<p>Hi CC, I'm currently a junior making a list of schools to apply to. I have reaches and matches but only one safety, which I know is not a good idea... can anyone recommend safeties that are relatively close to Long Island, NY and offer my major? Thank you!</p>
<p>Schools as of now:
Columbia (ED)
Johns Hopkins
Boston College
NYU
Brandeis
Wesleyan (CT)
Hofstra (safety) </p>
<p>Major: Creative Writing or Journalism</p>
<p>GPA: 4.0 (UW, should be about 4.4 weighted)
SAT: haven't taken it yet, but hopefully I'll get a 2100+
SAT IIs: will take English, Bio and US History
IB Diploma Candidate
Co-President of my school's Italian Club, editor of the school paper (will be head editor next year as a senior), member of the Invisible Children club and Buddy Club
Service: CAS, National Honor Society, Relay for Life team captain, executive committee member for Relay, hope to become a teen advocate for March of Dimes
Winner of a National Gold Medal for my writing through the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards as a sophomore - hope to win again this year </p>
<p>Thank you to anyone who can provide me with good safeties!</p>
<p>A safety has to be affordable. How much will your family pay each year?</p>
<p>my family’s income is about $150k/year</p>
<p>How much are they truly ready, willing, and able to pay? How much do they expect you to come up with from your own earnings and savings? How do they feel about you taking on any student loans?</p>
<p>Have your parents help you run the Net Price Calculator at each college/university website to get an idea of what each place might expect your family to pay. Have adult beverages available, and a box of soft tissues, maybe some good chocolate too. Parents often find the numbers shocking.</p>
<p>Basically, their income does not qualify for much in the way of FA. Do run a few net price calculators to get any idea of how they will be expected to pay.
You need to start looking at financial safeties, such as state schools. Also, you may want to investigate schools that offer decent merit aid (non-need based aid). It will be hard to tell how competitive you are for these types of awards without SAT or ACT Scores. The Kiplinger site has useful info including two tables that you can sort to see average merit awards:
[Best</a> Values in Private Colleges, 2012-13](<a href=“Kiplinger | Personal Finance News, Investing Advice, Business Forecasts”>Kiplinger | Personal Finance News, Investing Advice, Business Forecasts)=ALL&id=none&sortby=ug<em>ft</em>nn<em>noneed</em>d&sortorder=DESC</p>
<p>I think you misunderstood my question. I asked how much your family will pay each year for college. If you don’t know, then ask them.</p>
<p>With their income you will not qualify for need based aid at most colleges.</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids thanks for replying. I understood the question, I’m just not sure of the actual answer besides my family’s annual income. My brother is disabled and will require care for the rest of his life, which definitely affects my family’s ability to pay for my education. Will mentioning this in my apps qualify us for more aid?</p>
<p>Some places will take unusually high medical expenses into consideration. However, that type of decision really does vary from one institution to another. Right now you need to know how much your parents will chip in, so you know how hard you are going to need to look to find your safeties.</p>
<p>Since money is likely to be an issue, spend some time in the Financial Aid Forum and at [FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org%5DFinAid”>http://www.finaid.org) to learn more about it.</p>
<p>thanks everyone for your insight! does anyone just know of a few schools with a high admit rates close to Long Island? I would really appreciate it.</p>
<p>I’m a Senior with a GPA a bit worse than yours, a 2120 SAT, a similar interest in Journalism, and I’m from New Jersey.</p>
<p>I would recommend Rutgers as a Safety. I feel like their financial aid might be horrific, but considering that you’re bright, perhaps they will offer you in state tuition?</p>
<p>You should also check out the University of Maryland-College Park. They’ve got a really good Journalism program and they’re fairly close to us. Not sure if they’re truly a safety, but they have roughly a 50% admit rate, and their average SAT score is slightly below 2000.</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids thanks for replying. I understood the question, I’m just not sure of the actual answer besides my family’s annual income. My brother is disabled and will require care for the rest of his life, which definitely affects my family’s ability to pay for my education. Will mentioning this in my apps qualify us for more aid?</p>
<p>Sorry to hear about your brother. however, if he’s disabled for life, then likely he receives some kind of disabilty payments (and will continue to do so) that will come into play. Also, if your parents have health insurance that is paying for much of his healthcare, that won’t change your EFC.</p>
<p>I don’t think colleges take into acct future support for your brother - again - especially if he’s getting disability and will get larger amounts once he’s no longer a minor. </p>
<p>Either way, you can’t count on schools making much/any adjustments for this case.</p>
<p>You need to sit down with your parents and ask them how much they can spend on college each year no matter where you go. That answer will largely determine where you should apply.</p>
<p>your parents have a high income, your EFC will be about $50k per year at most schools. That means that if your family can’t pay that much, then you need a strategy that includes schools that will give you big merit scholarships, cheaper schools, commutable schools, etc.</p>
<p>Hofstra may not be a safety if it’s not affordable. And at this point, it may not be.</p>
<p>Nice list with a decent balance of reaches, matches and a safety. For some other ideas what about Hamilton (known for writing program), Emerson (ditto), and Syracuse (very good journalism school).</p>
<p>Finances are likely an issue for you. You need to have that conversation so that you know the rules of the game. It will affect your strategy. </p>
<p>You may get some need based aid because Long Island is an expensive place to live where $150K is not that high of an income, and your brothers disability can be a financial drain, but the expected family contribution will still likely be quite high </p>
<p>Apply to Stony Brook, Albany or New Paltz early action for your financial safety. Consider Binghamton or Genseo if they are not too far for you. You might even consider CUNY Queens or Hunter. Rutgers wouldn’t be worth the out-of-state costs. </p>
<p>Then find a couple of good schools where you can win a merit scholarship. A lot of where you’re an above average student award these. Actually Brandeis gives some nice ones. University of Pittsburgh is also very generous, but that may be too far from LI (7 hours).</p>
<p>Yes CUNYS and SUNYs should be your safeties financially and academically.</p>
<p>Clark, Holy Cross, Union - might also be good?</p>