My only point is that OP should run the NPCs. @mom2collegekids - that is a whole other story (NPCs being “screwy”) - can’t confirm that of course. But, I’ve been told by a number of different sources that some schools increase their prices just so they can offer everyone a little something to make them feel better. There will still be some who don’t ask for it, though, because they don’t feel that they need the $10,000 and they probably also feel that being full-pay will increase their chances of admission.
P.S. Yes, running for my nephew and he does have a sister in college, although she is in community college (of course, the NPC doesn’t care about that). I’m interested in pulling out that fact to see what happens though. I forgot to add, though, that I have a good friend with a kid at Oberlin - their income is over $300k and they also got grant money - no other kids in college at the time. She was the first person to tell me about the “offer a little something” thing - although as I’ve said, it’s not typically enough so that it would make a difference to someone who really needs it.
Often that ‘little something’ is merit money, not need based aid. If everyone is getting it, then it’s merit.
I think the NPCs will also be ‘off’ for the 2016-17 school year with the big drop in asset protection. It shouldn’t change those with high incomes unless the private schools use the same formula, but for those in the area close to receiving a Pell grant, having just $10k in savings may make a difference.
Yep, once you leave the very tippy-top schools, some privates start throwing out merit money like candy, especially if you have good stats.
Note that some schools’ NPC include merit money as well (if they ask for stats or even diversity stuff like race or geography).
The OP would be well-advised to hunt for merit money, though. Depending on his/her stats/profile and the school, a decent number of privates (obviously below the Ivy/equivalent tier) offer enough merit money to be competitive with in-state costs at a public.
<<<
But, I’ve been told by a number of different sources that some schools increase their prices just so they can offer everyone a little something to make them feel better.
[QUOTE=""]
[/QUOTE]
Then that isn’t need-based aid. It may be showing up in the NPC, but there are NPC’s that routinely put in an award without even asking for stats!
Yes, there are some schools that do increase their prices just to flatter. “oh wow, XUniv just gave me a $40k award!” ($10k for four years). “Wow, they must really want me! They must really like my stats!” Then you find out that everyone gets that, and those that are “really wanted” are offered more. $-)
As of now, McGill has some degrees (covering many majors) that are as cheap as in-state for an American.
Not bad for the “Harvard of Canada” (OK, granted, they’re more like the Harvard of Quebec, and that’s kind of in the sense that UW-Madison is the Harvard of Wisconsin; still, in-state costs for a school I consider equivalent to UCLA/UW-Madison/UNC isn’t a bad option to have).