<p>I don't even know what to do. My parents are making enough money that we can't qualify for FA (idk their income, but its over $350,000 definitely), but they will NOT spend a penny on high-school, although my mom encourages me to apply.My dream is to attend a top BS, but its just not going to happen. I have good grades, ssats, ec's, athletics, everyting. So should I even apply? Is it even possible for me to get any FA from somewhere like Andover?</p>
<p>Unless you have some very unusual family circumstances, don’t count on it. Do your parents think they need and “deserve” financial aid? If you can present their argument here, we may see the “special circumstances” and help you make a better guess.</p>
<p>Regardless of your merit as a candidate, it’s hard to imagine that any school would see a family having the means to finance an education but opting not to as being the same thing as financial need. Particularly when there are many families who would love to write that check if they were able to. </p>
<p>You’re in a tough spot unless you can sell your parents on it.</p>
<p>Why is your mother encouraging you to apply if she won’t pay? I don’t understand.</p>
<p>She thinks that my merit will earn me a scholarship of some sort, but with top boarding schools, that’s impossible. My main question here is should I even apply? Or is it a waste of my time? My dad’s work contract will end and he’s going to start his own practice soon… is this considered “special circumstances”?</p>
<p>My parents are also renovating our really old house if that helps</p>
<p>Here’s what I advise:</p>
<p>Send an email to the FA office at Andover asking if they ever give money to families who don’t qualify for FA. It sounds like your mother is expecting a full ride so you could even ask that specifically.</p>
<p>When you get the email back that says that all their FA is based on need you can show it to your mother and say, “This is why I’m not applying.”</p>
<p>It sounds like your mother doesn’t understand how it works. Top stats don’t even guarantee admission, let alone a full scholarship!</p>
<p>It’s possible at Andover.</p>
<p>I know of an athletic recruit who got a scholar-athlete scholarship to Andover last year. The award covered full tuition, laptop, books & fees, air travel, summer program abroad, even a monthly stipend. But this person was Andover’s #1 athletic recruit, a high academic achiever, a geographic diversity plus, and a half-URM to boot.</p>
<p>If you have a profile like this, there’s hope.</p>
<p>GMT, this was a kid without need?? That’s horrible!</p>
<p>I think the need assessment can be somewhat flexible and stretched within a certain range, and that may be true in many schools that are actively “recruiting”. Even so, I can’t imagine the kid in GMT’s example had a family income of 350K+ and got a FULL scholarship.</p>
<p>Neato-</p>
<p>There are several schools, including Andover, that give “merit” scholarships regardless of financial need. It is a growing trend and one that seems to be gaining momentum. Makes me a bit sad really and I’m glad that there are schools who are resisting this trend in “buying” athletes. It’s been going on for ten years or so but is increasingly apparent. Sorry to seem anti-Andover here, they are certainly far from the worst offenders but it’s reality.</p>
<p>I get it. It’s their money and they can dole it out however they see fit. It just seems so distasteful to say, when asked, that all FA is need based and then essentially buy an athlete who may not actually have need. If they’ve got a donor that likes to “sponsor” student athletes individually, that’s fine. But to take it from funds that were donated so that kids who could not otherwise afford it could go is really hard to defend. And if I were an alum who had donated to a campaign for increased FA, I’d be really upset to learn that those dollars were going to support kids who didn’t have need (for whatever reason).</p>
<p>There ARE schools that are honest and say that there are certain merit based scholarships. Why not just be honest? Why proclaim that all aid is need based?</p>
<p>Perhaps “need” is a two-way street. Perhaps the school “needed” an athlete.</p>
<p>I find this distasteful, too, but totally unsurprising.</p>
<p>I have this annoying habit of actually believing what people tell me. That’s why I’m surprised. I also have an annoying habit of believing the best rather than the worst. So, I am choosing to believe that money for the athletes is not coming from the general FA budget but from a special fund that people have donated to knowing that it was going to be used to buy athletes, or from friends of the school who wish to be the benefactor of athletes. This may be pure fantasy on my part, but I’m gonna believe it anyway, just so I can get some sleep! :D</p>
<p>Legalese: on its website, PAA doesn’t state explicitly like other schools, that it awards aid on the basis of financial need only.</p>
<p>The PAA recruit that I mentioned was also offered aid awards by several schools very much in excess of calculated need. So it’s not just PAA buying. Oh yeah, and PAA threw in health insurance for free, too.</p>
<p>True.</p>
<p>But to the OP I still would be willing to wager that if the student were to send an email to Andover asking if they give full scholarships to students without a demonstrated need, the answer would be “no.”</p>
<p>Of course, you could also ask when they mail decisions and they’ll tell you they mail ALL of them on March 10th so…</p>
<p>Agreed Neato, I think these cases are (thankfully) pretty rare in the grand scheme of things. The vast majority of FA funds at the schools I’m familiar with go to those with demonstrated need, the numbers might get bumped a little for certain kids but, in general, need comes first. Hopefully it remains this way…</p>
<p>Wow! I didn’t know they did that! I’m not athletically talented though, not a minority, not really geographically diverse, but I would literally die to have the opportunity to attend lets say Andover! I think what my mom meant was that you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. If they really want me, they would do what it takes to get me there, right? I think my parents could pay half of the tuition.</p>
<p>
I think there’s some truth in it in that schools like Andover would go out of their way and work with you so you can attend, if you are someone they REALLY want. The example in GMT’s post is an extreme case, however. And it’s rare. That said, I’ve heard more than a few Andover families say the financial aid offer from Andover was more and sometimes significantly more than they had expected, and that’s my family’s experience as well. So OP, if you are so willing, go ahead and give it a try. Just know that you are playing a I dare you game. The good news is that Andover is need-blind, so they may still admit you without offering finanical aid or the amount you want. I’ve seen such cases before. </p>
<p>neato, I’m not an FA expert, but I think this is how the need-based financial aid works in private schools including colleges. They will take care of their highly sought after athletes, and other highly desirable members of the community, although my experience is that in general colleges including the elite colleges are a lot stingier than a school like Andover. If they don’t, some other school will and they lose competitive edge. Alums who donate certainly have their preferences and priorities they want the school to consider but because the school doesn’t have merit-based aid program, all money is lumped into need-based aid.</p>
<p>Okay, I think I’ll apply - why not? Maybe my parents will start appealing to BS. But, do you think I should apply only to Andover? Are there any other schools that could possibly fit my situation? Thanks for the help</p>