Surly kids who can't get into UT

[royiv 9706]

1 hour ago, ABSR said:

I don't dislike this...however, to say it is "free" is disingenuous.  Are the professors going to take pay cuts?  Are they going to sell buildings?  Are they going to teach by candlelight to save electricity or are they just going to get free electricity?

What this means is that someone else (tax payers or kids who's families make $100,000+) will cover those costs.  If they say no, we have a big pile of money we are going to use that we just have sitting around it begs the question of how that pile of money was created and from what sources?  Why is it not being used to lower tuition across the board, or improve the overall education being taught, and why was tuition too high to begin with?

To the $15K per year number, my guess is that for many students who have household income below $100K they are receiving some or maybe substantial amounts of federal aids and grants (not a bad thing), so the UT system is not covering Full costs for these students but only the delta between previous aid and zero which should be significantly less.  I would be curious to see the analysis done to estimate the average tuition removal for students falling into this bucket and how that compares to the average tuition paid by other students.

I also can't wait to see people turn down raises or pay increases in order to continue to not broach the $100K threshold.  Somewhat kidding about this, but I am sure there will be cases where people/families face this issue especially if it is not a graduated tuition break based on household income.

The UT System has a budget of approximately $28 billion in expenses. You’re picking some nits over something that accounts for 0.125% of the annual expenses for the System.

[jimmyjazz 46986]

7 minutes ago, royiv said:

The UT System has a budget of approximately $28 billion in expenses. You’re picking some nits over something that accounts for 0.125% of the annual expenses for the System.

I would guess we pay $35M to coaches.  Sark gets $10M alone.

[The Dog 44775]

Daughter got into pig today.

I've already said I am not wearing Arkansas shit or calling the hogs unless it's to slaughter!

But she can go to school there.

[TexasEd 8248]

How does the CAP route work?  Apply to UT- Austin and UTSA or just UT AUSTIN?  Not sure I understand how you get admitted into CAP as a graduating senior or do you wait until after 1+ years at UTSA and then apply?

 

Thanks

[jimmyjazz 46986]

2 hours ago, TexasEd said:

How does the CAP route work?  Apply to UT- Austin and UTSA or just UT AUSTIN?  Not sure I understand how you get admitted into CAP as a graduating senior or do you wait until after 1+ years at UTSA and then apply?

Apply to UT, they will inform as to whether or not CAP is an option.  There are multiple schools in the CAP orbit, and UT will designate one or more as options for each CAP student.  My son did UT-Tyler, my daughter did UTSA.  My son wasn't given UTSA as a choice, which (given his HS grades) made total sense.  Both are on the 40 Acres and will graduate soon.

[The Dog 44775]

Iowa State has entered the chat: 

https://www.iastate.edu/admission-and-aid/admissions/first-year-students/national-scholars/first-year-scholarship-awards/tx

 

[Horn of Gabriel 1883]

My daughter (16, HS sophomore) is telling me that she's heard that CAP will be discontinued by the time she graduates.  I haven't found anything on Google, anyone heard anything on this?  She's straight A student, in honors and a few AP classes, in band and extracurriculars but I don't think top 5% in our school in Leander ISD, which would require well >110-115 GPA.

[CooterBrown 18273]

 Anybody else mentally fucking done with all the scholarship applications?  At my kid's top choice, the general scholarship app has 6 essay questions.  Then the college of engineering's scholarship app had another 3 essay questions.  But, you gotta hedge your bets and fill out the scholarship apps at some other schools too...I've (I mean she) has written like 20+ essays at this point. Holy fuck it's a process.  I was surprised when the scholarship administrator at her first choice said that many scholarships have zero applicants. Now I know why. It's a pain in the ass...and we haven't even touched the FAFSA yet which every school requires you submit even though I know she won't qualify for any income based aid.

[Iceman 2956]

2 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

 Anybody else mentally fucking done with all the scholarship applications?  At my kid's top choice, the general scholarship app has 6 essay questions.  Then the college of engineering's scholarship app had another 3 essay questions.  But, you gotta hedge your bets and fill out the scholarship apps at some other schools too...I've (I mean she) has written like 20+ essays at this point. Holy fuck it's a process.  I was surprised when the scholarship administrator at her first choice said that many scholarships have zero applicants. Now I know why. It's a pain in the ass...and we haven't even touched the FAFSA yet which every school requires you submit even though I know she won't qualify for any income based aid.

You're not good and done until you sit through a prospective student session with other parents at Texas A&M, and the proctor says being an aggie can be more meaningful/ patriotic than military service. About 5 of us stood up( it was parents only) and one guy beat all of us to the punch, " If that's what you're telling my kid, we're done here."

