Colleges for "B students" that meet 100% of demonstrated need?

Paying for College
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<p>I am compiling a list of "B range" schools for a very low-income student in northern VA (large public HS that sends lots of students to top schools, she will graduate with an advanced diploma). Her mother is a clerk and father is not in the picture, so this is low income.</p>

<p>She will be the first of her family to attend college, is hispanic, has about 3.3 GPA, will have 3 AP's by graduation (scored a 4 on her first AP exam in May), no C's on transcript --only B's and a couple A's, some EC's (field hockey, track, performing arts, church related activities). </p>

<p>We are helping her apply to the Venture Scholar program, and getting her help with SAT fee waivers and prep waivers. We're looking at mostly VA state schools, but also want to find her some of private colleges that give great need-based aid. By "we" I mean, her mentor (through Big Sister/Big Brother org since she was 8 yrs. old) and I, who am just a friend and trying to help this girl make her dream of attending a 4-year institution happen.</p>

<p>Loyola College of Marland offers 100% of demonstrated need, which is very rare for a B range school. What are some others? Please list any colleges that you know of that offer 100% demonstrated need. Thanks!</p>

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<p>Please show us where it says that Loyola of MD meets full financial need for ALL accepted students. I just read their financial aid website and saw NO reference to that in their information at all. In fact, there are multiple references to the family contributions and IF there is not sufficient aid that the student could seek outside assistance. I’m not sure they DO guarantee to meet full need for ALL accepted students.</p>

<p>I hope I’m wrong but would love to see where it says that Loyola MD meets full need for all accepted students.</p>

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<p>Not sure how up to date this is…but here is a list I found of schools that meet 100% of need. Loyola is not on this list (but perhaps their policies have changed…)</p>

<p>Adrian College: 100% (Adrian, MI)<br>
Amherst College: 100% (Amherst, MA)<br>
Barnard College: 100% (New York, NY)<br>
Bates College: 100% (Lewiston, ME)<br>
Beloit College: 100% (Beloit, WI)<br>
Boston College: 100% (Chestnut Hill, MA)<br>
Bowdoin College: 100% (Brunswick, ME)<br>
Brown University: 100% (Providence, RI)<br>
Bryn Mawr College: 100% (Bryn Mawr, PA)<br>
Bucknell University: 100% (Lewisburg, PA)<br>
California Institute of Technology: 100% (Pasadena, CA)<br>
Campbell University: 100% (Buies Creek, NC)<br>
Carleton College: 100% (Northfield, MN)<br>
Chapman University: 100% (Orange, CA)<br>
Claremont McKenna College: 100% (Claremont, CA)<br>
Colby College: 100% (Waterville, ME)<br>
Colgate University: 100% (Hamilton, NY)<br>
College of the Holy Cross: 100% (Worcester, MA)<br>
Columbia University: 100% (New York, NY)<br>
Connecticut College: 100% (New London, CT)<br>
Cornell University: 100% (Ithaca, NY)<br>
Dartmouth College: 100% (Hanover, NH)<br>
Davidson College: 100% (Davidson, NC)<br>
Duke University: 100% (Durham, NC)<br>
Emory University: 100% (Atlanta, GA)<br>
Georgetown University: 100% (Washington, DC)<br>
Gettysburg College: 100% (Gettysburg, PA)<br>
Grinnell College: 100% (Grinnell, IA)<br>
Hamilton College: 100% (Clinton, NY)<br>
Harvard University: 100% (Cambridge, MA)<br>
Harvey Mudd College: 100% (Claremont, CA)<br>
Haverford College: 100% (Haverford, PA)<br>
Johns Hopkins University: 100% (Baltimore, MD)<br>
Lafayette College: 100% (Easton, PA)<br>
Lake Forest College: 100% (Lake Forest, IL)<br>
Macalester College: 100% (St. Paul, MN)<br>
Massachusetts Institute of Technology: 100% (Cambridge, MA)<br>
Middlebury College: 100% (Middlebury, VT)<br>
Mount Holyoke College: 100% (South Hadley, MA)<br>
Northwestern University: 100% (Evanston, IL)<br>
Oberlin College: 100% (Oberlin, OH)<br>
Occidental College: 100% (Los Angeles, CA)<br>
Pitzer College: 100% (Claremont, CA)<br>
Pomona College: 100% (Claremont, CA)<br>
Princeton University: 100% (Princeton, NJ)<br>
Reed College: 100% (Portland, OR)<br>
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry: 100% (Syracuse, NY)<br>
Salem College: 100% (Winston-Salem, NC)<br>
Scripps College: 100% (Claremont, CA)<br>
Smith College: 100% (Northampton, MA)<br>
Southern Arkansas University: 100% (Magnolia, AR)<br>
St. Olaf College: 100% (Northfield, MN)<br>
Stanford University: 100% (Stanford, CA)<br>
Swarthmore College: 100% (Swarthmore, PA)<br>
Thomas Aquinas College: 100% (Santa Paula, CA)<br>
Trinity College: 100% (Hartford, CT)<br>
Tufts University: 100% (Medford, MA)<br>
University of Chicago: 100% (Chicago, IL)<br>
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill: 100% (Chapel Hill, NC)<br>
University of Northern Colorado: 100% (Greeley, CO)<br>
University of Pennsylvania: 100% (Philadelphia, PA)<br>
University of Richmond: 100% (University of Richmond, VA)<br>
University of Virginia: 100% (Charlottesville, VA)<br>
Vassar College: 100% (Poughkeepsie, NY)<br>
Wabash College: 100% (Crawfordsville, IN)<br>
Washington University in St. Louis: 100% (St. Louis, MO)<br>
Wellesley College: 100% (Wellesley, MA)<br>
Wesleyan University: 100% (Middletown, CT)<br>
Williams College: 100% (Williamstown, MA)<br>
Yale University: 100% (New Haven, CT)</p>

