How do you afford College with no Aid ?

Parents Forum
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<p>*Have your D complete her application to USC no later than Dec 1, and she will be considered for either their 400 1/2 or 150 Full tuition scholarships[ interviews are required]. *</p>

<p>The stats aren’t high enough to be really competitive for that scholarship. USC has gotten more difficult to get into, much less getting those merit scholarships. </p>

<p>Her scores are in the middle quartiles at USC…to get those scholarships you need to be well penetrated into the top 25%</p>

<p>SAT Critical Reading: 620 - 720<br>
SAT Math: 650 - 750<br>
SAT Writing: 640 - 740<br>
ACT Composite: 29 - 33 </p>

<p>*I think a conversation about pre-reqs for med school would be an enlightening conversation. I haven’t looked in a few years, but last time I looked the two undergrad degrees with the highest med school acceptances were math and philosophy. *</p>

<p>There’s a difference between majors and pre-reqs. Everyone takes the same/similar pre-reqs. The major can be anything from hard science to humanities. </p>

<p>Typical pre-med pre-reqs are…</p>

<p>2 semesters of Bio (the one for science majors)
2 semesters of Gen Chem (the one for science majors)
2 semesters of OChem (the one for science majors)
1-2 semesters of Calculus
2 semesters of Physics (the one for science majors…with or w/o calculus)</p>

<p>Some med schools have some unique req’ts…like more humanities, etc.</p>

<p>*“Since she won’t be a NMF, that does cut out some/many better schools in the NE that give large merit.”</p>

<p>========================</p>

<p>-My D. was not NMF either and she got very large Merit awards at all schools that she applied (publics and one private - gave her largest of $27k/year out of $33k). NMF is not important at all schools, only at some. Research is a key. I mean research way beyond CC *</p>

<p>I wasn’t considering Ohio as NE, but if you do, then that would work. :slight_smile: What was your D’s M+CR score?</p>

<p>I totally agree that if they look beyond the MA, Conn area, they can find larger merit for a 1400 M+CR at mid-tiers or higher.</p>

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<p>paying for college is painful for most of the families, with or w/o aids. In many case, those do not need aid fare far netter. For example, we will get over $90K a year grant aid for 2011-12 because two kids are attending expensive private U. While we do consider we are very fortunate to have the aids, we are still struggling every day to make the ends meet. I sincerely wish we had high paying jobs to pay full prices.</p>

<p>Also, while your D’s stat is very good comparing the all HS in general, she may not be very competitive for top merit aids at ranked colleges. As others have pointed out, you probably would want her to take SAT I again, and Math II , and/or ACT. </p>

<p>Best of luck.</p>

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<p>“What was your D’s M+CR score?”</p>

<p>-I have no idea, it was 4 years ago. Her SAT was not that great, somewhere around 2140. CR is always her lowest though. Her ACT was OK (33), again verbal (or Reading, I do not remember, since she took MCAT recently) was vey low (28). Her best number has always been GPA, both at HS and UG, she has never had a “B”.</p>

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<p>Her scores are in the middle quartiles at USC…to get those scholarships you need to be well penetrated into the top 25%</p>

<p>SAT Critical Reading: 620 - 720
SAT Math: 650 - 750
SAT Writing: 640 - 740 </p>

<p>I agree, which is why I suggested she take the SAT again. That way, IF her scores come up, she will be considered more eligible for merit $$, especially considering her stellar GPA.</p>

<p>GPA 4.5
5 AP , 2 AP exams she has taken BIO and Eng Got 5’s, rest of classes all Honors
Lowest grade 2 94’s for final averages, everything else 95 or above</p>

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<p>If your D has already taken pre-Calc, she might the Math Level II instead of Math Level I. Level II has a better curve because it’s harder material and students can miss more questions while still getting a high score.</p>

<p>A 720 on Level I tells me she’d likely do well on Level II, esp. with some review.</p>

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<p>I have no idea, it was 4 years ago. Her SAT was not that great, somewhere around 2140. CR is always her lowest though. Her ACT was OK (33)</p>

<p>It sounds like your D’s ACT was better than her SAT. ACT 33 is 99th percentile…so more than just “ok”…it’s equal to a 2220 SAT.</p>

