<p>@mamaduck</p>
<p>LOL, I didn’t even look up half of the schools that had guaranteed aid…haven’t done research yet. Just jotted them down. </p>
<p>@emeraldkity4
That’s not a problem where I go to school now…I just don’t want to be isolated in a less academically-stimulating environment.</p>
<p>Flowergirl, Keep looking up smaller colleges to see who offers merit. Do any of the women’s colleges offer merit? (I think Mt Holyoke has some but am not sure how large they are.) </p>
<p>Something else to keep in mind is that sometimes colleges have dorm floors devoted to students with unusual interests-- a vegetarian or political floor.</p>
<p>More students go to high school than attend college.
Why would you assume college students are less intellectual than high school students?</p>
<p>I know that, emeraldkity4, except some colleges will have a different student body than others. The environment and culture of certain colleges differ. I am not saying that all students at Harvard are smart, or that all students at a mediocrely-ranked school are unintelligent, but I do think that I would fit in better at a school where students have the same academic motivation that I do.</p>
<p>Just protect yourself by applying to a variety of schools, but include 2-3 schools where you know for sure that you’ll get large merit.</p>
<p>Don’t discount large schools if they have honor colleges. Honor college classes are often very small (at my kids’ undergrad, the limit is 15 kids per class). And, don’t assume that smaller schools have all small classes. Most schools have some large classes. That said, you can often avoid the larger lecture classes if you come in with AP credits because it’s often the 101 Intro to XXXX classes that are large…and often AP credits give you credit for those classes. </p>
<p>That’s not a problem where I go to school now…I just don’t want to be isolated in a less academically-stimulating environment.</p>
<p>That’s not likely going to happen. If you’re in a challenging major, then your classmates are going to be academic-minded or they’ll flunk out. lol</p>
<p>What is your major or career goal?</p>
<p>Are you the one where your parents will only pay about $7k per year? If so, then even the schools that give great aid (except HYPS) are going to expect you to pay a lot more than that with your parents’ income, unless you’re given merit scholarships… But, apply to a few of these “meet need” schools and find out what happens. </p>
<p>Either way, protect yourself and apply to some schools with large assured merit.</p>
<p>I think you said that you’re a likely NMF (or am I confusing you with the other student on this thread)? If so, then there are schools that will give you HUGE, HUGE merit and your parents’ $7k contribution will more than cover the incidentals.</p>
<p>but I do think that I would fit in better at a school where students have the same academic motivation that</p>
<p>College is not like high school. In college, people have a tendency to make friends and socialize with people in the same/similar major because those are the folks that they meet in class. What difference does it make to you if there are some kids across campus who won’t be in your classes that aren’t as smart as you are? They may have right-brain talents that you can only dream about. I wouldn’t care that some fabulously talented artist doesn’t have the same SAT scores as me. I would be too busy being impressed by what that artist can do.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids, if you don’t mind me asking, which college does your child go with the honor college with small classes? </p>
<p>What schools have amazing aid for NMF?</p>
<p>As for the schools with AMAZING aid that goes well above EFC, are there any else that I should apply to, other than HYP? What about UPenn, Stanford, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Brown, etc?</p>
<p>I am actually very right-brained…just so you know. I am DEFINITELY more right-brained than left-brained, and I’m left-handed, too. One of my biggest strengths is my creativity. I just also happen to have good test scores.</p>
<p>As far as majors and career goals…I love everything. In the humanities/liberal arts…music, writing, and politics. In the sciences, biology, mathematics, psychology, etc. I really don’t know how to choose between the two and narrow it down from there, for that matter.</p>
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<p>Wellesley is only need-based. Smith, Bryn Mawr, and Scripps give a small number of generous merit awards. Mount Holyoke and Agnes Scott gives lots of merit aid. </p>
<p>For example at Mount Holyoke, 40% of students with no need received merit awards, and the average award was $17K.</p>
<p>What about UPenn, Stanford, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Brown, etc?</p>
<p>From what others have reported, it seems that those schools have similar “expected family contributions” as other CSS full-need schools that aren’t HYPS. HYPS (and maybe Williams) are unique that they have that 10% rule for those earning about $150k. The rest of the CSS schools would expect about 30% - 33% for that income level (with one in college). </p>
<p>Try the NPC for Cornell and then copy/paste the results here.</p>
<p>Okay, here’s [the</a> thread](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html]the”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html) on National Merit Finalist awards. It’s a long one, and it’s going to take you some time to get through it, but it’s a pretty comprehensive list of which schools give awards to NMF’s.</p>
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<p>That may be true at a big university. Not so much at a LAC, I think. When D1 was in college as a poli sci major, her two best friends were an education major and a religious studies major. Everybody lives together and goes to the same gen ed classes together and form friendships before splitting off into majors.</p>
<p>Here’s a good list of guaranteed NMF/NMSF awards:</p>
<p><a href=“http://■■■■■■■.com/89dvglk[/url]”>http://■■■■■■■.com/89dvglk</a></p>
<p>Cornell: </p>
<p>$30,000 (without work-study and loans)</p>
<p>With work-study and loans: $20,000</p>
<p>So that’s pretty much out of the question.</p>
<p>Columbia’s aid was more reasonable.</p>
<p>$19,000 EFC</p>
<p>So, may parents could stretch and pay $12,000 or so and then I could take out $28,000 in student loans for Columbia. Not horrible…</p>
<p>William’s financial aid calculator was about the same as HYP: $15,000</p>
<p>I am thinking Amherst’s may be close to Williams. Check that too.</p>
<p>FlowerGirl, keep in mind that those NPCs are an estimate, not a guarantee. Use them to cut off schools that would be unaffordable (e.g. Cornell), but realize that the NPC could well be more generous than any actual FA offer. You’ll also need to remember that COA creeps upward year by year. [College</a> Navigator - National Center for Education Statistics](<a href=“http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/]College”>College Navigator - National Center for Education Statistics) is a good site for looking at COA over the past few years, so you can get a sense of how much costs will go up in future years.</p>
<p>Thanks SlitheyTove. I do understand that the price will go up, though it seems that the HYP and Amherst/Williams aid will remain the same. </p>
<p>As long as the NPC isn’t too far off (like, several thousand more than stated), I think that it is still work to try for the schools with good financial aid.</p>
<p>Amherst’s came out to be almost identical to Williams’.</p>
<p>So, I have basically narrowed down my Financial Aid List to:
-Harvard
-Yale
-Princeton
-Stanford
-Columbia
-Williams
-Amherst</p>
<p>Plus a few possible scholarship opportunities and a few schools with guaranteed aid.</p>