<p>
</p>
<p>In 2011-12, Northwestern gave less than $1 million in merit aid, and a little over $99 million in need-based aid. I suppose that makes them not a “need-only” school, but only on the slenderest of technicalities.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Perhaps in the future then, now that you realize that they do award merit aid, you could apply some sort of caveat so as not to mislead. Something along the lines of “Almost all aid at Northwestern is need-based.” Or “Northwestern gives merit aid, but not generally in large amounts.” My only concern is that if Northwestern is called “need-only”, people will get the impression that it is “need-only”.</p>
<p>This crew has been extremely helpful. Thankfully it appears I’m asking the right questions at the right time…not when the clock strikes 12 o’clock! </p>
<p>The more I’m exploring and receiving this kind of constructive and legitimate feedback, the more confident I am that we won’t be spending any hard earned $$$ on a company that will provide me little to nothing in the way of return. </p>
<p>The way I see it right now, the strategy is high GPA in the right courses coupled with solid SAT and ACT, determine to what degree we can leverage the Canadian citizenship, and save save save save!!!..and did I mention…save?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>OK, mea culpa. I was misinformed. In Northwestern’s case I should have said “99+% need-based” instead of “only need-based.” I apologize for the error, and now that you’ve set the record straight, it won’t happen again.</p>
<p>But sometimes dwelling on the trivial exception can also be misleading. Anyone who applies to Northwestern expecting a more-than-de minimis chance of merit aid has been misled.</p>
<p>To put a finer point on it, a million in merit aid, if distributed evenly across four classes, is only 4-5 full ride equivalents per entering class (FREs) at a place that costs as much as Northwestern. You could hope for it, but I wouldn’t plan on it.</p>
<p>I am quite certain that Canadian citizens living in the US are eligible for Canadian tuition rates at any Canadian university. I know Canadian nationals here in the Boston area who are looking at McGill with their students because of the substantial savings.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Actually this is also misleading. A National Merit Finalist applying to Northwestern and listing them as first choice has a 100% chance of merit aid, not a minimal chance. So your “anyone” assertion could also use a caveat in order to not mislead.</p>
<p>I don’t really consider getting one’s facts straight to be dwelling on the trivial. Many Merit Finalists read these forums and could find this information useful. Of course, such merit aid falls squarely into the previously established category of “not generally large amounts”, but the awards are on the generous side in the scheme of NMF scholarships.</p>
<p>I can understand why you, the parent, are looking into things at this point, especially in your situation, having been in Canada and now Detroit.</p>
<p>However, I just want to add to the discussion that sophomore year is a little early for the student to be thinking much about college. Many of us here have had multiple kids go through this process and can say from experience that one way to limit stress is not to start too early. Also, if started a bit later, the whole thing can be more in their control, and that experience of autonomy can be good preparation for going away.</p>
<p>Another poing: I think it is good to avoid mentioning doing things for the sake of college admissions, and instead emphasizing interest, service, more “authentic” reasons for doing things like volunteering or educational programs or whatever. Ironically, I personally believe that colleges can sniff out that authenticity 
But for your kid’s character, it is so much better to let natural inclinations drive activities and even academics to a point.</p>
<p>I am sure you are doing this but supporting your kid in enjoying high school and freely exploring interests is, I think, the best way to go at this stage.</p>
<p>Finally, you already have a decent list of schools. McGill, Toronto, U. of Michigan and Michigan State. If these meet your student’s needs, your pocketbook, and there is a reasonable chance of admission, I don’t see any reason to spend a lot of time and money and effort on assembling and applying to a list with many more schools. </p>
<p>p.s. I believe that many schools have an SAT cut off, so to speak, so that, say, a 780 isn’t any more indicative of success with admissions than a 720. If you make the pool with the adequate SAT, then the schools look at other things. People here can correct me if I am wrong. Finding out whether that is true at a particular school may lessen stress from retaking tests unnecessarily. Or studying (I am not a fan of too much preparation for tests.) Larger universities, perhaps especially public ones, necessarily rely more on numbers. Smaller, private schools tend to be more holistic.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It isn’t too early for parents to be thinking about it, though. Especially the cost aspects. But I agree that filtering that down to minimize stress on your kids is good. We did start D2’s (last kid) search in sophomore year. Visited a couple of colleges while on a vacation in another part of the country. There is something to be said for giving the kid a taste of it around that time – often it acts as a motivator to higher grades for them to see what they are actually working toward, and junior year grades are the most critical to the US admissions process. It worked as a motivator for both of my kids. Otherwise college is just this abstract thing that adults keep talking about, but they feel pretty disconnected from.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Don’t underestimate the value of high test scores if your kid is capable of achieving them. My kid with an unweighted 3.6 GPA but very strong test scores got into every college she applied to last year, including three highly ranked reaches. Colleges know that applicants compare them to other schools based on those 25th-75th % test score ranges, and they like to beef that statistic up when they can. So prepping for the tests AND planning the schedule so they have a chance to take a second shot at them if the first scores aren’t quite what they wanted is worth the effort.</p>
<p>Compmom. That is incredibly wise judgement. Thank you!!! This is time for my wife and I to do the digging ( and keep saving). We absolutely want him to continue to embrace the now (high school years) and not fret about college. </p>
<p>Keeping him pointed in the right direction, thankfully, is something he is exhibiting from within so far!</p>
<p>I agree with intparent about easing the kid(s) into the process and the value of learning the difference scores and grades can make in future options. Our approach for sophomore year was similar - “light” exposure to some schools and some education on costs and admission standards.</p>
<p>The “ease in” is actually quite natural because he is asking the questions and already working towards his “skin in the game”. </p>
<p>I helped pay my own way through university and that process alone was worth its weight in gold!</p>
<p>intparent, I began my post by making the point that it might be wise for the parents to start looking at things, but a bit early for the student. Sorry if that was not clear. You are absolutely right on that.</p>
<p>I would amend any advice by saying that everyone is different. There are friends of my kids who said, in senior year, that they wished they had thought more about college, earlier. For my own family, we emphasized learning and exploring in the present, and talking about college admissions would have felt strange- until we had to. (I can remember telling each of them that they did not have to go at all, too!) I have friends who talked about college a lot, in a clear, non-stressful way and when the time came, their children had a lot of clarity in their process as a result. It really does depend on family culture, school culture, and the personality of the student.</p>
<p>Our schools are now permeated with standardized testing, and recently our local high school has added SAT prep classes, something that never, ever would have been offered in the years my kids attended. There is also an English class geared to essays. My feelings are now a bit old-fashioned, but it all makes me sad, and in the end, I truly think it affects education and the whole school experience for the worse.</p>