Hello! I am a senior. I just filled out FAFSA, and I got an email telling me my estimated EFC is about 30k. I know Vanderbilt claims to meet 100% of demonstrated need. Does this mean that they will give me a need-based scholarship to cover all but 30k of the tuition? What is the likelihood they will make me pay more/less than the FAFSA EFC.
Also, I am applying for the Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship. These are my stats:
4.027 weighted GPA
1540 SAT
9 AP’s
Solid ec’s and essay
I know the merit scholarships are extremely selective, but do you think I have a chance with my stats?
Congratulations in completing the FAFSA so early! Now you need to complete CSS Profile, so that Vanderbilt can come up with its own institutional EFC for you. Often, that amount is more than the FAFSA figure. That is the figure Vanderbilt guaranteed to meet, not the FAFSA EFC.
So, you may have to come up with a bit more than the FAFSA EFC. Vanderbilt is one of the most generous schools, so there often isn’t as large of a gap that can exist between federal and institutional Methodologies. There is a student contribution component and work study can be in the package
If you get more merit money than your financial aid award, then it would prevail. Getting merit money is highly competitive but you are on your way to compete for it. Good luck and congrats.
I am applying RD. I used the NPC, but the range they give is so big. I believe it was 28k - 42k. Does the cost usually end up being in the low or high end of that range, or is there no way to get a better idea?
Thanks
Did you get this range by running the detailed NPC at the link above(not the myintuition option)?
Vandy is typically generous with aid and packages do not include loans (although one could still take out the Direct Student Loan if desired). Packages may also include work study and an expected student contribution from summer earnings.
My son is currently a freshman at Vanderbilt. For what it is worth, Vandy’s grant award left us with a bill about $11,000 higher than what our EFC was., and $8000 higher than the Vanderbilt NPC. Our Vanderbilt financial aid officer made it very clear that they do not go by the FAFSA EFC, but rather the CSS Profile, which unfortunately doesn’t give you a resultant number like the FAFSA EFC, so you have no way of knowing what your CSS Profile “number” is. Vandy did not meet 100% of our need. My son is taking out loans to be there. Just being real here. I wish we had this information before he applied!
For the exception of a few Ivy Leagues, private schools are generally not known for being generous. The more prestigious, the the less you can expect to get in scholarship. Financial aid is a game private schools play to save costs, and it’s very common to get short-changed. That’s why they should always be treated as a reach school, even if you get in. Apply to a strong list of affordable schools you know you can afford and expect to go there.
Private schools is a huge category. When looking at the small group of schools that meet a large % of need, there is that niche group, not all ivies, in fact, most not Ivies, that string student with need should absolutely check out. They can be the best deals for them.
It might be worth calling the financial aid office to talk to someone about the range you got and ask for a little clarification to try to get closer to the amount they predict. Your stats look great and you will have a shot at the CV scholarship. My impression is that those tend to go to students with very significant community service/involvement.
My S19’s FA offer from Vanderbilt was better than those from the following schools: Brown, Colgate, U.Richmond, Emory.
Initially, I had the same impression as well, but this was not my daughter’s experience at all. She was awarded the CV and she had zero community service. Though its hard to know for sure, my gut tells me they are looking for high stats, plus that special “something extra”. I’m sure that something extra can vary.
My D had a lot of community involvement. She is a Chancellor scholar. She also applied RD, chose Vandy instead of MIT, U Chicago, Duke, etc. The scholarships (CV, Chancellor and Ingram) are a recruiting tool for Vandy for high caliber students who might not have gone to Vandy.
For CV, most of her friends have some national level awards. The scholarships are becoming harder and harder every year.
@Cindy9: My daughter applied RD. She had no national awards, no hooks, no community service, not a URM, etc. She had super high stats, a demonstrated passion for her intended major, two outstanding internships, and lots of leadership in her EC’s.