So I just found out that I am royally screwed. I am a middle-lower upper class white male with two parents and one twin sibling. My dad makes enough money that puts me out of the running for a lot of financial aid but still in the running for some (150,000-175,000 per year total).
I hate this because I am looking at a lot of top tier schools and I fully believe that I have the qualifications to get in, but getting a merit scholarship at these schools is crazy and I am not THAT smart. Some of my schools are Duke, Georgetown, George Washington, UNC Chapel Hill, Davidson, and Johns Hopkins.
I hate this because I do not want to miss out on an amazing education simply because I cannot afford it. What do I do?
If you tell me your stats, I can tell you where you can get a merit(full tuition, full ride) automatically or competitively. You could consider Howard University. World class education and automatic scholarships based on grades. Or you could try for essay, athletic, literature or major specific scholarships, but again depends on your specific situation.
Who told you that you have problems getting aid? With a twin you are actually in a very good position to get aid. Likely your expected family contribution for both students in school would be 40K or something around there.
Some schools only look at FAFSA which does not count assets like the family home. This can help a lot. Some (not all) private schools also want information about assets and retirement savings etc.
Your parents should be able to fill out a calculator to find what the expected contribution is.
That said, you can get an excellent education at many schools that are not in your list.
@Girlwitharabbit can you look at my previous chance thread for my stats? And I want to major in chemistry and spanish. Some good schools for that with prospective pre med?
@maffdad my dad just entered stats in net price calculator at Duke and Georgetown. Aid for both was no more than 15,000 (sounds good, but schools cost >60,000) What are some schools I could look at?
@intparent They try to tell me to have money not be a huge factor but with a twin going OOS and me wanting to go to med school I don’t want it to be a huge burden on them.
With a twin sibling and a family income of $150,000-$175,000 a year (assuming your mother does not work outside the home?), you will likely get financial aid at Duke, Georgetown, UNC-CH, Davidson (?), and Johns Hopkins as long as your twin is also in college (any college).
Fill out the FAFSA and CSS profile at these schools. We have two in college and a higher yearly income than what you listed and received FA to one of the schools on your list.
If you have the qualifications to gain acceptance to one of the schools you mentioned, then you should be able to get merit money to many schools. Have you thought about applying to UMD-CP, UConn, TCNJ, (there are more if you are intertested)?
Seems like money is a factor, but they do not want to have you face reality now, even though it would be better for both you and them to know what financial reality is before applying. However, since you are currently a junior, you have some time to figure this out. It also looks like you have not yet taken the SAT or ACT yet.
Ok…so dad has used the NPC. He knows his income AND assets, and he’s put in that the sister will also be in college…and the results indicate that the family will have to pay a LOT for each twin. (sounds like the family has some assets as well…which some here may be ignoring).
[QUOTE=""]
my previous chance thread for my stats? And I want to major in chemistry and spanish. Some good schools for that with prospective pre med?
<<<<
[/QUOTE]
Ok…You’re a junior with a high GPA, but no test scoes. Without the test scroes, we really can’t say where you could get large merit awards.
It can be a good strategy for a SERIOUS premed to avoid schools that will be loaded with amazing premeds. It can also be a good strategy to avoid paying too much for undergrad so that parents can help with med school costs.
Financial constraints are a major factor for most everyone in choosing a college. This is nothing new. Many people have to miss out on things they want because of financial constraints --fact of life. The NPC figures you quote are sounding very optimistic to me. Many premed hopefuls find they are no longer in the running at places like JHU where the competition is fierce.
Different schools have different methods of figuring out FA packages. And yes, financial constraints are a reality for most families, especially with med school in the future.
Come back once you have scores and we will help you choose schools where you may receive some merit. You can also apply to your original schools and wait to see how it all pans out. Good luck!
Baylor and Howard are the only ones in the top 20 with automatic aid. George Washington University, Temple, University of Iowa, Ohio State and University of Miami are schools in the top 20 you would be competitive for given your GPA, but it would really depend on your SAT/ACT scores. They all give full tuition or full ride. Ohio grants it completely on Stats but others like Baylor care more about you being a well rounded students. So, volunteer and go bananzas on your ECs. Mi recomendación sería la Universidad de Miami si deseas especializarse en el idioma español. Good luck!
Do you really believe that the only places where you can get an “amazing education” are schools that cost $60,000 plus a year? If so, you are wrong. Please open your mind to other colleges. You will find some real hidden gems that are not in the top 20 and also don’t cost $60,000 or more a year.
Ther are many fine colleges where your costs would be far less AND your education would be excellent. Start with your instate public universities…you have a number of good choices outside of Chapel Hill…that would be more affordable.
I would strongly suggest you retake the ACT at the end of your junior year, and prep well and try to increase that ACT score to improve your chances of acceptances…and merit aid possibilities. You might also,want to do the SAT.
South Carolina gives decent merit aid. Duke and UNC have highly competitive merit aid, and I believe GWU does as well. Right now, you are not highly competitive for those, in my opinion. Princeton, Georgetown and Davidson give need based aid. You might get some…but first you would have to get accepted. Your ACT is on the low side, as you know, for these schools.
You are from NC. Have you looked at the other instate NC public universities? You might actually get some merit aid from campuses other than Chapel Hill.
And lastly, look at the links in this thread below. Lots of info on guaranteed merit awards, and less costly schools. Especially if you think medical,school is in your future…you want undergrad debt to be as close to zero as possible.