<p>A friend of mine (single mom) is looking for schools for her DD2. DD1 went to a public that only required her income info for FA. But, now she needs privates that will only consider her income for DD2 (who is currently a junior in high school).</p>
<p>DD2 wants a smaller private school. Although dad makes a very high income and is somewhat in her life, he won't pay one cent for college (big poop!). So, my friend is wondering if there are any smallish privates (less than 5,000 kids) who don't require CSS, but ALSO give generous aid. She prefers (but doesn't demand) schools that would be "about" east of the Mississipi (for travel purposes).</p>
<p>I would guess that a small public that gives good FA (I know, hard for OOS students), would also work. Her DD2's stats are "good" but perhaps not merit worthy. Since she is only a junior, she has more opportunities to improve her test scores. :)</p>
<p>So, what are some smallish privates that give great FA, but don't require CSS?</p>
<p>Read the threads that momfromtexas created. She found some smallish schools with very good merit aid for her kids. This might also be helpful to your friend.</p>
<p>There are only about 300 schools that require the Profile. There are about 3000 colleges. </p>
<p>Another thing for your friend to check…some schools have their own financial aid form that also requires non-custodial parent information. Some have forms that do not require this. So…check to be sure what each school requires.</p>
<p>IN my experience, Whitworth & Gonzaga in Spokane WA, Baylor in TX and Chapman in SoCal all offer merit aid and financial aid. Your best bet is a small school in your state, if that state offers a need based state grant that is only available in that state. Those are often $5-8k of the package.</p>
<p>The thing to consider is that if you are a full Pell eligible student and a smaller private has a COA of $35k, for example. You might get $5k for Pell, maybe $1000 average for the 1st two years for ACG, maybe $10-15k in merit, maybe $6-8k in state grants…there will still be some loans or some gap.</p>
<p>Many of these smaller schools have specific merit money available based on SAT/Rank/GPA and it goes to every kid that meets that standard.</p>
<p>Most schools that require PROFILE do not require the non-custodial form to be filed.</p>
<p>The key that momfromtexas found was to identify schools where the student’s stats are above the 75% range of admitted students and that offer a combination of merit and need-based aid. Do the girls have grades/test scores that would put them in the top of 1st, 2nd or 3rd tier schools?</p>
<p>What she seems to be looking for doesn’t exist. Private colleges that use FAFSA only will dispense aid based on merit. And if dad has a big income, even if they gave need base aid, it doesn’t sound like she’d get much.</p>
<p>If this student applies to a FAFSA ONLY school, the non-custodial parent’s income and assets usually are not reported. They are NOT reported on the FAFSA. However, most FAFSA only schools are a bit less generous with need based institutional aid than most schools that use other financial aid forms. There are some schools that use the FAFSA and NOT the Profile (Profile DOES require non-custodial parent info in some cases…check as not ALL Profile schools require submission of the non-custodial parent form). However, in my experience and from what I’ve read and heard…the more generous schools using the FAFSA but not Profile, ALSO have a school based financial aid application form that usually DOES ask for non-custodial parent financial information. </p>
<p>So the important thing is to check the school website for ALL of the required information for need based financial aid consideration.</p>
<p>So the important thing is to check the school website for ALL of the required information for need based financial aid consideration.
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<p>Ahhh!!! Now, I get it. :)</p>
<p>Now, I’ll have to find out if Denison requires extra info.</p>
<p>I was addressing the kind of colleges you asked about–small private. Either they will request dad’s info using profile or IM, or they will be a school that determines aid based of merit. </p>
<p>I’ve never seen a private FAFSA only school that gives generous need base aid to all.</p>
<p>Elmira College (NY) does not require the Profile, they say they will take it, but it is not required. Their Scholarship Calculator on their website will show how much merit aid a student is eligible for. </p>
<p>Wells College (NY) is a FAFSA only school & uses FM. (Federal Methodology)</p>
<p>There are a lot of schools that use the FM to calculate financial need. I think what folks are saying…most of these FAFSA only schools do NOT meet full need, and also, financial aid will likely include loans. Does Elmira meet full need…or Wells College?</p>
<p>I don’t know any schools that guarantee to meet full need and use FAFSA only or use a methodology that does not include the non custodial parent’s financial info. </p>
<p>The student’s best bet is to look at schools where her stats make her a standout and where FAFSA only is used, and also at schools where going looks really good for students of her calibre and there are generous merit awards. Also look at the smaller state schools. I know that a number of state schools that are small. Also look at commuter colleges as back ups. I know that my kids could have gone to any number of SUNY/CUNY colleges and commuted for under $6K a year.</p>
<p>Yes, there is a commuter option, but it’s a state school and she wants a private school. </p>
<p>I will forward the suggested schools to my friend. I do think her D is going to have to “rethink” her demand for a private school. My friend and her D had no idea that privates would ever ask for the dad’s info, since publics never asked for the older D.</p>
<p>Thumper, no on Wells & Elmira. But they aren’t 50K schools either.<br>
Probably any private that meets 100% of need asks for CSS Profile & Non-Custodial info.
So this is no doubt like looking for that “needle in a haystack.” </p>
<p>The privates seem to be poking more & more into people’s finances these days, I have even seen where parents “living in sin” get asked about that person’s income on the school’s own form! What is next? To the applicant’s parents: “Are your parents still alive?” “How old are they?” “How much will they leave you?” “What is the value of your parents’ home?” “How much do you think you will inherit after you split the money with your siblings?” LOL</p>
<p>Actually, though, I think because privates cost so much that they’re trying to uncover hidden money sources from unlikely places. But, they created this mess. They raised their prices outstripping inflation and then they excused it by making a big deal out of FA.</p>
<p>Seen quite a few small privates give up some very good awards here in the midwest: Knox, Millikin, Coe, Wartburg, Beloit, Illinois College, North Central, Lake Forest.</p>