2 answers
Casey Anne
Student
Thompson, Connecticut
1
Question
Updated
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How do you afford to attend Pratt Institute?
I'm looking to transfer to Pratt Institute and I'm struggling a bit to justify the cost of tuition along with room and board. What's the best way to afford the high cost?
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2 answers
Gurpreet Lally
CareerVillage.org TeamSr. Community Manager at CareerVillage
136
Answers
Austin, Texas
Updated
Gurpreet’s Answer, CareerVillage.org Team
Hi Casey Anne,
I'm going to share some general tips on finding scholarships & financial aid, but I also have some questions that I would like you to consider.
Let's start with the financial aid portion:
1. Find LOCAL scholarships (scholarships hosted by the college you plan on attending, your high school, local businesses, etc). Why local? There is usually a smaller application pool for these, as you're only competing against your community. For instance, in my hometown, there was a small concrete mixing company that hosted scholarships specifically for seniors who went to my high school. Because I was only competing with a maximum of 800 students, I was able to secure a scholarship! That's not to say you shouldn't apply to bigger scholarships, but be mindful of how many people are also submitting applications (sometimes websites will tell you this information).
2. Talk to the financial aid department of the school you are attending or want to attend to hear more about opportunities that are available.
3. When looking for scholarships, try to be as specific as possible. For example, instead of searching for "scholarships for high school students", try "scholarships for radiology/healthcare majors" or "scholarships for Iowa residents. This will help you quickly identify scholarships that are a good fit for you. Many scholarships will have offerings specifically for students who meet certain criteria (ex: low income, high GPA, part of a minority group). This might be a good way to narrow down the scholarship search as well!
4. While it's not a scholarship, don't forget to fill out your FAFSA! This only applies if you're looking into schools in the United States.
5. Depending on your circumstances, there are also options like finding part-time work or taking out student loans.
As for things to consider:
I noticed that Pratt Institute is a private school in a different state from where you currently reside. Private and out-of-state schools tend to be more expensive than public/in-state options. I would urge you to think about WHY you want to attend Pratt. Are they known for having a really good program for your major? Are there others that are comparable and cheaper?
I'm going to share some general tips on finding scholarships & financial aid, but I also have some questions that I would like you to consider.
Let's start with the financial aid portion:
1. Find LOCAL scholarships (scholarships hosted by the college you plan on attending, your high school, local businesses, etc). Why local? There is usually a smaller application pool for these, as you're only competing against your community. For instance, in my hometown, there was a small concrete mixing company that hosted scholarships specifically for seniors who went to my high school. Because I was only competing with a maximum of 800 students, I was able to secure a scholarship! That's not to say you shouldn't apply to bigger scholarships, but be mindful of how many people are also submitting applications (sometimes websites will tell you this information).
2. Talk to the financial aid department of the school you are attending or want to attend to hear more about opportunities that are available.
3. When looking for scholarships, try to be as specific as possible. For example, instead of searching for "scholarships for high school students", try "scholarships for radiology/healthcare majors" or "scholarships for Iowa residents. This will help you quickly identify scholarships that are a good fit for you. Many scholarships will have offerings specifically for students who meet certain criteria (ex: low income, high GPA, part of a minority group). This might be a good way to narrow down the scholarship search as well!
4. While it's not a scholarship, don't forget to fill out your FAFSA! This only applies if you're looking into schools in the United States.
5. Depending on your circumstances, there are also options like finding part-time work or taking out student loans.
As for things to consider:
I noticed that Pratt Institute is a private school in a different state from where you currently reside. Private and out-of-state schools tend to be more expensive than public/in-state options. I would urge you to think about WHY you want to attend Pratt. Are they known for having a really good program for your major? Are there others that are comparable and cheaper?
Michelle M.
Actress
3276
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Casey Anne !
It's wonderful that you will be enrolling at Pratt Institute which is in my former borough of Brooklyn ! Pratt has very strong programs, especially in art, design, and architecture, visual arts, interior design, graphic design, and information studies, film, art therapy and others. It's an exciting time for planning this. Let's look at how you can finance it.
