<p>I'm not a parent, but I'm posting on here because I assume you'll know more about the financial side of college versus kids my age.</p>
<p>I was wondering how much I should expect to pay for the first year of a state college (such as UT Austin) compared to a more "elite" college (like John Hopkins or UPenn). Full four years?</p>
<p>I know my parents have about 20k (give or take a little) set aside for me, and they can probably fairly easily pay for anything I throw at them. However, I have two brothers after me (one six years younger and one nine years younger), and I don't want to do anything that would limit them when it's their turn.</p>
<p>Basically, I want a good idea of how much scholarship money I should rack-up. Also, can anyone recommend a reliable website to search for scholarships on? I looking for academic ones because we're considered upper middle class.</p>
<p>serendipity:
You've asked sort of a hard question. All schools list their tuition and other costs on their web sites. Go to a few and make a nice Excel spreadsheet of the various scenarios. </p>
<p>What kind of merit scholarship money (non-need based) you might qualify for depends on a combination of your stats, the schools you choose to apply to (whether they offer merit money or not), and where you fall within the range of applicants for any schools you might apply to that offer merit money. In other words, if a school does give out merit scholarships obviously you have to be among their top-ranked applicants to get any.</p>
<p>Many schools list all their scholarships on their web sites too. Also, at the top of this forum is a thread about schools that offer merit money.</p>
<p>It's a complcated search - but one that is important to pursue especially in your parents' income range where they won't get any financial aid but it will be tought o swing $40K+/year.</p>
<p>Ball park figures....about $15000 give our take for instate tuition/room/board. Private schools are all over the place. Some have total costs of about $25000 per year...others are near $45,000 per year. I agree with the others...you are unlikely to get need based aid. BUT you might get merit aid at some private schools as well as some state schools. For example, DD got a McKissick Scholarship at U of South Carolina that was $2000 per year AND reduced her costs to the instate rate. If you do your research well, you will likely find private schools that will offer you decent merit aid based on your SAT scores and your class rank...and your overall application. Look for schools where your stats are well above the 75%ile for that school in all areas. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>You need to sit down with your parents and determine what they really can afford. </p>
<p>You don't say what year you are, but I hope you take the PSAT as a junior. If you score high enough to be considered National Merit Semifinalist, you will receive a LOT of scholarship information from colleges. Also, many public universities in neighboring states will offer Texas students in-state tuition. Another possibility are Liberal Arts Colleges. Check out Southwestern University (located just north of Austin). It is an excellent college and offers "automatic" merit aid. Go to their scholarship calculator on their website to determine how much you could qualify for. You might find that it would cost less than a public university.</p>
<p>Serendipity, I'm in your situation both with family income/savings and younger siblings (brother and sister both 7 years younger). </p>
<p>UT Austin total cost for four years (assuming no scholarships) is about $40000. By the time you get there expect it to be $50000
UPenn total cost for four years is going to run you about $200000.</p>
<p>I would look at Southwestern; also Trinity in San Antonio. I know you mentioned on another thread you were from DFW; what part of the Metroplex do you live in? You might consider SMU, they have good merit scholarships (but if you live in Highland Park, I can understand not wanting to go to SMU)</p>