<p>Forgive me if I'm posting this in the wrong place, but I haven't been to this section of CC.</p>
<p>So I've seen on a lot of people's posts, some parents responding saying "have you talked to your parents about what they can afford?" And I just wanted to say I have, numerous times. I tried to get my parents to fill out NPCs to find out what our EFC is, and I could figure out how much financial aid I could get, but they simply won't do it. (I am a rising junior if that matters.) Now I am only asking them these questions so I can figure out where I should apply. My parents want me to apply wherever I feel like I would most fit in and we would worry about the money later. Normally, I would feel good about this but I can't help worry. What if I get into my dream school and we find out we can't pay? I'd rather just not apply at all. So I guess what I'm really asking is, do you think it's crucial to know what I can afford and apply to colleges based on that, or should I apply to colleges because I like them, and worry about the money later? Of course I will probably be doing that anyway, but I just wanted to see what others thought. Also, I don't really know how much financial aid we will be receiving, but I have two younger brothers (they're twins) in private school, and we're receiving financial aid for them. I think my parents' combined income is ~110K but they've never told me so I don't actually know. My mom also says "we can hope that you'll get scholarships, but you never know." I'm African American if that matters...I just don't know what to do! Should I even be remotely interested in pricier colleges? Thanks in advance for all your help!</p>
<p>I would suggest you cast a wide net in your applications. Apply to a variety of schools. Find at least one option the you feel,would be affordable. Maybe you will qualify for a merit scholarship at some colleges based on your SAT and GPA. If you are a particularly strong student, you can apply to some schools that guarantee to meet full financial need. </p>
<p>Look at some of your instate public universities. Check schools that are close enough to attend as a commenting student. </p>
<p>In other words…look at LOTS of different types of options.</p>
<p>Another thing that might help…each college has a page that lists out the costs to attend. You might want to print a few of those out and use them as a basis for discussion with your parents. They may not realize that a private university can cost $60,000 plus PER YEAR. Perhaps seeing the cost outs for a few schools will help,them help YOU with realistic choices financially.</p>
<p>Go to the financial aid forum and look at the pinned thread for full tuition scholarships. See if you can find a safety that you know your family can afford there.</p>
<p>You CAN know if you fill out the NPCs. At least on the need based side you can. Although colleges aren’t super sympathetic to younger sibs in private school and the associated expenses,and your parents make enough that you may not get much need based aid. </p>
<p>If you can’t get them to cooperate, you need to take matters into your own hands. Be sure you have at least 3 schools on your list that will be very affordable (probably in-state public) OR schools where you are guaranteed merit due to high stats. Try, of course, to pick schools you are willing to attend. Then apply to some others more expensive schools if you want to, knowing that if you get enough aid that will be great and you can attend, but if you don’t then you will have some solid options you can live with. </p>
<p>Ask your parents questions like, If a school expects you to pay $25k per year for me, could you pay it? If they say, “no,” then try lower figures.</p>
<p>with an income of about 110k, they would be expected to pay at least that 25k per year unless you get into a school that gives you a huge merit scholarship…</p>
<p>over the next year keep updating us with info and your stats and we can help you form a list.</p>
<p>as a rising junior, prepare for the PSAT that you need to take in October…if you do very well, some schools will give you large merit.</p>
<p>Keep trying to work on your parents. Buy that book recommended ^^. Try explaining to your mom that not only can you get an idea of the potential cost but you can actually focus your search for better outcomes. Because some schools don’t even give scholarships at all–you won’t get one no matter how much you hope. That’s why you have to run the calculator. There are so many colleges that you might as well focus on ones you like AND you can afford, or get merit aid. That’s a smarter strategy that will net you more options when acceptance time comes around.</p>
<p>Does your school have an information night for jr/sr? Drag your parents to that. It is eye opening for many to learn things have changed in the last 20 years, that the family is responsible for most of the costs of college, that the costs of college vary from $5000 for a community college to $65,000 for the top schools. Even though your parents may have read about the rising cost of college, they have no idea (really, I know this because I was in their spot 2 years ago).</p>
<p>If your school allows it, set up an appointment for all of you with your guidance counselor. The GC can (hopefully) open up their eyes about the schools you are interested in and the costs.</p>
<p>You will find out as you are finding out right now with your parents, that you are very limited in what you can force others to do. You can only change yourself, force yourself to do a number of things. </p>
