<p>I am of the similar mind as the others here. Your safeties are not so, if the likelihood of getting the aid you want/need is small. The question to ask here is what the NPC comes out as what you should pay at the schools, and if there are a number of scholarships the school gives out that exceed that amount. Sarah Lawrence, for instance is very, very expensive. If you come up with no need, or little need , the chances that they have close to full ride merit for you, is very small. The same go for your matches or really any school unless you are coming out flush on the NPCs. </p>
<p>What are the NPCs saying your famliy is likely to be asked to pay? You reach schools will be the most accurate, as they tend to meet full need, and have little merit skewing the results. That is about what you can expect at best for financial aid. Can you afford that amount? Any merit simply replaces the fin aid, for the most part, so you need to see whether the school has any big merit money awards. If they don’t, the likelihood of being able to afford the school is just about zilch. </p>
<p>Harvard is a very generous school, but if what they expect your family to pay is still more than they can, then you are out of luck because there is a 0% chance that you get merit money from them. Just not in the picture. Amherst and Brown are the same way. That they are reaches on an admissions basis is fine. But if it’s clear that you don’t qualify for the aid that you need to go there, it’s really a dead end. It’s one thing when you have a chance, another when your chances are just about zero, simply because a school does not give out what you need. No merit awards at a school, and your need is low enough that you need merit money to afford it, means that school is unaffordable. Just like when I tell international students to cross off those schools that don’t give money to them. The chances are zero that they get anything by definition. </p>
<p>What numbers are the EFC estimators and NPCs churning out for you? How much have your parents committed to paying for your education? This is crucial information for you. You list is just fine if your parents can fully pay for those school, but if they can’t, you need to comb through the “no go s” where you know the money is just not going to be there.</p>