<p>Like how stores say original price on a item is through the roof so there discount seems amazing</p>
<p>Some families will be expected to pay the full cost of attendance. Sit down with your parents, and run the Net Price Calculators at the websites of the colleges/universities on your list. That will give you a sense of whether or not any of those places might turn out to be affordable.</p>
<p>But do find out just exactly how much money your family is ready, willing, and able to pay each year for your education. That way you will know how deep and how far you will need to look to find a safety that will definitely admit you and will also be affordable.</p>
<p>If you look on, say, college boards website. It lays out pretty clearly the price of the college, average financial aid package, and percentage of need met. Often, the aid package for private colleges are upwards of $25,000. However, loans are considered financial aid, so that $25,000 isn’t all free money. It sort of is what you are talking about though. Do note though that very few schools meet 100% of demonstrated need, and those that do are often very elite schools.</p>
<p>I just posted that for curiosity not because I have financial need happymom</p>
<p>I don’t think you’ll get a college to officially admit that, but that seems to be the way it works for some colleges where the vast majority of the students are on financial aid or have merit awards. I’m not sure at what point that could be the generality to state, however. Even the top schools that could easily fill their classes several times over at full price and some, give financial aid to a large % of students. Look at the numbers for Harvard and the like. So it’s not that they are discounting the school, so much as they are making it available to some students who would not be able to go there by giving such students aid.</p>
<p>Since most of the FA in this country is loans, it’s not really discounting.</p>
<p>If you really don’t have any financial need then you are the type of student they are looking for.</p>
<p>^ they aren’t looking for rich kids. Their looking for smart, successful kids. If that smart, successful kid happens to be poor they will pony up some endowment money to get them in. </p>
<p>If a college raises their COA they are increasing the price for retail students while increasing their exposure for FA. They walk a balancing act that provides them enough $$ to operate and grow while still allowing them to get as many smart kids as they can.</p>
<p>^ The vast majority of schools are looking for students of sufficient means (and minimum qualifications) to fill out their class. Some schools can knock some minor amount off for a small merit award. There are relatively few schools with endowments large enough to award significant merit aid.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This is only true for a handful of colleges. Most do not have the resources to adopt this philosophy.</p>
<p>Most schools gap when there is need. Simple as that.</p>