To begin with, Pratt has two free tuition programs, however, they are very precise with what you need to do to qualify. First, you need to actually get a job there, be hired and employed by Pratt. Once you are an employee there, you can apply for two free tuition programs. One is called the Tuition Remission program and the other is the Tuition Exchange program. Both of these programs have conditions that you'd have to meet and specific numbers of credit you can take each semester, so contact the admission and financial aid office to discuss this for the details. These programs cover tuition only.
Next, you can apply for Federal Student Financial Aid. Keep in mind that you would be not be paying out of state tuition at Pratt which is indeed pricey. It's a private college. As far as I know, private institutions are not bound by state residency rules that govern public universities, but I strongly urge that you verify and have this validated by a Pratt representative. There is conflicting information about this online, so call or go there to verify.
For students from Connecticut, Pratt offers merit and need based scholarships and specialized awards. Speak with the admissions and financial aid offices about this. Ask about The Presidential Merit Based Scholarship. There are also scholarships connected to your Major. Also ask about Pratt Young Scholars program for financial help.
Since you are 17 miles from Pratt, you will most likely be commuting which will save on the expense of living in New York City. As a CT resident, you can apply for the New York Women in Communications Scholarship. The Betty Baur Lambert-Fairfield County, CT Alumnae Chapter Scholarship is awarded to members of Kappa Alpha Theta. The Hispanic/Latinx Scholarship supports high school seniors of Hispanic/Latinx heritage in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. There is also the the Roothbert Fund. Also try finding out more about the New England Board of Higher Education Tuition Break program, which offers significant tuition savings for New England residents, including Connecticut students, enrolling in approved programs at out-of-state public colleges and universities within New England. Even though New York is not a New England state and it's for New England states, inquire about it to double check if they would include New York, if guidelines may have changed.
There's quite a bit of information and possibilities out there for you to continue to explore and a visit to Pratt may be very helpful. Meet with an Academic Advisor and the financial aid office for up to date, accurate and detailed information specific to your circumstance.
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best ! You can do it !
It's wonderful that you will be enrolling at Pratt Institute which is in my former borough of Brooklyn ! Pratt has very strong programs, especially in art, design, and architecture, visual arts, interior design, graphic design, and information studies, film, art therapy and others. It's an exciting time for planning this. Let's look at how you can finance it.
To begin with, Pratt has two free tuition programs, however, they are very precise with what you need to do to qualify. First, you need to actually get a job there, be hired and employed by Pratt. Once you are an employee there, you can apply for two free tuition programs. One is called the Tuition Remission program and the other is the Tuition Exchange program. Both of these programs have conditions that you'd have to meet and specific numbers of credit you can take each semester, so contact the admission and financial aid office to discuss this for the details. These programs cover tuition only.
Next, you can apply for Federal Student Financial Aid. Keep in mind that you would be not be paying out of state tuition at Pratt which is indeed pricey. It's a private college. As far as I know, private institutions are not bound by state residency rules that govern public universities, but I strongly urge that you verify and have this validated by a Pratt representative. There is conflicting information about this online, so call or go there to verify.
For students from Connecticut, Pratt offers merit and need based scholarships and specialized awards. Speak with the admissions and financial aid offices about this. Ask about The Presidential Merit Based Scholarship. There are also scholarships connected to your Major. Also ask about Pratt Young Scholars program for financial help.
Since you are 17 miles from Pratt, you will most likely be commuting which will save on the expense of living in New York City. As a CT resident, you can apply for the New York Women in Communications Scholarship. The Betty Baur Lambert-Fairfield County, CT Alumnae Chapter Scholarship is awarded to members of Kappa Alpha Theta. The Hispanic/Latinx Scholarship supports high school seniors of Hispanic/Latinx heritage in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. There is also the the Roothbert Fund. Also try finding out more about the New England Board of Higher Education Tuition Break program, which offers significant tuition savings for New England residents, including Connecticut students, enrolling in approved programs at out-of-state public colleges and universities within New England. Even though New York is not a New England state and it's for New England states, inquire about it to double check if they would include New York, if guidelines may have changed.
There's quite a bit of information and possibilities out there for you to continue to explore and a visit to Pratt may be very helpful. Meet with an Academic Advisor and the financial aid office for up to date, accurate and detailed information specific to your circumstance.
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best ! You can do it !