calculated financial aid = 0$... but i need $$

Paying for College
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<p>so my dad and I just put the numbers into FinAid</a> | Calculators and our estimated financial need is 0$. my parents' combined income is rather high and we have liquid assets. however, i will be graduating from high this school year, which costs 15k a year. My sister will be starting high school this year at a school that costs 14k a year. </p>

<p>For some reason my dad says we wouldn't be able to pay a 50k/year education because my sister still has to go through college too and graduate school is probable too (med school). I don't know if he's just being frugal, but I really believe him. I don't consider myself rich. I don't get anything I want. my mom complains about paying for stuff and i also work and will be paying for my books and expenses. i just don't understand how if i can't afford a school that i don't get financial aid... nothing. </p>

<p>my dad is really banking on me getting merit aid and says I will be taking out loans. but at some of the schools i'm applying to my chances for merit aid are up in the air or there are no chances (i.e. Ivys: Cornell, Penn, Columbia)</p>

<p>Basically... am I missing anything? I know there is the collegeboard PROFILE but i don't know if that would help me. Are there grants or anything else i would be eligible for? I don't know if my dad is being stubborn, but he seems legitimate in that i wouldn't be able to attend Penn if i don't get any money. If worst comes to worst, I'm sure my mom would side with me and let me go to Penn no matter how much money they have to put up. </p>

<p>Anyways, I was wondering if anyone could give me chances on merit aid for some of these schools as well. 33 ACT, 4.22 W GPA, top 5%, 8 APs and honors classes </p>

<p>Schools: Lehigh, Drexel, Villanova, Penn (anything?), Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Columbia, Georgetown. </p>

<p>I didn't want to post any financial info so if anyone thinks they would be able to help me if they knew some of the financial info just PM me. Any Help would be greatly appreciated! </p>

<p>(sorry for the long thread!)</p>

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<p>Similar situation; I make too much to qualify for FA but there is NO WAY I could pay 50K a year for my daughter and I don't think taking out massive loans is a good way to start adult life. As you know, the Ivies don't give merit aid. I know Drexel gives merit aid and your stats are very high for that college, so you should apply; you can apply for free online. Just look up "scholarships" on the websites of the other schools and they may specify what kind of people get the big merit aid awards. If it isn't obvious, email the admissions office and ask what kind of stats a typical merit aid applicant will have.</p>

<p>Since you live in PA, you might want to try SUNY Bing or Geneseo; they give merit aid to out of staters.</p>

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<p>Penn, Cornell, Columbia and Georgetown do not give merit aid.</p>

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<p>Many, many college kids fall into your category. Too much money to qualify for aid, too little to pay full COA of a private school. Want the best in terms of education and colleges. </p>

<p>You look at schools that offer merit money. You may keep a "shoot for the stars" school on the list that if the kid makes, everyone will sacrifice to pay, but make the decision that the main priority is an affordable education. Penn State and Pitt Honors are good deals, and Pitt's Chancellors Scholarship is one of the best merit awards out there.</p>

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<p>yeah i already knew that the ivy league schools don't give out merit aid. i didn't know Georgetown doesn't give anything out, but i wouldn't have expected anything from them anyway lol. </p>

<p>I don't know if you guys noticed, but I'm looking for mostly top engineering schools or schools that have good engineering programs i.e. Cornell, CMU, JHU, Lehigh, Drexel, PSU. </p>

<p>My mom says she would pay for a school if i really want to go to one, but I don't know how legitimate she is because she's not financially savvy like my dad is. In the end though, I think my mom would pay for a Penn, JHU, or Cornell education and my dad reluctantly would too. But I don't know if I would want to bring a such a financial burden on them when I have other great schools on my list that I might be able to go for half tuition. I really like the schools on my list and wouldn't mind going to any of them really. I guess I'll see how it all plays out. Any other suggestions would be great.</p>

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<p>I'm clueless about engineering, but I think that's what one studies at Rensaelaer (sp?) in upstate NY; my daughter's friend had high SATs but mediocre grades and got quite a bit of merit aid there.</p>

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<p>Try Union College, University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology - all schools that give merit aid.</p>

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<p>If you are interested in Rensselaer, email your HS counselor immediately and ask him/her to nominate you for "The Rensselaer Medal." Each high school in the US can nominate one student (usually a Jr., but they can nominate Seniors, too) and the award is a $15,000/year ($60,000 total) merit scholarship. If your HS is not a participating school, include this link for your counselor Rensselaer</a> Medal Program and they can become a participating school. Since there are no other benefits other than the specific scholarship to Rensselaer, most high schools are willing to nominate students who are specifically interested in Rensselaer. Being nominated does not obligate you to attend, it just would give you the option of the $15,000 merit scholarship if you need it. Good luck!</p>

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<p>Oh - if you haven't heard of Rensselaer, it was named one of the "New Ivies" by Newsweek a couple of years ago - 25</a> New Ivies | Newsweek Education | Newsweek.com . It might be a good choice for engineering.</p>

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<p>Check out Rice U also. It has just increased the amount of merit aid it offers, and is $7000-$8000 a year cheaper than its peer schools. (Tuition is just below $30,000) It is well-known for engineering and sciences, as well as being one of the smallest and most well-endowed research universities.</p>