<p>While a high GPA is very good, it usually takes the combo of a high GPA and test scores to get the big merit. Schools don’t care much if the GPA is a 4.4 or 4.7 or 4.0 or 3.8…those are all high to them.</p>

<p>There is a large pool of kids with high GPAs</p>

<p>There is smaller pool of kids with high test scores.</p>

<p>There is an even smaller pool of kids with both high test scores and high GPAs (over 3.75). Those are the ones who get the merit from the schools that give them. </p>

<p>A high GPA without high test scores won’t get much merit at most schools that give large merit. Not saying it can’t happen, it’s just not as likely.</p>

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<p>Many of us started a college fund when a child was born, irrespective of our income levels. While there are indeed merit aids at many colleges, I certainly wasn’t counting on them when I started my child’s college funds as most kids are not blessed with good test skills to win such scholarships, and even if they do, they may wind up turning them down to attend a school of their choice. </p>

<p>Obviously, you do have savings as well as a high income job. So your child is already better positioned them most. The rest is just what you value more.</p>

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<p>I’ve had friends live a mantra of, “Do you want college tuition with those fries?” Seriously, if everyone in the family WORKS together with additional part time jobs on top of full time jobs, anything is possible!</p>

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<p>University of Miami (FL) has great merit awards for high achievers.</p>

<p>With your daughters stats, she will likely be offered 3/4 tuition merit and then get an invite for full tuition. Room, board, fees, expenses run about 15K/year.</p>

<p>My son went there (was his financial safety) and loved it. Full tuition plus perks was a great deal. Now he is starting grad school with a good merit award and a balance we can afford (in the 529).</p>

<p>I agree with good state school med programs which can be very inexpensive.</p>

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<p>Dad II mirrors my thoughts. But going down the food chain a little will reap more benefits.</p>

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<p>If your real question is “How do you afford Ivies, or top ranked, selective, brand name college with no aid?” then the answer may be to have saved or invested very wisely. I was home for a dozen years, homeschooled my kids, and lived on one income, but had no money for college savings. It was important to raise our own children and not need daycare, more than make money. My D applied to some colleges that are “brand name” and received merit awards, but applied to more schools no one here on CC ever mentions. One of those schools is a private in New Hampshire, and gave her grants and scholarships to cover tuition. We will cover room and board for the same cost as sending her to one of the MA state schools. The school has a good rep, it’s professors are quoted in magazines, it is making news in NH for good reasons, and she will receive a fine education in the honors program that will bring her to her ultimate career goals if she makes the most of the opportunities she is offered and seeks other opportunities during summers, internships, etc. Look beyond the rankings hype and you might find schools that can offer honors programs and merit and be a nice fit for your D. Good luck!</p>

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<p>^^And luck is a component also. Stock market crunches of 2008 and 2011 could not have come at a worse time for parents paying for college or thinking of retiring. Having to draw down your account to pay for tuition when the stock market went down leaves you with less investments to blossom when the stock market goes up.</p>

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<p>Well, risk tolerance is important…we decided to hold off dipping into college accounts in the hopes of recouping some of the lost funds due to market declines…we used cash savings outside college funds,and were fortunate it paid off</p>

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<p>mom2coll…
"While a high GPA is very good, it usually takes the combo of a high GPA and test scores to get the big merit. "</p>

<p>-Question about weight of GPA/standard. score was asked during info. sessions with adcoms. The answer was clear - GPA is valued more. Colleges care a lot about rank (based on GPA, not SAT, not ACT). Although D’s HS did not rank, rank is determined by colleges using student GPA and HS class profile. My D. has graduated #1 in her class (what was very easy to determine, since nobody else in her class had GPA=4.0uw according to calss profile and since she got parents’ awards for highest GPA at graduation). I believe that it was of much higher value than her ACT=33, since her HS is well known particularly in our state (it is private prep. with 100% of graduates going to 4 year colleges). And again, forwarding 4 years, D. has also recieved award for most outstanding pre-med at her UG again right before graduation, which has indicated to her that she was on top of her pre-med gaduating class, not mentionning Summa Cum Laude and Phi Betta Kappa (there were several in her class). And again her award was based on her GPA, not MCAT score. So, do not underestimate GPA, it is highly valued by many who will decide a future of specific applicant. It is indication of hard working ethic, not testing skills as we were told.</p>