<p>Currently, I'm planning on applying to:
Princeton (****ing lottery reach)
Columbia (ED, reach)
UPenn (reach)
Swarthmore (reach, possibly applying, not sure if the effort is worth the risk for applying to so many reaches)
Lehigh U (match)
NYU(match)
Rutgers NB/Psc (safety)
Boston U (match/safety, only applying if for some crazy reason I have to stay in Mass.)</p>
<p>Some info about me:</p>
<p>2150 SAT/3.8 UW/ 14/260
white, but not reporting race
Originally from NJ, graduating high school in Massachusetts
prospective major: double major in Foreign Lang(East Asian or Spanish/Portuguese) and biochemistry/genetics
any other info I will gladly provide</p>
<p>Some safeties I've been thinking about:
Drexel, Drew, Seton Hall</p>
<p>I'm looking for a medium to large size school, preferably in the city with strong science and foreign language departments. Also, they should be in the northern NJ area, Phily area and NYC are good. Thoughts? Suggestions? I'll probably apply to one more safety.</p>
<p>Also, I feel like I should be applying to more match schools. Any suggestions for that?</p>
<p>not much… total household income is around 72K a year, but it’s to my understanding that the more prestigious the school, the more ridiculously generous their aid is</p>
<p>For example, I spoke with someone at Columbia and they said a ballpark estimate of family contribution would be around 4K a year which is completely manageable.</p>
<p>For Princeton, Columbia, UPenn, and Swarthmore (maybe), there may be some truth to this.</p>
<p>NYU may or may not give you decent aid. They are notorious around CC for putting large Parent PLUS loans into the FA package AND leaving large gaps. [Although a few of their students do get excellent FA it seems.]</p>
<p>For most other schools, you can pretty much count on your FAFSA EFC to be the * minimum * amount of money that the college will expect you to pay each year. If the school meets full need then your family will probably be expected to pay something pretty close to the FAFSA EFC as long as your family has pretty straightforward finances (i.e. no really large assets, no small business, no divorced, non-custodial parent with an income, etc.) And at all but the richest of the well-endowed schools (like Princeton and Columbia), you can expect the FA package to contain maximum Stafford loans each year and more than likely some work study.</p>
<p>At OOS public schools (such as Rutgers) not only will you be paying OOS tuition, but very likely the only need-based aid you’ll get is Stafford loans and maybe a bit of work study. Even a small institutional grant would be unusual. So while Rutgers is an academic safety for you, it’s NOT a financial safety since you are now OOS for Rutgers.</p>
<p>Given your need for aid, unless you love Rutgers, I think you need schools that meet need that rank below those on your list.</p>
<p>Princeton is a high reach and Columbia takes just a couple of % less so it is too. Coming from way overrepresented MA will make any ivy tough with current stats. And while I think you’ll get into BU and NYU, it’s doubtful either will give you anywhere near the aid you need.</p>
<p>Schools that meet need in the range of Bates and Vassar would be good matches.</p>
<p>This sucks…
So basically, if I don’t get into a top tier school, I’m screwed financially?</p>
<p>Also my parents were never married, will that affect my EFC? When I said total household income, I just combined the salaries of my mom and dad. My dad makes around 13k a year and live in NJ and I live with my mom and her significant other (she makes around 59k a year).</p>
<p>Also, will they expect me to list this guy on the FAFSA? Because to be honest I hardly ever talk to him and he doesn’t support me whatsoever and after I’m done with high school he will not be living with my mom.</p>
<p>Top schools which use the CSS will expect info for both parents. FAFSA only schools will only ask for the parent you live with. As far as being “screwed financially”, you can start at a community college while you work, save your money and attend your local directional U. That is the least expensive way to get a four year degree and many students are forced to do that. If you tell us your stats we might be able to make some other recommendations.</p>
<p>What other stats are you looking for?
Also, as I mentioned before I’m from NJ and living in MA, but when I’m done with high school I HAVE to return to that area due to family reasons which are out of my control. Because I would be out of state, I feel like even a community college could even be a little pricey if they don’t offer aid (which I doubt is generous at all) and I’m afraid that it would be terribly difficult to transfer out of community college into a high ranking university once I do have some money.</p>
<p>I have been looking at Drew but haven’t visited yet but I’m planning on it to see what it’s like. I’ve heard their facilities are not too great but I do need to check it out for myself.</p>
