Hi appreciate your help in advance!
We have a 12th grade daughter and while looking at colleges and estimating NPC it looks like we don’t qualify for any need based scholarships. I have reduced my hours this year due to loss of multiple family members and I put this new income even then we don’t qualify looks like. So I was wondering do any colleges consider special circumstances like mine ? Not only we have significantly reduced income we also have a 15 yr old son with special needs which further puts us in restrictions to spend money on colleges along with my reduced ability to work.
She has weighted GPA of 4.7 , 15 AP classes, National merit semifinalist, most likely will make NMF, has several ECs, went to national level speech and debate and has many leadership roles in her very competitive public high school.lot of volunteering as well.
She is interested in computer science and wants to go to good school known in computer science.
We are applying to all the public schools in our area. We are in PA, so applying for NJ, MD and VA public schools.
Tagging @kelsmom for her expert advice on financial aid matters.
Sorry to hear about your difficult circumstances. Your daughter’s achievements are very impressive and I’m sure she’ll qualify for good merit aid at many schools. What is your NPC/budget?
Luckily you have many great choices of CS public schools in PA, NJ, MD and VA.
So - if she’s going to be a national merit finalist and you want to keep costs down, you go for the $$.
That starts with Alabama - which has the most NMFs in the country - and while you think Alabama, it’s 58% OOS students and many from the NE - and there’s a reason - basically, you pay for food - and that’s it. And you get a stipend…link below.
There’s other schools - not quite as lucrative but still fine deals - and then USC (of the top schools) offers at least 50% off tuition - but you’re still at $60K, etc.
You can check for scholarships at schools near you - but with NMF, you’ve won the lottery. The second link has top schools - but I’d check each school’s website to ensure it’s current.
Then there’s other schools with great merit and your in-state public for cost - i.e. Pitt and Penn State - both fine.
CS - you’re going to be fine at most any school.
You can also try Washington & Lee Johnson Scholarship, UVA Thomas Jefferson, American Frederick Douglas, and UNC Moorehead Cain, Williiam and Mary has a full ride too…as does SMU Presidential - I’m not sure of the requirements especially for UNC and UVA - but they’re a lot of work.
I would apply for an NMF deal - she’s earned it and you can’t do better than that!!!
National Merit Scholars – Scholarships | The University of Alabama (ua.edu)
Colleges with Great Scholarships for National Merit Finalists - College Kickstart
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Have her be flexible with choices and go for the National Merit scholarships and you won’t need to worry. There are schools that offer full rides- Tulsa, UCF (they offer 40 I think to out of state), Alabama is close to full ride, and there are others. Just google for them. There’s also competitive full ride scholarships out there.
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I would look into some SUNY universities as well.
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Thanks for your help !
We would love for her to keep it under 100,000 ( 4 years) Fortunately Penn state will be close to our budget. If she gets in to Honors college they give 5,000 per year it looks like. Of course with my reduced income we are struggling to pay the bills. I would want to keep expenses as little as possible but due to her hard work and her wish to go to a competitive college in computer science and our family need to keep her close to us as her brother will miss her very much as she is his only friend and mentor as he is on the spectrum. We don’t have that many options other than these public schools looks like.
We are also hoping if she gets any full or atrial Banneker Key or presidential scholarship in UMD that will also be good.
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Will look , thanks.
Looks like NJIT gives tuition and fees - so you’d pay for room & board… So that’d be neighboring.
Here’s the thing - if you “hold out” for Banneker Key or PSU Honors, etc. - and that’s fine- but you also need to ensure you have one in the bag…anyone chasing merit must do so - before you go on the “hopeful” track - so I understand about the brother but when you’re tying to save costs, there has to be flexibility. Since you mentioned NJ, at least this gets you down to simply room and board - assuming your daughter likes the school - which is very good.
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Yes I agree with your suggestion. We are trying to look for merit in all these near by schools and also she is applying early to all the schools in order to qualify for merit.
Sorry -one more link - VCU - their Presidential Scholarship - your daughter’s stat’s are right there and the NMF if it comes makes it a given.
And not sure where in PA you are - I assume East side - but it’s within “driving” range - U of Louisville and U of Kentucky - very lucrative for smart kids, etc.
Good luck
First-year scholarships - Admissions - Virginia Commonwealth University (vcu.edu)
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As long as she likes Penn State she’ll be fine if other options don’t work out. I like the NJIT suggestion. Stevens is another great school and they give good merit to high stat students but getting it under $25k will be hard I think.
B/K at UMD is full ride but extremely competitive. As for the Presidential Scholarship - the highest amount you can get is $12.5k which brings the cost down only to about $45k.
