<p>I am the oldest of six kids and a senior in high school next year. Two of my brothers will be a sophomore and a freshman, which means that the three of us will be in college at the same time. And that's not even taking into account our three littlest siblings back home! Our family is pretty well-off, but we can't pay for three college kids at once -- will having so many siblings help my chances for financial aid?</p>
<p>Our family is pretty well-off, but we can’t pay for three college kids at once – will having so many siblings help my chances for financial aid?</p>
<p>It depends on:</p>
<p>How well off your family is. How high income is, how much family has in assets. Is anyone self-employed? </p>
<p>The types of schools that you attend: most schools do NOT meet need and won’t be able to help your family.</p>
<p>If you all attend “full need” (mostly top schools), then you might get a good bit of help - again depending on your family’s income/assets.</p>
<p>If some of the kids attend full need, but some attend schools that don’t meet need, that can cause some problems. The schools that don’t meet need may expect your parents to pay all costs for those kids, which may make them unaffordable. </p>
<p>You need to talk to your parents about how much they’ll pay each year for college. </p>
<p>You need to have your parents use the net price calculators on various schools’ websites. Don’t use the ones on HYPS, because those schools give super aid and will mislead you about other schools.</p>
<p>*Chance Me?
I’m a junior in high school right now with a 3.5 unweighted (I have had a course load each year that the school counselors do their best to talk kids out of, and average A’s and B’s, with a really strong upwards curve from year to year) and a 36 ACT. I spend almost all of my extracurricular time participating in various aspects of theatre at my school and have had three leadership positions on stage crew and a theatre award so far. Service-wise I was a catechist aide this past year and next year and volunteer at my parish’s bi-annual rummage sale every year. Next year I’ll be in four AP’s and an elective – chances of acceptance? And should I apply Early Action?
*</p>
<p>I see that you’re interested in Cornell, so use their net price calculator.</p>
<p>Your GPA could hurt you at top schools. They’re used to accepting kids who’ve taken the most rigorous curriculum, but still have a 3.8+ GPA. When you look at their GPA breakdowns, few have a 3.5 uw.</p>
<p>That said, you need to find out what your parents will be expected to pay and to find out how much they will pay. </p>
<p>Also, be careful. Apply to at least 2-3 schools that will give your ACT 36 huge merit scholarships. Those can be your back up schools.</p>
<p>Yes. It seems, if the NPC are correct. My parents income puts them in the top 5% income wise. Yet, we have 6 children, two will be in college at once, one is disabled and in private school (not even asked about on the FAFSA) and yet, the financial aid packages look like they will be fine at many schools. Have you run the NPC yet?</p>