<p>
</p>
<p>Couldn’t you run the net price calculator twice for each school?</p>
<ol>
<li> With both your and the NCP’s households’ income and assets added together when asked.</li>
<li> As above, but using your income before work-related deductions for a more pessimal estimate.</li>
</ol>
<p>Is Temple in Philly one she’d consider? To get full tuition plus summer stipends she needs a 1420 M/CR but they calculate it differently - they take an average of the CR and W if it’s higher which puts her just under (10 pts). I think they may also superscore.</p>
<p>NE PatsGirl, I think this is a great list and am rooting for your D to have great affordable options.</p>
<p>Have you looked at Muhlenberg? They award merit and just announced that they are increasing their top award from $18,000 to $40,000. I haven’t been able to find much information about it but I believe it will be awarded to 5 incoming students. My older D attends Muhlenberg and she received a merit award plus a talent award on top of it. There are also three separate honors programs which also can provide a stipend on top of the merit award.</p>
<p>I know it’s little consolation, but the fact that a UMass Amherst student can take courses at the other small schools in the consortium is a very cool thing and really makes UMass stand out from many other state schools in my mind. And if your D has to make the choice to attend UMass over her preferred options, she won’t certainly be alone. Last year an NMF finalist at D’s school chose the state flagship over an Ivy because the $$ was just too good to turn down and she knew she would need it for grad school.</p>
<p>Its tough to calculate/estimate bio Dad’s income, 17 years ago it was $85K. Now, same union job and position plus add a wife who makes around $40K if I had to guess. I did run the NPC at $180K for them at one school (I can’t remember which one) and it put their EFC at $28K. I have no clue as to assets or debt.</p>
<p>OTOH, I’m pretty sure what mine is for every school and I did the CSS for the EA schools. After doing the books for November I estimated pretty close.</p>
<p>@OHMomof2 - Temple is far too large if I remember. Given a school that size, she’ll go to UMass Amherst for the five school consortium and honors program. Would love to convince her to look at full tuition schools but there is no interest on her part. Maybe that will change depending on the EA results. I’m prepared to research and switch out RD schools based on what those results might be. She may have no choice.</p>
<p>@LeftofPisa - we were typing at the same time I think. I’ll take a look at Muhlenberg, not sure we’ve come across that one. And yes, the five school consortium is a huge benefit especially given that three of the other schools are on her RD list and top choices (Mt. Holyoke, Smith, and Amherst). Apparently you need only take two classes per semester at UMass for a total of 30% of your overall credits. Both of my nieces graduated from UMass but were content to take all their classes there. One graduated from the honors program a full semester early and is working for Raytheon in a very good accounting position with great benefits. The other graduates from the Eisenberg School of Mgmt? in May although she has just or will just be completing her classes (also a semester early) and has taken a position as an event planner where she interned last summer. Maybe not ideal for my D, but certainly not a bad last choice either.</p>
<p>Temple is large but at the top scholarship level comes with Honors program/dorm also, making it feel somewhat smaller. I have similar situation to you with an NCP and Temple is the no-matter-what-he-does-we-can-afford-it option. </p>
<p>Champlain is another skiing accessible LAC that awards merit. It’s in Burlington, Vt.</p>
<p>I believe D looked at that when she decided to look at St. Michaels. They don’t have the majors that she wants, although STM does and she applied there EA. This is probably one of her top safety schools. It will be interesting to see what they offer her in merit. She is far above the 75% but in all other ways it is very much a match. Personally I would love to see D go to a school where the academic competition is a little more manageable than I think it probably is at Smith or Amherst. Although I know she can hold her own regardless of where she goes, she can become anxious and overly-driven at times and I think it would be healthier for her to balance her academics with some fun 
</p>