IMO Questbridge could certainly work for this student, but it’s a difficult app and time is getting short…deadline is Sept 27:QuestBridge | National College Match: Who Should Apply
1 Like
I think it includes all his schools minus Penn. he could do others like Dennison that are less difficult ALL his original list minus Penn. free is free. And still get his UW and WSU in
Am I reading that right ? More ED bites at the apple than the standard 1/2?
His stats far exceed the norm although not sure how CS stats are for QB. Seems to me it’s a gift from the heavens in this case with what little I know.
Note to OP Full rude is much better than free tuition like WSU. That’s in the bag. Meets need may not be full ride either. Y not swing for the fences?
Will get off the QB rant but I believe you might be forgoing a gift of a lifetime.
OK, I wasn’t sure what his net price would be. But just looked and it is way over. It seems that it’s only the CS+X that has high admits at UIUC anyway.
I know someone with a kid going to CMU for CS (also good). They are paying less. But still not cheap, and the admit rate there is also about 5% (like most places).
Are you by any chance a first in family to go to college? This would increase your chance of admission.
Are you able to share the reason why cost is a big constraint for you - Is it because of the income or Do your parents have other expense such as due to multiple siblings also in the college ?
Not sure if you know -
FAFSA Simplification Act of 2020 eliminates the discount currently available for families with multiple enrolled children starting in the 2023-2024 academic year
He doesn’t state the exact amount but in message 13 says his parents income is low.
In message 28 notes per the NPC rice would be 100% covered.
So likely very low.
1 Like
The FSA effective date has been pushed back to 2024-2025 based on the Aug 4th 2022 CRS report (R46909). However, the text does say that the FSA and the FSATCA authorized the “ED to implement certain provisions prior to the general effective date.”
1 Like
I am not the first person in the family to go to college. And the main issue is with my parent’s income.
1 Like
I would love to apply to more top schools, but I am looked for schools that are need blind and schools that possibly could pay most of my tuition. And my above list is a work in progress, and I will be changing it.
Unless I am mistaken, USC (private school) does give a lot financial aid.
Looking at your list, and using this source for info on need-blind (or not) as well as percentage of need met:
Safeties
- How is Arizona State a safety? Will this be $20k or less (i.e. your parents’ $15k plus loans from you for the rest)? If not, this is not a safety.
Matches
- UCSD & UCLA will not be affordable ($60k+/year) and UCLA would probably be a reach.
- Northeastern is not need-blind. Although it says 100% of need met for freshmen, it only appears to be meeting 84% of need for upperclassmen (source). I would do more research into this, but if they’re decreasing the aid for upperclassmen, I would be strongly tempted to find a different option.
Reaches
- Tufts is not need-blind, so that is likely to hurt your chances for acceptance. Unless it is one of your top choices, I would replace this with a need-blind school.
All the other schools on your list are need-blind, and the private ones indicate they meet 100% of financial need (as they calculate it).
I agree with @tsbna44 that I would give QuestBridge a really good, strong look, as it seems that it might solve a lot of your financial concerns while having schools with a variety of selectivity levels.
Your list seems to primarily contain medium to large schools in urban locations. Are you open to other possibilities?
I’d take a look at and run the NPCs at these schools (with the first 3 being likelies, and the rest probably being safeties in terms of admission):
- Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago)
- Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ, across the river from NYC)
- New Jersey Institute of Technology
- Texas Tech (if your SAT score is as projected, this would be a safety as you would get in-state tuition plus $9k off of tuition, leaving tuition of about $3k plus room and board of about $11k…in your family’s budget of $15k)
The public Texas schools below haven’t set the merit scholarship criteria yet, but they are likely to give you in-state tuition and a similarly large discount on that…pricing may not be far off of Texas Tech’s
- U. of Texas – Dallas
- U. of Texas – Arlington
- U. of Houston
4 Likes
Don’t assume or guess, use this: USC Financial Aid : Net Price Calculator
4 Likes
It costs around 15k for everything, but I do get another 8k for work study and stuff like that which will result in a yearly price of 7kish for USC. And that would be very duable.
Since you need full ride, applying to (non-prestigious) universities would give you a leg up, IMO.
T10 colleges- This is of the logic here =>. Colleges are into diversity. They get a lot of very accomplished asian applicants who are willing to pay in full. Why should they select you and give you a full scholarship when your qualifications are no different from thousand others? I tell this from my personal experience with family and friends. Although full ride scholarships are need based in T10-20 colleges, the students would still need to exceed the bar for their requirements for incoming class.
Examples of two asian kids who got into T5 (Both are full pay) - who i know personally -
a MIT RSI student with numerous publications as a author (with near perfect stats, valedictorian) - Stanford
a kid who got 3rd rank in Intel science research competition, went to RSI, had a patent (with near perfect stats, valedictorian) - Harvard
You would have better chance of a full ride scholarship where you would also qualify for merit scholarships in addition to need based scholarships.
