<p>It is good to be aware of things such as the differences in admission rates betw sexes at some school, and knowing if a school is eager to balance the M/F ratio. For some schools like Skidmore, Wheaton, Goucher and others that were once all female schools, it can make a difference in aid packaging and admission chances. It is however, a “tip” not a “hook”. </p>
<p>As for safeties, it’s not necessarily a lower end school that falls in that category. BC ended up as a safety for my oldest since he got in EA. That let him pitch those apps of schools he did not like as much as BC. </p>
<p>An issue I have seen arise are lots of loans even at full need met schools. Check out the average loan amounts in the FA packages at those schools. USN&WR ultimate guide and their web site have that break down. A lot of schools do preferential packaging when they do not give merit awards, so when you see some juicy scholarships that they may have prominently displayed on their website, make sure you know how many of them are given out, and what kind of kids tend to get them. I was surprised this year at a top LAC’s financial aid offer to a high need student. Very heavy on loans which was not advisable for someone in here situation. </p>
<p>I don’t know if schools still do this, but it used to be that when there are two in college, there is some assumption of the cost of the second college rather than the real cost. I remember a friend making out very well that way, as her second daughter was at a state school where the cost was lower, but the private school that her first daughter attended gave it an allowance equivalent to its cost. Does anyone know if there are colleges that still do that? I think if your son got into a lower cost school (due to sticker price or merit money), it can come out less expensive over all.</p>