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Some colleges will do a special circumstances consideration, particularly with regard to your special needs son. You would need to contact each college for their process and to find out IF they even do these. Some do and some don’t. You would need documentation of ongoing expenses, I would imagine. But the colleges will tell you.
WRT your job, it’s possible some colleges will adjust your family contribution because you have less income now than you had in 2021. Again, you need to contact the colleges.
Keep in mind that unless a college meets full need for all accepted students, these adjustments might not net you any additional aid.
I agree with looking for merit aid probabilities because those don’t take income into consideration.
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Cast a wide net. The list of ‘good’ schools for Computer Science is very long. Any of the top 100 to 200 schools in Computer Science will provide an outstanding education and excellent outcome if the student takes advantage of the available resources.
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My S22 is a NMF studying CS at Alabama. With the scholarship he received, he is actually being paid to go to school (not much mind you, but consider that statement for a second). He is in the Honors program, ambivalent about sports, and gay. But you know what, he is thriving. He has multiple friends, is involved in the many LGBT+ organizations on campus and has joined the ECOCAR team. His sole gripe is that his business class is more work than the hours he is being credited, but he has found that he also like geography. Well…it is a five year scholarship, so he is considering a double major and summer abroad.
Is Alabama a top CS school? No, but then neither are many of the schools mentioned above. CS, though, is in demand, and Alabama’s grads do well. If you consider it, just be sure to arrange your tour through your local recruiter and tell them that your daughter is a potential NMF.
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I am planning to do that but I was not sure whether to apply and get admitted first and then appeal or should I call now even before applying?
I am sorry to hear about your family’s situation, but I am sure your daughter will be able to capitalize on her hard work in high school to be able to go to college in CS at a cost that is affordable for your family.
If she’s a National Merit Finalist, take a look at a couple of these links with info on full rides:
27 Full-Ride College Scholarships for National Merit Finalists • College Guidepost 25 Full-Ride Scholarships for National Merit Finalists - The Scholarship System
This website is not just about full rides, but will say whether there may be scholarships for tuition only or if there are scholarships that are competitive (i.e. not guaranteed), but that would be possibilities for your daughter: https://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/dataverse/national-merit-scholarships
You may also want to check out some of these schools:
- George Mason (VA)
- Grove City College (PA )
- Loyola Maryland
- Towson (MD)
- U. of MD (College Park and Baltimore County)
- Villanova (PA )
- Widener
and I second or third the recommendations of NJIT and Stevens.
Run the Net Price Calculators (NPC) at each school. If they ask for academic stats, your minimum level of merit aid would be included. Also, you could reach out to the schools to ask what type of merit aid National Merit Finalists have typically received in the past. At NJIT she would receive at least free tuition, as @tsbna mentioned.
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You don’t want to waste time on apps that won’t get you to where you need to be.
I would call or some will let you set up on line zooms - and have, as the parent a discussion in advance with a financial aid counselor. While I think students should do the work, in the case of $ it’s ok for a parent to get involved.
You need to decide what is more critical - the money or the location.
If it’s the money - even if you have to stretch a tad farther - like VCU is in Richmond VA - then you have to do so.
If it’s the location - then you need to find the schools that offer merit - like a Delaware - but know it’s highly unlikely you will hit or come close to budget. You might look at Ohio schools too.
But if Penn State (and why not Pitt) are your downsides and will get you close to cost, then that’s not bad at all. And how about Temple?
You might add WVU - very aggressive although not as aggressive as the Alabamas of the world.
But WVU is obviously close to PA (the Western portion). And a low cost private - but not to your cost - but low cost - is York College of PA…as low as a private will get.
Good luck.
I believe that Texas A&M gives an OOS tuition waiver for NMSF. That may get you in your budget range.
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The great thing about CS is that a T10 school isn’t necessary. It’s very employable.
Has she applied to Pitt? She would probably be in the running for the Nordenberg Scholarship and others. Apply ASAP if she hasn’t.
Temple would also probably offer excellent merit but the campus is sketchy. S20 basically had full-tuition scholarship and he wasn’t NMSF.
I know several NMF types who didn’t get into Schreyers so it’s not a given.
WVU has a scholarship matrix on its admissions website. I’m fairly certain COA with her stats would be under $20k/year or less. It’s not a bad school. Lots of government facilities nearby like the FBI. Also some VC moving into the area.
NC State has the Parks scholarships. Nice campus and great location. They have an excellent CS program.
She probably could get the OOS tuition waiver at FSU. Total COA would be less than $20k/year. My S21 loves it so far and is active in the Honors program.
After that it’s the usual suspects for NMSF scholarships like Alabama, UT-Dallas, etc.
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