I feel so bad and miserable right now. My parents told me today that my dream schools: JHU, Duke, and MIT will barely offer me any need-based aid. Only around 5000-10000 dollars, which is insignificant compared to the total costs of these schools. I’m applying to MIT as an athlete and they don’t offer any scholarships!!!
My parents are leaning me towards the states flagships, which I don’t really want to go to. I worked so hard for my dream schools and just when I put my best application forward my parents are discouraging it. I’m so upset right now. I want to go to a good private school so bad.
Anyone think I can get more aid than what the NET Price Calcutor gave me? what scholarship opportunities are out there for me? ive looked in USC and I’d be very happy to go there as well, worth a shot? I’m applying ED to JHU and EA to MIT. Can I get these private schools to match my state flagship’s price?
“Anyone think I can get more aid than what the NET Price Calculator gave me”
no. not for FA.
“what scholarship opportunities are out there for me?”
Did you take the PSAT AND score above your states NMSF cutoff number? IF your answer is yes to to both questions- there are many colleges who will pay YOU to go to college.
“Can I get these private schools to match my state flagship’s price?”
They are PRIVATE colleges who costs to educate students are NOT supported by the taxpayers in your state.
So the answer is probably no.
BUT, if you are a NMSF AND are accepted at USC, you can recieve a 1/2 NMF tuition Merit scholarship.
BTW- We dont know what state you are in.
Your title is really annoying after seeing that you are just greedy for your parents to overspend so you have have what you want. If they don’t want to pay the very high cost of what the privates that don’t give merit aid charge then you have to make alternate plans and make the best of it. You work hard to be successful in college and life, not to get an expensive reward if i doesn’t fit into your parent’s college budget.
Privates do not match state school costs. State school costs are lower. They only match other privates that are of their caliber so if they do match it means only a few thousand, not tens of thousands different.
You can apply to colleges with competitive merit aid, open the threads at the top of the forum.
Other posts indicate that you are in Texas and are interested in biomedical engineering and medical school. That state has a fine flagship university. Plus, medical school is expensive, so you want to minimize undergraduate cost and debt so that you can afford medical school. Fortunately, Texas in-state public medical schools are quite inexpensive as far as medical schools go, so you may be able to start practicing medicine after medical school and residency with substantially less debt that those who attended more expensive medical schools. This can give you more options in medical specialties and other career choices, since you will not have to chase the highest pay even if it is not otherwise something that you would choose.
JHU and Duke do have a small number of merit scholarships, but those should be considered as super-reach. Realistically, applying ED to JHU makes little sense if the net price calculator shows obvious unaffordability based on just need-based financial aid, since you will not be able to attend.
If these schools are only going to offer $5000 in aid, then they expect your family to pay $50,000 or so. This means your family income is likely in excess of $200,000 a year and/or you have very significant assets…savings, real estate, investments or the like.
Ask your parents what they are willing to pay annually. That is your budget. Look for schools that will offer you merit aid to make up the difference.
Working hard, and getting good grades, etc is what you are supposed to be doing in HS. For heaven’s sake, in Texas, you are not guaranteed admission to your excellent flagship without doing so.
I would suggest you drop the “dream school” notion, and realize you can thrive,mans get a good college education anywhere.
And if you plan to go to medical school, the best gift anyone can give you is a no debt undergrad experience.
Be grateful that your parents are willing and able to fund your instate flagship university. So many students are not that fortunate.
Believe it or not, you are not special. Many students are in this same situation so I’d suggest you stop the melodramatics. I know it doesn’t seem fair, but a lot of things in life aren’t fair.
If your parents’ income is in the $150,000-$225,000 range then they won’t qualify for much or any financial aid and may not have the resources to spend $65,000 PER YEAR. Your parents need to tell you how much money they will spend per year for your education. Thank goodness your parents realized they couldn’t afford your “dream” schools at this point in the process.
Apply to UT and A&M. Rice is pricey for people who don’t qualify for aid, but you could check the Common Data set for schools like Rice to learn what % of students were offered non-need based merit aid. These merit scholarships to top schools are very competetive.
Look at the pinned threads under the Financial Aid Fourm on this website for competetive merit scholarships.
As suggested already, if your PSAT makes you a likely NMSF, then look over the list of schools with automatic and competetive NMF awards.
You’re not going to be a burden on your parents because it doesn’t appear that they’re going to pay what you’re asking. Find out what they will pay and apply to schools in that price range. Don’t waste apps on ED apps to schools whose NPCs show they will be unaffordable. Look for colleges that offer merit for your stats.
If you are a credible candidate for your dream schools, then there are plenty of excellent schools that would love to have you and would have a cost of attendance that could be lower than your state flagship. It’s not always the case that the state flagship is the lowest cost option. My kids were not credible candidates for places like MIT and they found schools that they were happy with whose cost was lower than our state flagship. Take a breath and cast a much wider net.
I feel so bad and miserable right now. My parents told me today that my dream schools: JHU, Duke, and MIT will barely offer me any need-based aid. Only around 5000-10000 dollars, which is insignificant compared to the total costs of these schools. I'm applying to MIT as an athlete and they don't offer any scholarships!!!
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You have a high EFC, there’s nothing you can do about that.
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My parents are leaning me towards the states flagships, which I don't really want to go to. I worked so hard for my dream schools and just when I put my best application forward my parents are discouraging it. I'm so upset right now. I want to go to a good private school so bad.
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There are SOME private schools that may give you large merit, just not the ones on your list.
Why is a private so preferable???
Are you premed??
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Anyone think I can get more aid than what the NET Price Calcutor gave me?
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No.
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what scholarship opportunities are out there for me?
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Outside awards? not likely to reduce costs for 4 years of college. There are some SMALL one time frosh-year only awards, but your parents aren’t going to let you just go for a year and then leave.
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ive looked in USC and I'd be very happy to go there as well, worth a shot?
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Go ahead and try USC and some others that give merit.
USC may only give you a half tuition award. THEY WILL NOT give you any need based money ZERO. That will still leave your parents with about $40k per year to pay.
HOW MUCH will your parents pay each year? ASK THEM. Is their budget the cost of your instate school? How much is that???
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I'm applying ED to JHU and EA to MIT. Can I get these private schools to match my state flagship's price?
Stop whining. Go back to your parents and thank them for telling you now about the money situation. Talk with them about their limits so that you can create an appropriate application list. You are so incredibly fortunate to know this now. You have time to find places that are definitely affordable and others that are likely to be affordable with merit-based aid. You will not be one of the students who is here in the financial aid forum on March 1st asking, “I didn’t get in anywhere that I can afford, what do I do?.” This news from your parents is an absolute blessing.
I do not see how you can do ED when the school is telling you upfront the EFC. This what they think you can afford. It is not a good idea to do ED if you think you likely will not honor that contract.
many great schools will give near half tuition based on merit, depending on where you want to be, and how much mom/dad will pay. Tulane, BU, NEU…
personally, I think you’d be crazy to turn down UT Austin.
That is great that you have the stats to get into MIT or JHU, as this makes you a good candidate for merit aid at some other schools and your achievements will get you into the University of Texas. Your hard work will pay off!
Let me shed some light on my situation. People misunderstood. I NEVER said anything about them refusing, they were simply encouraging. They would want a cheaper price, but if I get into schools JHU AND MIT they said they will pay. Im not going to the same opportunities at UT, which Im already an auto admit for btw.
^of course you ate auto admit with JHU stats! What can UT not provide? Being serious to try to suss out your options or options for compromise with your parents.