Chance Me/Edit My College List

Hey all, please help me organize my college list into specific safeties targets reaches. I’m struggling to figure it out. Thanks so much!

About me:
Middle-Class Family in NYC
Twin and Single Parent Household
$0 Assets, Income Bracket: $100kish (varies year to year)
White Male
Top Public school in the city, Known for lack of grade inflation and intense rigor, Taken 3 APs out of the four we are allowed to take.

Intended Major: Business or Economics

STATS: SAT; 1380 700M 680CRW, No subject tests,
GPA: 3.7 UW

EC’s: Interned at Fortune 500 Company,
Interned at High-end PR Firm,
Interned at Nationally Recognized Museum,
President of Best Buddies Chapter,
Started a Social Media Marketing Agency and amassed 700K social media followers for companies.
Then some minor EC’s like swim team and school store etc

Schools:
Safeties: Clark, Penn State, U Del
Targets: Babson, American, GW, Syracuse, Skidmore, Lafayette, and Connecticut College
Reaches: Skidmore, Colgate, Macalester, BU, Northeastern, St. Andrews, and Davidson

Also willing to take recs for other schools to add or schools to take off my list entirely. Please help, thanks so much!

I think that Babson may be a reach (acceptance rates below 25%), Connecticut maybe a high match (since your GPA is below their average of 3.85), Penn State, University Park is a match, not a safety, and Clark may be a match (since your GPA is below their median).

Have you done the numbers, like run the NPCs for each school and compare what they expect you to pay with what your parents are willing and able? That is an important part of a college list Any school is a reach if you need substantial money to go there

@cptofthehouse I have not. I am currently unable to due to my parent’s unwillingness to disclose finances. Are there any schools on my list that are notable for giving a ton/not giving any aid?

PSU University Park is a safety due to a strong familial connection that essentially guarantees an acceptance. Clark is a safety as well, as my GPA and SAT are way above their average accepted from my school. Babson also has an extremely strong connection with my school, and have a personal connection there as well. Thank you for your input on Connecticut College though! Are there any other schools you think I should rearrange?

@respacings Thanks for providing more info from your school’s Naviance - school-specific data is better than general data.

I actually think that St Andrews (I take it that you mean St. Andrews, Scotland) may be a match for you, rather than a reach, but it’s difficult to get info about the GPAs and SATs of accepted students. The info that’s out there indicates that most students from the USA have B+ to A- averages, so you’re good there, and SATs above 1320, so you are decent there. However, it’s all in bits and pieces, without any “official” info from St Andrews itself.

For StAs, what APs did you take and what scores have you received? The best part about European schools is that they put their qualifications/criteria right out there; ECs are less important - Personal Statement, Test Scores, Letter of Recommendation are the largest factors. Also, in terms of Financial Aid, there will be none from the Uni, although you can use US Student Loan programs. Good luck

Why none of the in-state SUNY schools? They would be cheapest and have a great reputation.

You cannot get money as an undergraduate under age 24 unless you meet very stringent requirements to be classified as an independent student. @sybbie719 is most knowledgeable about what the requirements are and what parental info needs to be submitted in addition to FAFSA , to get NY State TAP, Excelsior and other financial aid in state. Hopefully, she chimes in. Without release of financial information , getting financial aid is not going to happen. For some of the schools on your list, your non Custodial parent and spouse if married need to give it up as well as your Custodial parent and spouse. Family businesses are also assessed in more detail on the CSS PROFILE required by those schools that tend to be most generous with financial aid. That’s what it takes to get financial aid.

Your list is entirely unrealistic without some money source. If your parents refuse to give you a commitment on what they will pay And Refuse to fill out the financial aid info forms that are more invasive than both a root canal and a colonoscopy, then you have only what you can pay out of your own earnings and savings You can live at home, work, and pay as you go to a local CUNY. That is how many, many NYers go to school for the same reasons you may have to go this route. THAT is your

If your Custodial parent (and spouse if remarried) fill out the FAFSA, you will be entitled to take out $5500 in student Direct Loans. $100k in come is not going to get you any PELL money. You also need to complete NY state TAP forms to get access to the Excelsior , if you are eligible. You could get your tuition in NY pretty much covered with the Excelsior. Do read up on it, all of the current requirements and rules . Still, room/board and other expenses even at SUNY schools can
add up easily to $12-18k depending upon the school. By looking at price points and outside housing availability and prices, you can maybe live away at college if you work summers and parttine and take out that loan. Also would need some help from parents. It would be doable

There are also schools in http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/2154537-where-to-get-a-15k-20k-net-cost-when-students-have-1000-sat-and-3-0-gpa-besides-a-cc.html#latest

The entire Financial Aid and Scholarships section on this forum has material that is most relevant to you. Finances are going to be a big deal in your college search. You do not have the luxury and privilege of just going through college lists and picking out these name recognition schools if you are serious about the reality of attending a college because you need money. Some of those schools cost upwards to $80k a year, and you need someone to pay it. Without complete financial disclosure on financial aid forms from both parents or a blank check to pay the full cost , some of those schools are a no go for you.

The other way to go is with merit scholarships that require no financial information. The problem with that, is that your test score numbers are not high enough to get you a full ride. Some of the most generic sure thing merit awards is given by University of Alabama Huntsville. Take a look at where you fall in their merit awards. Still more cost than a full tuition NYS Excelsior award.

Some schools like Davidson ( a favorite of mine and in your list), Washington &Lee do have full ride scholarships. Though , I believe everyone who things they have a chance of snagging an accept or award to go for them, I also believe that they do a reality check in what prior awardees have in the way of resumes. They will be high reaches, lottery tickets, but still try. Full ride if you get.

Full rides with your gpa and test scores are not findableas sure things. I’m looking specifically for them for a cousin’s son, and the likelihood of his getting any are extremely small. For $15-25k, there are some possibilities. You are fortunate that you are in NY with ever so many options available at under those price points.

Until you get commitments from your parents in what they will pay in firm $ amounts, and some idea, how much or little financial aid you can expect based on firm numbers regarding 2018 income as will be verified by tax forms, and current assets, you cannot realistically proceed.

Hi,
@cptofthehouse is correct; if your parents are unwilling to fill out or provide financial information, you will not be eligible for NYS aid (the age for independence for state aid in NYS is 35).
You really must run the numbers to see if you have any affordable options.

This means nothing if you can’t pay for this school. Can you afford to pay OOS costs for UDel and PSU?
You really have no safeties because the schools on your safety list are not financially feasible options.
Most of the schools on your list do not meet 100% demonstrated need.
@cptofthehouse is right again when she states that if your parent are unwilling to cooperate and provide their financials , you will not get any aid.
In addition, many of them will ask for financial information from both your custodial and your non-custodial parent (and any spouses)

You need to go back to the drawing board and ask your parents (both of them) how much they are willing to pay or borrow for you to go to college. Remember, that the rub is going to be if your parents say that they can only pay $10k and the financial aid offices say that based on your income and assets, your family can afford to pay $40k, then you will have a problem

I don’t think that your safeties are really safeties for financial reasons. A school cannot be a “safety” unless you know that you can afford it. You do not know whether you can afford any school on your list.

I think that you need to look at SUNY’s and CUNY’s.