How good is Southwestern University's financial aid?

I’m wanting to take a campus visit soon and am curious as the tuition is so high; and I kinda don’t want to waste time on a school I can’t afford. Thanks(:

This depends on your financial need and your GPA/test scores. Run the net price calculator located on the college website with your parents.

There is a thread on CC from last year entitled “Southern LACs”. Lots of information on Southwestern is located there, especially from one of the posters. The cost of attending Southwestern is similar to the other LACs in the south but will depend upon your specific situation.

Thank you so much!(:

Try this: http://www.southwestern.edu/aid/calculator/

Southwestern University does not seem to be that great with financial aid. Based on the net price calculator linked above, with FAFSA EFC = $0, a 4.0 HS GPA, rank 1/500, 800/800 SAT student would still face a net price of $17,896 after subtracting school and Pell grants from billed costs (not including $1,200 books and $1,260 other costs not billed). But you should put your own situation into the net price calculator to see what it will estimate for you.

http://www.southwestern.edu/aid/calculator/
http://www.southwestern.edu/live/files/4860-cds2014-2015—26mar2015—finalpdf (see section H for financial aid statistics).

That link is super helpful!

Comparatively my financial aid estimate is decent, but nowhere near what I can save at other schools. My net price was like $10K. At TAMU my estimated net price is about $7 K after all is said and done, plus they offer a $10 K scholarship if you do ROTC so money wouldn’t be an issue.

If there’s something similar like that at Southwestern, I would totally do it but it doesn’t seem like there is. Thanks so much for that link, I mean I’m still going to look more into the school itself but that just seems like a really bad financial aid package.

deleted

@spinthatrecord “Bad financial aid package” is a very relative term. Yes, Southwestern may or may not cost more than another college under your circumstances. The value of Southwestern or any college is in the eye of the beholder.

TAMU is a great college. Best of luck to you!

Thank you! I am mostly looking at Southwestern because my SAT isn’t exactly good enough for TAMU, but it’s really just off by a few points. I am taking the ACT and just looking at backups.

Thank y’all for the information, I am going to see what I still think after I take a visit. (:

Cost is a big issue but I think comparing the educational experience of Southwestern versus A&M is difficult. You are trying to compare a small LAC versus large research university. If you think you’d like to be at a larger research university in Texas, maybe Tech or Houston or one of the UT branches might be backups for TAMU. If you are looking for a smaller LAC, you could consider Austin College or Trinity University. Run the net price calculators. That can tell you a lot about affordability if you put in accurate data.

Thanks for the advice! I’ll probably look more into Tech and Houston–UT’s branches have not really gathered my interest so far. I have noticed that the cost of these larger research schools are a lot nicer compared to the smaller schools I’ve seen.

FYI, for anyone coming across this thread, it’s my understanding that the school has upgraded its NPC. If you put those stats in now, the number is more like $7,200. Ds1 looked at this school. We loved the tour, but he ended up choosing a school not so close to home.

I applied EA to Southwestern and received a very generous amount. Over 100k. I think they are generous with aid