<p>Your parents’ reactions are typical. We’re all human and flawed. It’s within your parents’ rights not to share financial infor with you. They do not have to pay for your college or release their financial info, and that becomes a problem for many students. Some of our cousins got stuck that way. Their father refused to release any financial info… Felt it was none of anyone’s business, and preferred to forego financial aid to releasing any of that info. Problem was that he could not pay the cost of college either and the kids were not eligible for any merit money. So they ended up going to local public colleges and community colleges. In those days, one didn’t need to fill out FAFSA for some of the loans, and so they borrowed some as well.</p>
<p>So,you prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Apply to some schools that you want as lottery tickets, but make sure you have some schools on your list that you know you can afford and will take you. Actually, that’s somethng every and anyone should do anyways.</p>
<p>So provided I have the stats, could I still apply to some of the schools that guarantee to meet financial need? I’m really interested in Dartmouth, Georgetown, Duke, and Yale. </p>
<p>@mom2collegekids I asked my mom that question and she said they would be comfortable paying around 15K per year. So I guess I’ll need to look at places that are in state and with a lot of merit.</p>
<p>And should I be looking at colleges that offer substantial amounts of merit aid (assuming I get it), colleges that guarantee full financial need (assuming I can get in), and colleges that I can afford without any help (like instate publics)? I think those are the exact terms I needed
to narrow down my college search.</p>
<p>Do you have ANY idea what your family income and assets are? If you know your parents are making, say $200K a year, and you live in a house that has a net market value of about a half million, and you know there are stock accounts, savings, etc outside of pension, IRA accounts, the chances are pretty danged good that you are not going qualify for much, if any need based aid even if your parents cooperate and fill out all of the forms required. </p>
<p>Figure out what you can pay each year. My son, for example, had about $20K saved, knew he could earn about $5K a year over the summer and school year working, and also knew he had the Direct loans at his disposal that start at $5500 a year as a freshman. So right there, he knew he had about $15K a year that he could pay on top of what we were willing to contribute. He also knew that there was no way he’d qualify for financial aid, but he still threw in a couple of schools that were up there in cost just to see what would pan out He also was very quick to throw them off the table when he was accepted with no aid or merit at all and would have to come up with $60K+ each year.</p>
<p>By all means, look at the colleges that offer substantial amounts of merit aid. Again, focus on those where the chances are better that you could get the cost down to what is affordable. Duke, for example, though a great school with great fin aid is not going to be a likely option for you if your family will not qualify for much or any aid from them. Yes they have some great merit awards but give out only a handful and the calibre you have to be to get any is really being top school material. You can give it a try, but be fully aware that it is not to happen,whereas if you look at a school with guaranteed awards or where you are up there in the admissions pool and that school has big enough awards to make it possible, you are more likely to have some real possibilities come spring.</p>
<p>Your first list of schools should be those that are local and public Find out from your GC which schools have been “good” to grads from your HS and give out some nice awards. Look at the costs for your state schools, and see what the likelihood is for you to be able to afford which ones of those. </p>
<p>If you truly have no idea of how much income your parents bring in then using a broad net searching for schools that meet need as well as schools that offer good merit aid may be your best option. Ideally though, you would know which one should be your target.</p>
<p>Realize that when a school says they meet full need they mean need as they determine it. Generally these school will require the CSS Profile which requires full disclosure of your financial situation. The resulting EFC will usually be higher then the FAFSA EFC. </p>
<p>Also realize that top schools such as Duke and Yale offer little or no merit aid. Many are strictly need based on their own formula.</p>
<p>Someone may have already suggested that you pull up the link for FASFA ask your parents to register and fill out the form and simply walk out of the room, leaving them to enter the info that they feel is to private for you to know, which is of course their choice to make and you mustn’t be put off with your parents for their decision. In the mean time the few suggestions that I read sounds great, especially the wide net approach, God is Good and if college is truly what you want, then be sure to do your part, then leave the rest with God.</p>
<p>You are smart to be thiking ahead about this. Good on you. </p>
<p>Cast a wide net. If you need merit money look for schools where you will be in the top 75% or HIGHER and apply early. Educate your parents as much as they will allow. My hunch is most parents who have the “we’ll worry about it later” framework are either afraid they can’t afford it and are wishing on shooting stars or remembering the old days when you could essentially self-finance undergrad. </p>
<p>PLUS as mentioned above what the school says you can afford is almost never, even in meet full need schools, what YOUR parents think they can afford. The price goes up every year, btw, and what you personally can or should borrow is very limited. Best to you. </p>