<p>Yes, there are some schools out there that have strong endowments and can give generous aid packages. </p>
<p>What are your son’s stats? Has he taken the SAT or ACT? If he scores high enough on his SAT/ACT, then his B average GPA may be fine to encourage a school to give a great FA package.</p>
<p>There is some truth to the stronger the stats the better the FA package at various schools. There is something called “admit/deny” that goes on at some colleges. They’ll admit a student, but they will essentially deny that student the chance to go there because the student’s stats weren’t high enough to justify a great FA package. There was a student who posted on CC in December who was thrilled to get accepted ED to her dream school, but her FA package was a joke…all loans and a gap. She was a B/C student with a lowish SAT. </p>
<p>I’ve received 3 different private messages from parents who found that the financial aid packages they have received from private schools (I would think they would be considered mid-tier, but I’m not sure) were much better than the state schools’ packages. With that said, I’m also assuming that their kids’ stats are probably higher than my son’s because most everyone on CC has unbelievably high stats!</p>
<p>I agree that some mid-tiers with reputations for being generous would be more likely to give packages that include merit and FA to a good student.</p>
<p>a girl who attends the private high school that my daughter attends is at Roanoke College this year as a freshman. Her parents did not have to take out any loans for her to attend (although the student did take out the Stafford – very minimal). She was not a strong student at all – great ec’s, but a very average B/C student. She received a beautiful financial aid package.</p>
<p>Do you know what her SAT or ACT scores were? Was her GPA weighted? Do you know what her EFC was? Is she a minority? Does Roanoke have a strong endowment? There are many reason why some schools are able to give great FA packages.</p>
<p>I forgot to address your 529 question, mom2collegekids, regarding my son’s account. His account is not in much better shape than his sister’s. My understanding is that 529 plans have very little, if any, impact on the FAFSA’s EFC. Ours are owned by grandparents so they don’t have any impact at all for us. We’re hoping that it will cover our EFC. As I said before, we are a middle class family with few assets. Our financial aid for private schools (I’m referring to high school, grade school…) has been extremely generous, so we’ve been spoiled so far.</p>
<p>As far as the girl who attended my daughter’s school, I don’t know her SAT or ACT scores, but I do know their school does NOT weight and I’m assuming the EFC was low as her parents are teachers at a private school. She is African American, so I imagine that makes a difference! I didn’t think about that. I think Roanoke has a pretty good endowment, but I also think that my daughter’s school has an excellent relationship with Roanoke and that may have made a difference. Many of the girls from this school who are “average” students in terms of grades go to Roanoke and I’m sure that many of these girls don’t need any aid!</p>
<p>Again, unfortunately for our son, he is a horrible test taker and although he’s been taking a class that is offered at his school this year for SAT prep, we are not holding out much hope that he will be blowing anyone away with his scores! He does have accomodations for more time, but I don’t see that making a huge difference. He’ll be taking the March exam.</p>
<p>As far as the girl who attended my daughter’s school, I don’t know her SAT or ACT scores, but I do know their school does NOT weight and I’m assuming the EFC was low as her parents are teachers at a private school. She is African American, so I imagine that makes a difference! I didn’t think about that.</p>
<p>I know we’ve all been led to think that FA is simply based on need (as it probably is at your kids’ private schools). </p>
<p>However, because of the college ranking system and the statistics that colleges must provide about its diversity, the avg scores of its incoming freshman class, etc, financial aid has become another tool for colleges to use to help them get the “right freshmen class” who will have the stats/diversity that will help them with their rankings. </p>
<p>Again, unfortunately for our son, he is a horrible test taker and although he’s been taking a class that is offered at his school this year for SAT prep, we are not holding out much hope that he will be blowing anyone away with his scores! He does have an accommodation for more time, but I don’t see that making a huge difference.</p>
<p>I don’t know what your son’s LD is, but getting an accommodation for more time should make a significant difference. :)</p>