<p>Currently Lehigh is one of my dream schools that I'm applying to next year, but the issue of cost is looming in my head. My Dad is divorced, my Mom could probably barely pay for any of my college fund at all, and my Dad makes mid 80k per year, so we're stuck dead middle class. He's already gone through paying for 3 of my siblings, all out of college now. He will be retiring in a year or two, as well. Is Lehigh's financial aid really as good as some places (Princeton Review, etc.) make it out to be? I've heard some stories about them not giving any need-based aid to middle class, and without a merit scholarship there it becomes very hard to pay. I'm keeping my hopes up that I'll qualify for one of their two main merit scholarships, but what I'm mainly concerned about is their need-based aid. Princeton Review calls it one of the best value colleges, but are they telling the truth?</p>
<p>I don't know anything about Lehigh, sorry; you'll hafta wait till someone else on this board who does posts.</p>
<p>But I am familiar with Princeton Review. Best value colleges refers to a quality education at a decent/good price. It does not attest to strong financial aid or likely merit scholarships.</p>
<p>My son has it narrowed down to two schools, one of them Lehigh. Lehigh's fin aid package was the best one he received out of all the colleges to which he was accepted. No merit awards (darn!), but a generous need-based grant and minimal loans/work-study. They calculated our EFC to be only about 1000 higher than our FAFSA EFC, which surprised me since they consider home equity. At this point, Lehigh will be less expensive than if my son were to go to our state university! But I would like to know if they are likely to be so generous in future years. We're definitely middle-class, with 2 in college 05-06, so our EFC is on the lower side this year, but likely to at least double for 06-07 when we're back to only one in college.</p>