<p>I've applied to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT, and Duke.</p>
<p>Here's the catch: Due to my large family (eleven) and financial situation, I have an EFC of $0.</p>
<p>The most I can get from outside scholarships is probably $10,000-15,000, but will the schools be accomadating enough for me to attend? How does each fare?</p>
<p>I realize they are need-blind, but you have to excuse me: I think it's too good to be true.</p>
<p>If I were to get accepted into these schools, how will this play out?</p>
<p>HYS eliminate parental contribution if families earn less than a certain amount. I think this applies to loans as well, but I'm not sure- I would definitely check. </p>
<p>You would have a hard time finding a better list of schools than yours for generous financial aid. Getting in is the tough part. Do you have some safeties as well? In your case the safeties for admission and aid may not overlap, since some safety level schools are not as generous as your reaches in aid. That is really your challenge unless you have a local or state school where you are an auto freebie based on stats.</p>
<p>I've been admitted to UMich, but they don't seem to be as generous, so I was hoping that these schools -- should I be admitted -- save me from my financial troubles... but, then again, I'm not sure with their high price tag.
I know these schools are reaches for everyone, so I was wondering if I did get in at all, whether or not I would be able to attend because of the price.</p>
<p>The Princeton esitmator gave me this readout:
Parents' Contribution $0 - $500
Student's Expected Summer Savings 1,480
Student's Asset Contribution 0 </p>
<hr>
<p>Total Estimated Family Contribution $1,480 - $1,980 </p>
<p>That'd be amazing should that be the true package... I hope. I wonder how the other schools would play out.</p>
<p>If Michigan is not giving you what you need, and you feel that it is not likely to do so, it is not your financial safety. That is what I meant when I said that you need both financial and admissions safeties and that those two categories may not overlap for you. I would like for another school like Pitt or Arizona, that has a stats driven merit system that would meet your needs if you do not have anything of that sort in mind It is crucial, because those schools you have listed are the most selective in the country, and no one is a sure in at even one of them. In general, their aid is very good, but you gotta get in first. Instead of worrying about what those schools will give you, I would be looking hard for a financial safety. Not as much fun as cherry picking off the top, but important if you don't want to be left with some tough choices in May.</p>
<p>Oh , I just looked at your profile and I really hope you get in !!! You look like a great kid --and I know that working in car washes is not easy work . To me, that's a plus ! NOT AFRAID TO WORK!</p>
<p>You should also get a good finaid offer from MIT if accepted. My son was accepted by MIT last year. Our EFC was 0 and the finaid offer at MIT reflected that. Last year they instituted a new policy that anyone eligible for a Pell Grant would not have to take out a student loan. The finaid offer did include work study & a small amount to be earned during the summer. But I don't think my son would have had to pay more than a couple thousand a year from work study & summer employment and that was it - everything else was grants/scholarships. Sorry I don't remember the exact figures because he decided to attend another school but MIT's offer was great!</p>
<p>I didn't know that about MIT. On their site, the closest information they have regarding my situation is that 14% of those enrolled have a yearly income of $45,000. It didn't give any other information on the financial aide website.</p>
<p>So the general consensus is that I should be fine at HYPMS -- should I get accepted -- and that Duke would not be able to help me out as much as the others would?</p>
<p>I already know that Umich isn't too accomodating... :</p>
<p>I currently have $7,000 in outside scholarships, and I expect to attain a minimum of $10,000 (I'lll probably end up with about $15,000) by the time acceptances... hopefully... come.</p>
<p>If this is the case, I have heard that some of the schools will apply this to my self-help contribution, but will this be enough to meet my need-based loans at Duke? I realize this may be too specific a question and situation, so I appreciate any comments.</p>
<p>Is that $7000 per year? If so, almost definitely. If it's total, I'm not sure. The best way to find out is to just wait for financial aid. It seems like it, but 2 1/2 months isn't that long.</p>
<p>Duke has been good about aid from what I have heard. The schools that you have listed are truly among the best in awarding aid, so it would be difficult to beat their offers. The advantage Duke has, that it gives merit money, so that can enrich their package to you if you so qualify. It's getting into any one of these schools that is the problem. Again, I stress, you need a financial safety.</p>
<p>Actually, I have a full-ride, all expense paid scholarship to University of Michigan-Dearborn -- should I get rejected from the rest. I REAALLY REALLY don't want to go there... but given my situation... I can't be choosy.</p>
<p>There is a big difference between UMich-Dearborn and your other schools. With HPY et al qualifications, you are probably a good candidate at a number of schools that are likely to give you a generous package, and merit awards aglore. The real work in picking colleges is trying to find something that you like, can afford , and can get in It's easy to cherry pick the name schools right off the bat, and grabbing something that you can get money is probably not that difficult with your academic profile and EFC, but finding something that you would like to attend that also gives the money is a whole different story. Difficult, but the good thing is that it is up to YOU to find such schools, whereas with those top schools, you do not have much control in the decision. Since the idea is to do things where YOU have the control, my suggestion is for you to look for something that you could like and still will give you the money. Not easy, but it is up to YOU.</p>