Hello. I am about to be a senior going to college. My parents/ will not be able to contribute much into college. Probably 2k to 3k. I know some of the small state schools in my state are pretty cheap, but i was wondering if you guys know of other small private schools I may get into and receive enough financial help to only pay a couple thousands or nothing. Their income is around 45-55k.
W GPA: 4.7
UW GAP:4.0
SAT: 1350/1600
Rank: Top 1%
State: TX
All schools should have the Net Price Calculator on their website. To start, see http://netpricecalculator.collegeboard.org/
Also, see Top 10% Rule https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_House_Bill_588
Any chance you might be a national merit semifinalist? You are basically trying to find a full ride and the easiest way to accomplish that is NMF.
Thanks for the information akidsdad. Im checking those websites.
GTAustin, no I was not a NMF finalist sadly :(.
Tell us some more…
Are you URM?
What are your extracurriculars?
What do you want to study?
Are you ok with going out of state?
From your income you stated, it looks like a need based aid strategy could really pay off for you. You would need to look at colleges that meet full need.
If you could get your SAT score up a bit you’d be eligible for the top scholarships at Southwestern, a Colleges That Change Lives school. It would practically be a full ride as you’d like qualify for some FA.
http://www.southwestern.edu/aid/types/scholarships/merit.php
Thanks for the information about southwestern, I’m be studying all summer to try to bring my SAT up.
http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/
This is a dated list but there are a few schools on here that you’d get full tuition or full ride via merit. You might get need based aid at some of the full tuition schools as well.
Have you considered that even if you get enough merit aid to bring down the cost of tuition, housing on campus may be beyond your reach? You might consider living at home and commuting to a school near you.
Thank you gettingschooled, I didn’t know most of these schools gave so much generous financial aid.
Edit: oh yeah PokeyJoe thats another problem i gotta consider.
Do you want to go to a small school, or were you asking about small schools because you think they’d offer more aid?
Have you gotten a general estimate of your EFC yet?
I think some good Texas publics would be good options. You’d get Texas state aid and merit at a number of them. You might also qualify for a Pell Grant.
What is your major? Depending on that, UT Dallas and Texas Tech could be good choices.
You’re going to apply to UTexas, correct? Run the NPC on UTexas’ website and tell us the result.
Have you tried the ACT?
Are you URM (especially African American or Hispanic, but Asian also for many schools)? Is your school rural or lower performing?
In any case, you could qualify for a scholarship that’s make them more affordable than TX public universities, at many top schools, depending on your story and context.
Look into St Olaf, Whitman, Denison, Dickinson , Rhodes, for matches, and Beloit, Earlham, Goucher, Eckerd for safeties.
You may get merit at St Edward’s, Southwestern, Trinity.
Rice would meet 100% need, making it cheaper than a public, but context would matter a lot.