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<p>

Where did you get that list? It isn’t those who claim to meet full need, since my school (Notre Dame) is absent, and it also has some schools (Boston College, for one) that do claim to meet full need, but in practice have a fairly negative reputation for failing to do so.</p>

<p>There’s this: <a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/articles/2010/02/18/colleges-that-claim-to-meet-the-full-financial-needs-of-students[/url]”>http://www.usnews.com/education/articles/2010/02/18/colleges-that-claim-to-meet-the-full-financial-needs-of-students&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>But beware the comments:</p>

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<p>So while many claim to meet full need, they often don’t satisfy everyone.</p>

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<p>@ thumper1:</p>

<p>right here:</p>

<p>[Loyola</a> University Maryland - Search Results](<a href=“Search Results - Loyola University Maryland”>Search Results - Loyola University Maryland)</p>

<p>thanks so much for the list, it will at least give me a good start. I know this is going to be a long process, so this at least gives me a start!</p>

<p>And thanks Doloresedd, I know that it still comes down to doing my homework on these, and thank you for the pasted previous posts. She’s not within most of those schools ranges, but it’s still helpful to know “buyer beware” info.</p>

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<p>Who determines “need”? I know someone who was accepted but not able to afford to attend one of the schools on the meets 100% of need list (an Ivy), because they were not offered enough aid. It would have placed a severe hardship on the family. </p>

<p>I have no further suggestions, other than to wish this young lady the best of luck. I hope that it all works out for her.</p>

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<p>jki, thank you for the link. Glad Loyola meets need. </p>

<p>Re: some of the comments…</p>

<p>BC, it is thought, uses a high amount of home equity in their equation, and they also treat self employed folks less generously than some other places.</p>

<p>Re: Chapman…they do meet full need but they do so using a variety of aid types including loans.</p>

<p>Re: Kenyon…Kenyon, like many other Profile schools uses home equity in the primary residence…in fact MANY colleges on the meets full need list use home equity in the equation. In the example above, the family has $600K in home equity and wonders why the school thinks they could borrow against that? That is only 5% per year…5% is a LOW cap for home equity use and many schools assess at higher amounts than that.</p>

<p>Anyway…back to your student.</p>

<p>Look at grants offered to low income students within the state of residence. Many states have grants for low income students who attend public universities within the state…you might find that she qualifies for these too.</p>

<p>Good luck to her…she is lucky to have someone working with her.</p>

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<p>Thumper, good thought for next step-- state grants! :). I have a good list of state schools she’ll be applying and two are actually Venture Scholar schools (meaning they will advocate for her admission). James Madison (reach) and VA Tech (reach). I really appreciate your advice as this need-based is all new to me. I am on a mission! lol!</p>

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<p>What about Old Dominion? Its admissions are less selective and there might be aid for her there. Or Lynchburg…isn’t that an instate VA school too?</p>

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<p>jki…</p>

<p>Loyola Maryland is a CSS Profile school that requires the financial info from the non-custodial parent.</p>

<p>So, it won’t just use FAFSA…and it won’t just use the mom’s financial status. </p>

<p>CSS Profile schools get to say what your need is. And, if the person can’t provide the NCP info (and can’t get a waiver), there is no aid. </p>

<p>Is Loyola-Maryland “need aware”?</p>

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<p>The OP will need to check to see what “out of the picture” means for the bio dad. It may very well be that this dad IS out of the picture and his financial information will not be required. BUT you need to check. If this student or the mom has had contact with the dad, his info MIGHT be required by the school. Check.</p>

