Hi, I’m a rising senior at a northeastern college preparatory school and I’d like to go south for college. I have a 3.87 unweighted GPA and a 1370 on the new SAT. I won the Underclass Music Prize and the Underclass History Prize my junior year. I will have taken 4 AP courses by graduation. I am a varsity athlete (not recruitable), a member of three musical groups at my school, and I have lead or supporting roles in two stage productions a year. I have visited and decided to apply to Davidson College, Wake Forest University, University of Miami, and Tulane University. However, I am worried that none of these choices will provide me with enough financial aid. My mother is changing career paths soon and her income is going to drop considerably, so things are kind of up in the air about how much I’ll need. I’d say around $40,000 off of tuition and fees would be needed in order for me to avoid taking out student loans. Are there any schools in the south similar to the schools I’m already applying to that would provide me with substantial aid based on my application, grades, and extracurriculars?
Ole Miss possibly, U of South Carolina, not sure what the requirement is for new SAT score to receive full tuition at U Alabama.
There are a lot of southern schools on the automatic full tuition list, but check the school websites for current information (i.e. what the required scores are for the new SAT).
http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/
Kiplinger’s best value colleges helps you find schools that give merit aid:
http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-private-colleges/index.php?table=lib_arts&state_code=ALL&id=none
Don’t overlook your state system. Financial safety schools are often in-state public schools. You get a price break just for being a state resident. Branch and directional campuses are more likely to offer merit aid than the big flagship school.
And, of course, run the Net Price Calculators on the schools on your list to see if they are affordable options.
You say you need $40k off, but how much can your parents pay each year for 4 years?
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I’d say around $40,000 off of tuition and fees would be needed in order for me to avoid taking out student loans
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That’s not likely.
How much CAN your parents pay each year?
ARe you retesting? You need higher scores. Take both the SAT and ACT.
Unless the parents will pay a good bit, I don’t see Ole Miss, USouthCarolina or Bama being affordable with current stats.
Where else are you applying?
UA would require ACT 32 equiv, or 100 points higher on SAT than this student’s first test score on SAT.
UA will count Dec test scores, but have to have application in before deadline. They will adjust scholarship to the better test score if obtained by Dec.
1370 concords to 1930 on the 2400 scale and a 1310 on the 1600 CR + M scale.
Maybe U Arkansas Monticello
or
an HBCU - Tuskegee, Alabama State, Howard, FAMU, Prairie View
or
Look into test optional schools
I think most test optional schools still require test scores for merit aid.
Howard is no longer automatic they now have a competitive scholarship process
Well, like I said, my mother’s income is up in the air right now, as she is acquiring a business and doesn’t know what the return on investment will be. But if I had to give a ballpark estimate, I’d say my parents would be able to come up with $20k to $30k each year
I am retesting. My parents probably can pay 30k a year, but that would be a stretch. I’ve taken the ACT, but I only got a 29. I’m a much better student in class than a test taker, but I liked the SAT better
You know…$30,000 a year is very generous of your parents. I know you want to go south, but have you considered any public universities in your state?
@mom2collegekids would this student be able to get enough aid at Alabama to attend with oarents laying $30,000 a year?
Well my parents can pay $30,000 a year. I don’t know if they would and I don’t know if I want them to. They work very hard and my sister had a horrible aid experience at a school in upstate New York, which prompted me to look for better options. And I live in New Jersey, so it would seem natural for me to go to Rutgers or TCNJ. But after doing my research and seeing schools in the NJ-PA-NY area, I concluded that I wouldn’t be happy there. After visiting several schools below the Mason-Dixon line, I knew I wanted to explore that area of the country more in my college years.
do you have financial need? It doesn’t sound like you do.
I think you will need to aim at different schools to get your cost of attendance down to $30,000 a year.
Many of the smaller schools give good financial aid, but you’ll have to do a little searching: Knox, Rhodes, Centre. No way to know which of those is a match because you haven’t shared what you want to study.
Perhaps i need to clarify what I’m looking for, as I’m probably not giving enough information. I am certain my parents cannot pay the full $60,000/yr (that’s tuition plus room and board) price tag of places like Wake Forest or Tulane. I’m hoping for financial aid with the institutions I’m already interested in. What I am looking for is a school where I would be far enough above the school’s average applicant that the school could provide me with enough aid so that my family is paying below $30,000 a year, regardless of what the full price of that college is. I would be looking for places along the lines of Rhodes College, as I have a friend who received a decently sized package from them this past year with similar circumstances. Thank you for your time and your help.
I’ve been studying Mandarin Chinese since Freshman year and I’d like to continue with that. Other than that, I enjoy history, political science, and economics, so something within that sphere would be a possible major.
The mother is purchasing a business and apparently can afford $30K/year. There’s no need there.
Davidson gives primarily need based aid. The few merit awards they give are highly competitive. My kid applied to Davidson with similar stats to yours and did not get accepted.
Wake Forest also has some very competitive merit awards. I think you need to bump up both your GPA and SAT score to be competitive for those.
Have you looked at University of Tampa? We know a student who thought she wanted U of Miami, but got fabulous aid at Tampa…and went there instead.
For a $60,000 school, you need $30,000 in aid…or more. You need to look for schools where your stats are at the top of their applicant pool.