<p>Ok, so even though I have read literally thousands of posts now, I am still not clear on FA. I'm not sure if I need to look for schools with need based aid or merit aid for DS who is a HS junior. </p>
<p>We are in Illinois, so public colleges are all over our EFC and it appears there are no state school scholarships that are funded anymore. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong:( </p>
<p>If EFC is around $15,000 and COA is $50,000 would DS qualify for need based aid for up to the $35,000 difference? (I understand that it is up to the school to actually give it, but I'm just trying to figure out best case scenario)</p>
<p>Beyond that, imagining that this wonderfully funded school gave some percentage of the need based aid, is it possible to get merit aid beyond that? Or the other way around?</p>
<p>I have read that the EFC would still apply, but I'm wondering if its possible to even cut it down?</p>
<p>DS gpa is 3.43 (UW) right now. I am not sure of his weighted, looking at his transcript it doesn't look like he gets any additional points for all of the honors classes he takes. He does take almost all honors courses, but school offers no AP's. His practice ACT score was 28. </p>
<p>Thanks for any information!</p>
<p>Illinois MAP grants are funded this year, but at a reduced level.</p>
<p>[Staff</a> Editorial: MAP Grant survives trip to guillotine - The Daily Eastern News: Editorials](<a href=“http://www.dennews.com/opinion/editorials/staff-editorial-map-grant-survives-trip-to-guillotine/article_7116342e-3b43-11e1-a289-0019bb30f31a.html]Staff”>http://www.dennews.com/opinion/editorials/staff-editorial-map-grant-survives-trip-to-guillotine/article_7116342e-3b43-11e1-a289-0019bb30f31a.html)</p>
<p>You might look at some less-selective private schools for merit aid. Some might bump up that GPA for the honors courses (I know at least one that does this automatically), and if he can retake the ACT and bump the composite up a point or two, I think he would be a very competitive candidate at a lot of schools.</p>
<p>Another possibility - Truman State University in Missouri, a good school that many people haven’t heard of. The cost of attendance for Illinois residents is just a bit under $20,000, and with his stats, he would qualify for an automatic $2,500 merit scholarship.</p>
<p>COA - EFC = Need so yes, your son could qualify for that much need-based aid. However, most colleges and universities do not meet need, and those that do are the most selective. Often the package offered by the college/university will include student loans, and often there will be a significant gap between the aid that is offered and what the family really needs to make that institution affordable.</p>
<p>Sometimes merit aid is included in the aid that goes to make up the difference between COA and EFC. Sometimes it is given in addition to need based aid, which means that the family doesn’t have to pay the full EFC. You really do have to ask the financial aid office at each college/university what the current policy is.</p>
<p>But for starters, you need to figure out if your family can pay your EFC or not. We can’t. Ours is four times what is workable given other responsibilities. That’s why Happykid has spent her first two years at the community college (she graduates in May and will transfer somewhere else for the fall). If you can pay your EFC, then you need to be looking for colleges and universities that are no more expensive than that (such as your local community college) or that will indeed meet your family’s need.</p>
<p>Good luck with everything!</p>
<p>Definitely check out The University of Alabama at Birmingham. For out of state students they offer the Blazer Elite Scholarship (renewable for 4 years) worth $15,000 per year for 3.00 GPA and 28-36 ACT. Their cost of attendance is around $25,000 including room and board (on the highest meal plan which you may not even need). So it would only cost you around $10,000 per year. It is a great school and that scholarship is awesome. Good luck. :)</p>
<p>In our experience so far with a preliminary package, the merit aid is the bottom of the need stack followed by additional random merit grants followed by need based grants. Then comes work study, and the range of loans - Perkins, subsidized and unsubsidized. This was a preliminary offer based on bad estimated numbers from late November so it will change, but the EFC doesn’t go away unless you have a very high EFC and a very large merit award. The beauty of the merit awards is that if your need should go down, they still apply.</p>
<p>p.s. Another shocker to keep in mind is that it appears that at many schools outside scholarships reduce the amount of “self help” need aid (work study and loans) and then start cutting into need based grants. They often don’t reduce the EFC at all.</p>
<p>Most schools don’t meet need. Those that do are often the hardest to get into and often require very good stats.</p>
<p>First, find a couple of financial safety schools that your son likes and you know that you can afford either by paying all costs or by getting an assured merit scholarship.</p>
<p>Once you have a couple of financial safety schools in hand, then the app process becomes less stressful.</p>
<p>Have your son take the SAT and ACT, since some kids do better on one or the other. Having the best score possible will increase the likelihood of a better aid situation since some schools give “preferential packages” to kids with strong stats.</p>
<p>You might ask your child’s school about weighting GPA on transcripts. Having a higher GPA also will help with merit, since some schools want a high GPA along with a high test score.</p>
<p>*I have read that the EFC would still apply, but I’m wondering if its possible to even cut it down?
*</p>
<p>there are only a few ways pay less than EFC.</p>
<p>1) Go to a school that costs less than EFC (commute to local state school or CC).</p>
<p>2) Go to a school that awards such huge merit that it covers all “need” and then “cuts into” EFC.</p>
<p>3) Go to a school that awards “super aid”…HYPS…but very hard to get accepted to even with very high stats.</p>
<p>4) Military/ROTC/etc.</p>
<p>5) Sports/talent scholarship</p>
<p>There may be other ways, but I can’t think of them now.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the replies!</p>
<p>Just spent 20 minutes replying to all, then got a message to refresh the page and its all gone now. Aaaaaggggghhhhh!</p>
<p>Meeting the EFC is a problem. UA program sounds great financially - I will definitely check it out! Is there any good way to find other assured merit scholarships?</p>
<p>Thanks again - great information:)</p>
<p>*UA program sounds great financially *</p>
<p>The scholarship mentioned in post #4 is not for UA. UA is the flagship and it’s in Tuscaloosa. The school mentioned in post #4 is UAB (Birmingham). </p>
<p>For assured merit, there is a thread but be aware that schools change what they offer, so go to the websites to check for latest info.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html</a></p>
<p>*DS gpa is 3.43 (UW) right now. I am not sure of his weighted, looking at his transcript it doesn’t look like he gets any additional points for all of the honors classes he takes. He does take almost all honors courses, but school offers no AP’s. His practice ACT score was 28. </p>
<p>*</p>
<p>I would advise that your son try to finish his junior year with a strong GPA. A 3.5 GPA is often needed with a high test score. Some schools don’t use senior year grades for merit, so this year’s GPA is important. </p>
<p>Once your son has actual test scores, you can more easily pinpoint potential schools for merit.</p>