund college ourselves, either.....
Definitely visiting financial aid next year, though last year they didn't offer much help.

There is an income protection for the student in the the FAFSA formula of over $6100 so that means the first $6100 you earn will not effect your aid. Certainly increased parent income will drive up your EFC but don't not work at all because you think it will reduce your chances for aid!

Also if you haven't used loan from this year you could probably still ask for that money, put it in the bank and help fund your room and board for next year. Not knowing your entire situation it's hard to give exact advice but these are two pieces of information that should utilize as you move forward.
 
If you were eligible for the Pell Grant and other Federal financial aid this year, you may be eligible for Work Study next year (if I'm reading correctly that next year you will be a sophomore/2 yr cadet).

From The Citadel's website -- Work Study is a federal program in which students earn money while enrolled in school to help offset education expenses. First year cadets are not eligible due to the various knob-year obligations.
 
If you were eligible for the Pell Grant and other Federal financial aid this year, you may be eligible for Work Study next year (if I'm reading correctly that next year you will be a sophomore/2 yr cadet).

From The Citadel's website -- Work Study is a federal program in which students earn money while enrolled in school to help offset education expenses. First year cadets are not eligible due to the various knob-year obligations.

I will be a Junior next year.

Thank ya'll for your advice. Since I matriculated without a scholarship and everything was paid for via federal loans and grants, with a small amount of Citadel academic scholarships, I think I'll be able to just take out some larger federal loans to cover room and board. I think that's the best option for me considering my academic, military, and athletic workload next semester.
 
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