@Elly710 It all depends on the schools you apply to. Schools that claim to meet full need but do NOT claim to be loan free include a “self-help” portion in an amount coverable by a federal student loan. You don’t HAVE to take out the loan to cover it… you could cover with summer earnings and whatever help family could give as well.
A loan free school would not include the student loan as aid but that doesn’t stop you from taking it to help cover costs they won’t figure in like travel to campus.
They will all include work study if you qualify but know that isn’t a garunteed amount. You still have to wrangle a work study job on campus which is easier on some campuses than others. You don’t get the money upfront. Work study largely helps with daily living and book and travel expenses.
@turtletime Thanks for the insight! One of my top schools is Dickinson as well as Northeastern, I know Dickinson meets need, but I’m unsure about Northeastern. For Dickinson, does anyone know if they include loans as well?
A school’s Common Data Set (CDS) includes information about loans in section H.
Yes, both Dickinson and Northeastern include loans.
The 5.5k loans are usually divided into subsidized and unsubsidized. All in all, borrowing the federal amount is okay - it matches what a college graduate can reasonably pay back in 10 years. They’re also guaranteed by the government and can be linked to an income based reimbursement scheme so that you’re not impoverished paying back your loans if, say, you decide to be a social worker or a teacher, and if you go to grad school you don’t pay after college while in grad school, you pay them back afteryou graduate grad school (but the interests partially accrue. Note that if you’re going for a PhD it should be funded.)
All other loans are a big no-no because they exceed ability to pay back and their conditions, interest rates, etc, vary.