I just ran the numbers on 2 colleges of interested, both expensive private schools.
DId not expect to get any need aid, but wanted to make sure, since this is my 2nd in college at same time.
The slightly less competitive of the 2 schools indicated I would have to pay in full (ignoring loans, must be paid).
The more competitive school indicated a non-trivial scholarship that sounded like merit despite fact I thought
this was a need calculator (does ask for grades/test scores so I realize they must be considering both).
Have you seen this ? If so, my question is, must I apply for aid to get this ?
My savings and salary are well above the range one would expect anything other than merit.
I did not plan to apply for son # 2. Son # 1 had to do so, after grant of a merit scholarship,
since the merit scholarship was from a public school that intended to recoup via the Pell grant
and state grants, where feasible. I got no aid beyond the merit awarded previously. While I’ll have
2 in college soon, still appears no aid is coming when checking most other schools.
Some colleges include merit in their calculator, some don’t. You need to read the school’s website carefully to see if the merit is guaranteed based in stats or not. The calculator is not binding, it is supposed to give an estimate, so you can’t be sure unless you see it in writing, I think.
The website should also say if a separate application is needed for merit. Usually not, but check and call to ask if you need to. Often there is a fairly early application cutoff date to be considered for merit, so look for that info on the website as well. Make sure your kid makes that cutoff date.
Just noting…if you are comparing Harvard to any other school in terms of need based aid…don’t do this.
Harvard has very deep pockets, and is one of those schools that is competitive and does offer need based aid to families with incomes in the $180,000 a year range.
So…if you are comparing Harvard with RPI or WPI…don’t.
Great idea 2018dad.
Interesting, tried a few times with lower and lower ACT scores, kept bumping down the “Grants/Scholarships”. Made the scores low enough he should not be admitted, and
still offered some grant/scholarship. Leads me to believe it’s not purely merit, but also need based,
just scaled to merit somewhat. Leads me to believe I must fill out the aid forms to get this.
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The more competitive school indicated a non-trivial scholarship that sounded like merit despite fact I thought
this was a need calculator (does ask for grades/test scores so I realize they must be considering both).
Have you seen this ? If so, my question is, must I apply for aid to get this ?
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Sometimes these merit estimates are quite accurate, but sometimes they’re not.
The fact that you kept seeing merit even when you reduced stats a LOT, sounds like this is a NPC that can’t really be trusted. Occasionally we see NPCs like this. There is one school that always seems to give this WIDE rage of 'possible merit" on its NPC…very misleading.
However, re: FAFSA, look at the school’s scholarship webpage and see if there’s a mention about needing FAFSA.
Your thread title states this was the CB estimator. Were you directed there from the school’s web site? If not go to the school NPC and try that. Some schools use a version of the CB estimator, most don’t that I know of.