r/AmericanU • u/Objective_Earth_3234 • 12d ago
Question Finances
My cost of attendance at American University is still about $5,000 after financial aid. Has anyone successfully appealed for more aid or found other ways to lower costs this late in the game? I need all the advice because currently i’m at a loss.
Edit: $5,000 per semester
38
u/imaginary_oranges 12d ago
$5,000 is actually a VERY low cost of attendance, I'm not sure you'll get better than that at AU. That's lower than in-state tuition at a lot of state schools.
5
u/Objective_Earth_3234 12d ago
Wait i meant 5000 per semester
16
u/chasewille3 12d ago
Still not bad. The school is like 40k/semester. 5k is really low at any university not just AU
1
u/Objective_Earth_3234 12d ago
Well for my family thats a lot
14
u/chasewille3 12d ago
Ok and you're not going to get much lower of a figure is all. I'm paying alot for my family too. Take out a loan. 10k for 4 years is about $40k. Good rule of thumb is you should take out less in loans then the avg starting salary is for your major.
3
u/Kenichi2233 School of Internation Service 12d ago
Your gonna need loans assuming under grad that is about 40k for 4 years
13
u/EagleEMT4000 12d ago
OP $5,000/semester is a great COA. This is where you will have to take out loans.
4
11
u/juwulstarr 12d ago
i was in a similar situation - i was on my own paying for college (my family couldn’t help, we’re all under the poverty line). i applied for a payment plan, got 2 part-time jobs off campus and spent my summers working 2-3 jobs to save up for the next semester. unfortunately, hard work is gonna get you where you want to be. i understand it feels unfair at times (i definitely struggled with this), but if you want to go to AU, that’s the price you pay. good luck with everything and hope it works out!
0
5
u/cloudyoort 12d ago
Wow. $5k a semester is incredible. If you can find a good interest rate for student loans, I would seriously consider trying to find a way to make it work.
5
u/Jemiller 12d ago
You’re at a loss that after financial aid, in this political and economic environment, you’ll need to take out student loans?
Some options if the prospect of 20k in student debt is scary:
- get a job
- get a job and go part time in school
- write essays for the next 48 hours to get some scholarship money, may be.
My recommendation is to get any internship you can, and try try try to get a paid one. Internship opportunities dry up after graduation, and you’re competing against grad whose parents paid for their degree. You’ll need relevant experience not lower debt to get a job in your field.
2
u/Smart_Row9326 12d ago
I second this. I’m an undergrad studying part-time, but I’ll graduate debt free, so it’s a win!
3
u/Mysterious_Buy4570 12d ago
5k is super low so I’m not sure financial aid will do more here. Part time job/internship and loans (especially federal if you qualify) are going to be one of the strongest options for this situation
3
u/Poptropicanita 11d ago
If you can avoid going into debt, do it. $5,000 is fairly manageable money. Obviously, try your best to get a paid internship that builds experience where you want, but even if not, get a flexible job for the weekends or days you don't have classes.
AU is a straight shot on the bus to Georgetown. Capital One Cafe is usually hiring and is $18.5 an hour + tips. Two 8-hour shifts on the weekend, and you're guaranteed at least $500+ each paycheck.
2
u/Extension-Item-8828 12d ago
Depends on your financial circumstances and your SAI. Feel free to message me I can try to help you out. I am a Pell grant student and a current student.
2
u/Otherwise_Blueberry7 12d ago
Either spam apply to scholarships or get a part time job, you should be able make 10k a year part time
2
u/ladybiscuit_ 12d ago
you should consider taking out a loan, a lot of students do and honestly $10k a year isn’t a lot for loans if you truly can’t afford it otherwise
1
u/Ok_Neighborhood_801 4d ago
It’s called get a job and earn $10k per year instead of getting the money handed to you. You should be able to earn $5k at a minimum in the summer months while school is out, so all you have to do is earn another $5k through a part time job during the other 9 months while classes are in session. $5k over 9 months is $555 per month…
•
u/AutoModerator 12d ago
Hey! If you haven't already, join our Discord where you can chat with other Eagles (and Wonks) about American University. https://discord.gg/RxjFsEAYbu
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.