SOME COLLEGES WITH FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIPS - do a google search
Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles, California) – trustee scholarship (full ride)
Soka University of America (Aliso Viejo, California) – global merit scholarship (full ride)
University of Hawai’i Regents scholarship (full ride)
University of Louisville (Louisville, Kentucky) Brown Fellows Program (full ride)
University of Kentucky - Otis A. Singletary Scholarship (full ride)
UChicago – Stamps scholarship (full ride)
Duke - Robertson Scholars Leadership Program (full ride)
University of notre dame - Stamps Scholarship (almost a full ride)
WashU – stamps scholarship (full ride)
Also, you might want to apply to 20 colleges (add 8 more than what I previously mentioned) - to increase your chances to relatively top universities with as much aid/merit as possible!
Remember. -Don’t apply to more than 2-3 T15 institutes!
If possible re-take your SATs. 1520 is kind of on the low side. Aim for more than 1550 and hopefull more than 1560.
Also, the colleges mentioned by @AustenNut sound promising.
1 Like
Yeah I do get that, but getting merit scholorships are generally really hard as many people would be trying for the same. I changed my college list from what I wrote above to colleges that are need blind and provide a lot of financial aid. The reason I am skeptical to apply to the colleges you said above is because those full merit rides are going to be very competative, and I don’t know what my chances are to actually getting in (I think my chances are going to be low)?
I don’t know if this is the right way to think about it, but getting a full ride at one of the colleges you listed through merit probably has the same chance of me getting into colleges like Cornell. At least that is the understanding I am under.
I definately will retake the SAT for second time for a higher score if I get a 1520ish.
The Johnson at W&L is one extra essay. That’s it. And is awarded to 10% of the class. And your ethnicity will help you there. They have big $$.
Whether you apply or not get on their info list. Start opening their emails. That’s a real shot full ride school.,.also on QB. U Do need to demonstrate interest.
Brown at Louisville as it’s a lower tier school would be worth a shot.
While I agree with your need based strategy then I would hit the lower tier meets needs schools too. Well I’d do QB but that’s me. All your schools are on it and sounds like income wise u are well under. Not sure I understand why that isn’t the direction. You can still apply for these others that @vicky mentioned non binding.
Some schools would pay you just for applying. At Troy in Alabama you’d have a tuition and housing scholarship. Automatically. As an example.
I never hard that being a Asian Male will help me lol. I find that highly unlikely.
But I will join the mailing list for W&L (add it to my common app list), since as you said, there aid and my chances are pretty good. I will look into the other colleges you said too.
Join their info list. Link below.
Plenty of schools lack diversity and are working hard to get it.
23 of 484 first year were Asian last year. I get you want to get in a great school…which this is…but you also have awesome stats that will put you a cut above at other schools.
My kid isn’t near as credentialed as you and has a scholarship worth $5k more than tuition. With her near straight As and solid but not off the charts rigor and 32 ACT, she stands above at her college. Had she gone to UF or UMD she’d be like everyone else.
People are giving you good advice but your looking for reasons why it’s not good.
Just wondering (if you can disclose), what scholorship did your daughter apply too? I totally get if you can’t say that.
OP you have strong credentials and will be a competitive candidate at many of the top tier schools you asked about. Given your family financial situation you are smart to be thoughtful about how you are going to make this work.
Questbridge is a great option if you qualify and based on what you have indicated I think your family income will put you in a “full ride” situation at need blind schools. Please check as most of the Ivies etc now publicly stated that for families below $X no family contribution is expected.
Example for Yale…
While people are being helpful I would avoid schools that while “cost efficient” are simply a bad fit beyond money. For instance Troy Alabama has less than 1% Asians, 92% acceptance rate, 47% part time students, and approx 75% of students are from Alabama. In addition the city of Troy had less than 20,000 residents and a relatively high crime rate. This certainly is inconsistent with the other schools (think Yale or Penn) you have expressed interest in.
I would focus your efforts on sorting through which schools fit academically, socially, etc as well as monetarily but not allow yourself to be overly distracted or focused on any single aspect of fit as they all matter. Good luck.
2 Likes
WLU has had difficulty attracting minorities (all minorities) for various reasons, so it is not surprising that it has to dangle large scholarships to attract minorities.
1 Like
She’s in two cohorts at the Honors College at her school plus has a service scholarship. College of Charleston.
You need more than tuition.
Ps I wasn’t suggesting Troy. I was just noting there are schools where your stats will already assure you of money as you were worried about the competitiveness of merit and used it as an example - as I noted.
At UW you don’t stand out. At a school like Idaho State, you do - academically. That’s my point. Sometimes being that rockstar a few tiers down for a safety pick can be a smart play.