Low EFC, schools that meet need?

Paying for College
1

<p>I was wondering about schools that meet need, especially if they try to do it with little to no loans. My child is a great student, but not top top. She is applying to Yale (unlikely to get in, big reach), Swarthmore (possible, still reach), Rice (little bit of a reach), and a state school (doesn't give good financial aid). </p>

<p>She is open to any state school or private. I want her to stay with Tier 1 schools. Her major is Japanese or Asian Studies with a Japanese emphasis. She is open to the entire country actually. No limits on rural vs city. It would be great if the school had an active music program. She does not intend to major, but would like to participate on the side. She is in the top 10%, 2100 on the SAT about and plans to retake (but does not think her score will go up). And everything else is excellent, from volunteer work and ECs.</p>

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<p>The list of schools that meet need is on this wiki: [Need-blind</a> admission - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need-blind_admission]Need-blind”>Need-blind admission - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>Also look at some alternatives here:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1461983-competitive-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1461983-competitive-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>If she’s open to women’s colleges, she’d be competitive for a number of them.</p>

<p>Note that Smith and Mount Holyoke are part of the Five Colleges consortium. Bryn Mawr is in a consortium with Haverford and Swarthmore. That makes a very wide range of courses available. They are both need blind and commit to 100% of financial need.</p>

<p>Macalester is also a good option. There’s a major in Asian Languages and Cultures and students can take a course a semester at the University of Minnesota. They stress internationalism. Mac will meet full need.</p>

<p>I don’t know much about their music programs, except that Bryn Mawr and Haverford have an orchestra together, with a very fine conductor.</p>

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<p>I agree that you should check out Macalester. My daughter received a great financial aid package with full need being met. The package did include work study and Stafford loans. There are a number of musical ensembles students can audition for without having a music major or minor. (My daughter played in the orchestra for two years.) The fine arts building is in the middle of a renovation. [Macalester</a> Completes $33.8M first phase of Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center Expansion and Renovation - News - Macalester College](<a href=“http://www.macalester.edu/news/2012/09/macalester-completes-33-8m-first-phase-of-janet-wallace-fine-arts-center-expansion-and-renovation]Macalester”>Macalester Completes $33.8M first phase of Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center Expansion and Renovation - News).</p>