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<p>Here’s the instates she’s looking at:</p>

<ol>
<li>U of Mary Washington</li>
<li>Old Dominion</li>
<li>George Mason</li>
<li>Christopher Newport</li>
<li>Radford</li>
<li>Longwood</li>
<li>JMU (high reach)</li>
<li>VA Tech (high reach)</li>
</ol>

<p>Lynchburg is private, but I did have it on the list as one of the schools (and one of the CTCL that my daughter is looking at too).</p>

<p>I just met with the girl this morning. She’s darling! She’s soft spoken, mature, and poised, and just a lovely young lady. I was really impressed with her. She’s especially talented in chorus and sings at her church. I did ask about her father and she said he hasn’t lived with her mom and her in years, but I felt uncomfortable about asking further. I think there’s a waiver or something for the CSS when a parent is truly absent, but you’re right, I need to find out more. I will talk to her “big sister” and see what the whole story is and explain about the FA issues. Thanks to you both for your thoughts. I need to start looking at each college individually as to whether it requires a CSS in addition to FAFSA. thx!</p>

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<p>Take a look at Roanoke College. Their scholarship page includes a list of scholarships based on stats. Also next week is Private College Week in Virginia and there may be other benefits to visiting.</p>

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<p>Low income kids should also take a good look at these schools:</p>

<p>[Welcome</a> to the Work Colleges Consortium! | <a href=“http://workcolleges.org%5B/url%5D”>http://workcolleges.org](<a href=“http://www.workcolleges.org/]Welcome”>http://www.workcolleges.org/)</a></p>

<p>Especially if they are not “top” students, but are still good students. All Member Colleges help students graduate with limited debt; three Member Colleges are tuition-free for qualified students.</p>

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<p>Remember, the school doesn’t have to guarantee to meet all of the need for all of the students. It just has to be able to meed all of HER need. Since she sings in her church choir, have her look at her denominational colleges. There may be one that has one or two full scholarships for students like her.</p>

<p>Good luck to both of you!</p>

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<p>

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<p>However, only 21% of their freshmen currently in attendance has a gpa of 3.0 to
3.24. They consider GPA, Class rank and rigor very important.</p>

<p>Another important thing, Just because a school meets 100% demonstrated need, it does not mean the the school will be free. Loans are considered need based financial aid.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.loyola.edu/IR/facts_figures/CDS2010_2011_update4.5.11.pdf[/url]”>http://www.loyola.edu/IR/facts_figures/CDS2010_2011_update4.5.11.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I would recommend that you go over the school’s common data set.</p>

<p>While the school states on average, the percentage of need that was met of
students who were awarded any need-based aid was 100%, it also states the average financial aid package $ 25,500 consisting of average $ 17,890 in grant scholarship aid and $ 7,610 freshman year.</p>

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<p>As a rising Senior at Roanoke College, they DO NOT meet 100% of aid AT ALL. Granted, I transferred in and they do have a decent scholars & honors program (if you get into them that is) My EFC is 0 and I have over 18,000 in loans from just junior and senior year.</p>

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<p>Sybbie, thanks for the commondata set. I hadn’t gotten that far yet, but I see what you are saying. I may be too optimistic, but I do feel she can get admitted to Loyola MD. It’s a Venture Scholar school, which will help her if she’s admitted into the program (she meets the criteria for VSP --3.0, first-gen., hispanic). Her GPA is 3.3 right now, but she has two weighted AP’s in the fall, and has gotten all consistant B’s (no C’s), so the GPA should go up a bit, but not by much. I’m an optimist…to a fault…</p>

<p>Happymom, I was starting to compile a list of denominational schools. Someone mentioned Mt. Saint Mary’s on another thread of mine too. Also, St. Joseph’s U. in Philly PA. Will be looking at those data sets now that Sybbie has pointed that out, but St. Joes’ is a VSP school too. She actually said she’d like a more urban school, but I am disregarding some “preferences” right now since cost is the #1 factor. If you think of any other’s, let me know!</p>

<p>kaseface, I had also heard that Roanoke was generous and originally had it on the list to look at. sorry to hear it wasn’t the FA package you’d hoped for. good to know.</p>

<p>Susgeek, we’re actually looking at Warren Wilson for my D1. I’ve never seen this site! thx.</p>

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<p>Kaseface…MANY schools do not give institutional need based aid to transfer students…they reserve their generous aid to incoming freshmen.</p>

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<p>Ok, so maybe not cross off Roanoke. I thought it was a known generous private. And Lynchburg seems like another one to keep on this list. Also looking at Randolph and Shenandoah.</p>