Hello there! I’m a rising senior and this summer, I’m finalizing my college list. My family is in the middle/ lower half of the middle class so we’re not super well off but not impoverished. Therefore, I want to apply to schools that will meet 100% of demonstrated need and graduate with less debt and more grants.
On that note, I currently have 10 schools on my list. I have one safety that I’m almost guaranteed to be accepted to but it doesn’t meet 100% of demonstrated need. 8 others do, and I have 1 that does not. My question: How many more schools should I apply to? Would it be a good idea to apply to more? I’ve heard horror stories about the incredible complexities of financial aid, etc. even after acceptance and I need to keep up my grades…
You can get a rough estimate of how much need you demonstrate by using the college board EFC estimation tool. Compare that to your family budget. If you don’t seem to demonstrate enough need, look for schools that might have a net price below your EFC by giving you merit scholarships.
The college board big future search engine will let you find schools that meet 80% or more of need (searching for 100% of need restricts the choices too far). Then, when you click on a school, click on “paying” in the left column and then “financial aid by the numbers” across the top to get an overview of financial aid. The pie chart will show the ratio of grants and loans/work-study in a typical aid package.
Schools that are generous with financial aid are also schools in high demand and tend to have higher GPA and test score profiles for admitted students. If your stats are not good, you should look in your state system or regional tuition compact for schools that have lower price tags to begin with.
Run the Net Price Calculator on EVERY college you’re applying to.
Some factor in assets differently( Boston College is notorious for calculating your need for after you’ve sold your house…; just kidding… but barely) so you need to make sure they’re all affordable according to the NPC.
if you need financial aid and your safety doesn’t meet need, then you should apply to more safeties - where you’re guaranteed or pretty sure to get merit aid, for instance.
So, you need to apply to more.
Start applying to the guaranteed merit schools (where merit makes the school affordable - for instance, if you have an ACT 32 and can afford 13K a year, U Alabama guarantees you a full tuition scholarship and admission to the Honors College, and option LOTS of high-scoring kids choose. Application is up.)
Chronicling your application and financial aid on this forum will be very useful to many students, so please don’t forget to update at least once a month.
Remember FAFSA is due in October.
What are your stats?
Any “hook”? (star athlete, legacy somewhere, under-rpresented group in higher education)?
What state are you a resident of?
Thanks for responding @AroundHere and @MYOS1634 !
Okay, that sounds pretty solid. I was trying to avoid having to go through the calculator, but it shouldn’t be so bad once I start it.
@MYOS1634 I will most likely (very very very most likely) going to be accepted at my safety school’s honor program, and it’s my state school (I live in Maryland) so the tuition isn’t as bad as a private school.
? Is U Alabama not need-blind? Why would it be necessary to be able to afford 13K/ year if there’s a full tuition?
I run a blog for college apps so that’s where I update most of my things. : ) I’m not too active on collegeconfidential, I’m sorry.
Yes, thank you!
Unfortunately no. Neither of my parents are from the U.S. and I’m not in a minority group. I have acceptable extracurriculars and I’m pretty good at writing so I hope that brings me somewhere. ^^
In that case, apply to UMDCP, St Mary’s MD, and UMBC or Towson. This way you should be covered no matter what.
Public universities don’t meet need, so if they’re used as your safety schools, you must make sure they’ll be affordabelethrough merit. Merit at UMD is VERY competitive, hence the recommendation you apply to the other Tuniversities above.
A full tuition scholarship covers tuition. You still have to pay room&board, personal expenses, and food. That adds up to about 13K. If you don’t have them, the full tuition scholarship is pointless.
You have to use the calculator on every single college, unfortunately, since they all calculate differently.
I’m already applying to umdcp, but I will consider those options as well. Thank you!
I see. Thank you for the information.
“Is U Alabama not need-blind?”
If you already like a school and want to apply, you really don’t care if it’s need-blind or need-aware; it affects only your chance of admission, and if over half the students get financial aid, it doesn’t have so much effect. Meeting full need is what’s really important.
@Lavendercats- Need Blind schools are ones that accept you based on their criteria/holistic admissions and not your financial status but that has nothing to do with with meeting your financial need.
I think you are getting mixed up. Schools that meet 100% financial need without loans in the financial aid package are very few. There are threads that you can look this up or google it yourself. These will be the very selective colleges.
Your best bet is to get exactly the amount your parents can afford, go research for merit using the schools CDS and take the advice of fine folks at CC because they really do know what they are talking about. Some of these folks are parents who have guided their own kids through this and have been on here for years guiding others.
“Why would it be necessary to be able to afford 13K/ year if there’s a full tuition?”
Because it costs money for room, board and travel. Tuition does not include these things.