Proctor backed off, and we went to break. Came back in and some other dude apologized and said that was not the message meant to be conveyed.

I didn't want to be there to begin with, but for it to even come out of his mouth...  I had zero doubt he was 100% sincere.

That was when the real prayer started on my part.  Pretty sure son never set foot on campus again.

Edited December 3 by Iceman

[tx 3 putt 78477]

7 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

 Anybody else mentally fucking done with all the scholarship applications?  At my kid's top choice, the general scholarship app has 6 essay questions.  Then the college of engineering's scholarship app had another 3 essay questions.  But, you gotta hedge your bets and fill out the scholarship apps at some other schools too...I've (I mean she) has written like 20+ essays at this point. Holy fuck it's a process.  I was surprised when the scholarship administrator at her first choice said that many scholarships have zero applicants. Now I know why. It's a pain in the ass...and we haven't even touched the FAFSA yet which every school requires you submit even though I know she won't qualify for any income based aid.

 

chatgpt / ai 

rearrange it some, add some color because ai on their end will scan to determine if you used ai 

[CooterBrown 18273]

 
chatgpt / ai 
rearrange it some, add some color because ai on their end will scan to determine if you used ai 

I use Claude AI to check grammar, organization, and clarity. It’s a great tool and using it that way, AI doesn’t write it but it makes the essays much better.

[South Austin 53157]

15 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

and we haven't even touched the FAFSA yet which every school requires you submit even though I know she won't qualify for any income based aid.

The FAFSA forms were the biggest beating for something that made no difference in my daughter's financial aid.

[The Dog 44775]

18 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

I was surprised when the scholarship administrator at her first choice said that many scholarships have zero applicants.

Yup. That's why applying to as many as possible is worth the time. 

This is an example of "80% of life is just showing up."

[ABSR 5360]

On 12/3/2024 at 8:06 AM, South Austin said:

The FAFSA forms were the biggest beating for something that made no difference in my daughter's financial aid.

Last year was a SHIT show.  And for any parents who don't know, this is not just for your rising seniors.  It has to be completed every year they are in college.  It is greatly improved this year in that it now imports your tax forms from the IRS instead of you having to scan in EVERY PAGE and attach it to the system.

On 12/2/2024 at 4:32 PM, CooterBrown said:

 Anybody else mentally fucking done with all the scholarship applications?  At my kid's top choice, the general scholarship app has 6 essay questions.  Then the college of engineering's scholarship app had another 3 essay questions.  But, you gotta hedge your bets and fill out the scholarship apps at some other schools too...I've (I mean she) has written like 20+ essays at this point. Holy fuck it's a process.  I was surprised when the scholarship administrator at her first choice said that many scholarships have zero applicants. Now I know why. It's a pain in the ass...and we haven't even touched the FAFSA yet which every school requires you submit even though I know she won't qualify for any income based aid.

This is our second year in a row (and last) with this.  Now have one College Freshman and have HS senior.  What I have seen is that a lot of more middling schools (Texas Tech as an example) adds 6-8 additional essays, where I would normally not have thought they would/could do that.  My guess is this is to weed out kids who would just apply to them as a safety school with no real interest.  Makes less work for them to review and makes their yield numbers higher.

[4thgenhorn 40]

Did anyone’s kids do the IB track in HS, vs just AP/Honors track?  If they went IB, was it worth it, good or bad?  My kids a Freshman and we were looking at IB last night. Very different Jr and Sr classes. I don’t know if there is good ROI for IB. 

[SurlyORama 165]

On 12/7/2024 at 8:27 AM, 4thgenhorn said:

Did anyone’s kids do the IB track in HS, vs just AP/Honors track?  If they went IB, was it worth it, good or bad?  My kids a Freshman and we were looking at IB last night. Very different Jr and Sr classes. I don’t know if there is good ROI for IB. 

My daughter went to an IB high school. No discernable difference in opportunities it provided, from what we could see.

[mchookem 16733]

im just here to brag...niece graduated magna cum laude from UNT Honors College yesterday. gotdamn! 😁

senior year of high school and freshman year of college were 2020...she left the nest at the height of covid and in the depths of an eating/anxiety disorder. while in college she throttled the anorexia into remission, interned every summer out-of-state, did a semester in Spain, worked a job non-stop, became a political radical, earned enough merit-based financial aid to cover what her TTF didn't, fell in love, fucking killed her coursework and graduated with zero debt.

many tears were shed yesterday... she said it was pretty much the best day of her life. couldn't be prouder! 💚

Edited Sunday at 06:28 AM by mchookem

[Hollywood 411]

Figured this would be an appropriate place to post this: 

The Longhorn Long Shot

The University of Texas at Austin has rapidly become one of the most selective colleges in the country. That’s partly due to a 30-year-old state policy attracting national attention as an affirmative action alternative. But Texans say it’s no perfect model...

