Evaluate college list for someone who's been given a 35k/year limit?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Well, the time is coming to actually start to make a formal "list". I've gone through numerous top choices and such, but now I've narrowed it down based on finances and the chance I have of getting some kind of merit aid or possibly need based aid. Note that the stipulation in the title is basically based on my parents' willingness to pay that much (even though EFC was calculated to be 40k/year), so when I put an expensive private on the list, I'm doing it as a potential possibility to get enough merit aid to lower that hefty price tag to below 35k/year. After all, I would like to move on to med school, and while nothing is certain, I'm strongly debt averse and would like to come out of undergrad with as little as possible. How do these places I've picked match with my profile (reach, match, etc.), and how much potential for merit aid is there (only if you can estimate, I know it's impossible to predict)</p>

<p>Basic Stats:
4.0 UW, 4.4 W (6 APs)
34 ACT (will probably take subject tests to go along with it)
Top 1% of class (Public school in VA, 500 students)
ECs - definite weak area. Most notable one is captain of my school's Scholastic Bowl team, which won the district championship this year and were runners up last year. A couple other less noteworthy ones as well, plus 12 hours of work per week since November.
Awards - AP Scholar with Distinction, DAR Award for Excellence in American History, Nat'l Merit Commended, Virginian Pilot Scholastic Achievement Award</p>

<p>Schools:
Vanderbilt
University of Miami
University of Virginia (in-state)
UNC-Chapel Hill
University of Pittsburgh
University of Alabama (safety, already guaranteed to be lower than in-state tuition for UVA due to Presidential Scholarship)</p>

2

<p>Vandy is more like 45+ k per year with tuition and room and board.</p>

3

<p>I know, but they do offer a few merit opportunities which could knock that down.</p>

4

<p>add Tulane</p>

5

<p>I’m no expert, but I believe you would likely qualify for honors college and merit aid at Pitt. [Course</a> Eligibility](<a href=“http://www.honorscollege.pitt.edu/about/course-eligibility.html]Course”>http://www.honorscollege.pitt.edu/about/course-eligibility.html) Would suggest that you apply early, also make sure to send in an essay and teacher recommendations to be considered for scholarship.</p>

6

<p>My favorites of the list are:</p>

<p>UVA
UNC
Vanderbilt</p>

<p>…I just don’t think that you can justify the price difference of Vandy & UNC compared to in-state UVA.</p>

7

<p>How about:</p>

<p>Virginia Tech (in state, less expensive than Virginia)
Minnesota (out of state, but full price is less than your limit)</p>

<p>What major do you plan to do pre-med alongside?</p>

8

<p>This thread about merit aid might be helpful.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/696637-merit-aid-percentage-common-data-set.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/696637-merit-aid-percentage-common-data-set.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>UVA is an absolutely outstanding public school, and the merit aid for Vanderbilt is extremely competitive. </p>

<p>“These students represent the top 1 percent of all freshman applicants to Vanderbilt, and with the limited number of merit scholarships available, the selection process is very competitive.”</p>

<p>Vanderbilt website</p>

10

<p>If your EFC is $40K you can expect to be full-pay at your in-state publics, but both UVA and William & Mary are excellent schools, and Virginia Tech is also quite good. Those are your best bets financially. I’m not sure why you’d trade down in quality to go to an Alabama for merit money. And most of the top privates are only going to give you need-based aid, which leaves you paying about $40K, more than the price range you’re looking for.</p>

<p>In your shoes I’d shoot for UVA and W&M, and maybe take a flyer on any top-25 privates that offer merit aid, hoping lightning strikes. But UVA and W&M are excellent schools, affordable for in-state students. The solution is right there, staring you in the face.</p>