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/admissions/traditional-age/2024/12/16/ut-austins-auto-admit-rule-raises-stakes-applicants

[Bateshorn 9989]

On 12/3/2024 at 9:06 AM, South Austin said:

The FAFSA forms were the biggest beating for something that made no difference in my daughter's financial aid.

Since our kids both go to Oregon, it was fucking horrible having to navigate the new process for a school that doesn't offer out of state need aid.  "Here's a form that you are 100% required to fill out....that we won't even look at."  Not CR-ing: but fuck you Joe Biden for that. The old FAFSA process wasn't particularily difficult. It was a complete self own.

[South Austin 53157]

On 12/4/2024 at 12:23 PM, ABSR said:

And for any parents who don't know, this is not just for your rising seniors.  It has to be completed every year they are in college. 

What is the consequence of not completing the FAFSA after my kid is already in college?  Can the university withhold merit aid?  

[jimmyjazz 46986]

8 minutes ago, Bateshorn said:

Since our kids both go to Oregon, it was fucking horrible having to navigate the new process for a school that doesn't offer out of state need aid.  "Here's a form that you are 100% required to fill out....that we won't even look at."  Not CR-ing: but fuck you Joe Biden for that. The old FAFSA process wasn't particularily difficult. It was a complete self own.

I don't think I've submitted a FAFSA form in 2-3 years, and both my kids are close to graduating.

[Bateshorn 9989]

16 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I don't think I've submitted a FAFSA form in 2-3 years, and both my kids are close to graduating.

I was under the impression we had to do it, regardless of whether they get financial aid or not, but now I'm inclined to call the financial aid office and find out. 

[South Austin 53157]

10 minutes ago, Bateshorn said:

I was under the impression we had to do it, regardless of whether they get financial aid or not, but now I'm inclined to call the financial aid office and find out. 

If you do, let me know what you find out.  My daughter is a freshman at Oregon, and has a healthy merit scholarship that's taken a very nice dent out of the nonresident tuition.  If the lack of a FAFSA jeopardizes that, then I'll suck it up and do it.

[jimmyjazz 46986]

Yeah, we're paying as we go, no financial aid, but they still try to put the fear of God in you to file.  It seems they're happy to take our money, though.

[Bateshorn 9989]

18 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Yeah, we're paying as we go, no financial aid, but they still try to put the fear of God in you to file.  It seems they're happy to take our money, though.

Same. Boy #1 got Need from Trinity University, so I had to file every year (interestingly, they didn't require the CSS Profile, so aren't subject to the recent anti-trust lawsuit), but Boy #2 is at Oregon, and they don't give out of state need aid. 

I've told this joke severaly times before, but when Oregon plays Colorado, half the students in the stands are California kids who didn't get into their first choice UC school. 🤣

[CycleTex87 3005]

It's been a few years, but my daughter attending UT didn't get any scholarships, and I never filled out any FAFSA.  

[jimmyjazz 46986]

16 minutes ago, CycleTex87 said:

It's been a few years, but my daughter attending UT didn't get any scholarships, and I never filled out any FAFSA.  

I'm pretty sure both my kids had to fill one out to graduate HS, but that was the end of it for us.

[CycleTex87 3005]

2 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I'm pretty sure both my kids had to fill one out to graduate HS, but that was the end of it for us.

Maybe.  Like I said, it's been several years.  Son at OU had to have the FAFSA every year due to scholarships.  It was a pain in the ass then.

[orange dream 1288]

Agreed on the "no need for FAFSA" if no aid (merit or need) is applied for or received. 

One graduated from state school undergrad 2022 and out of state grad school.  2nd is a Senior in college this year.  Never completed a FAFSA for either one.

YMMV.

[Fudge Nuggets 19408]

4 hours ago, Bateshorn said:

Since our kids both go to Oregon, it was fucking horrible having to navigate the new process for a school that doesn't offer out of state need aid.  "Here's a form that you are 100% required to fill out....that we won't even look at."  Not CR-ing: but fuck you Joe Biden for that. The old FAFSA process wasn't particularily difficult. It was a complete self own.

I filled out the FAFSA form last year for the first time.  It took five minutes. Why is everyone whining about it?

[South Austin 53157]

4 minutes ago, Fudge Nuggets said:

Why is everyone whining about it?

You ask that question as if you're new to this message board.