Hello, I have been working on my Questbridge app, but I’m not sure if I should match schools or not. I don’t really know where I want to go to school, and the binding decision scares me. I’m planning on ranking the four schools that aren’t binding for now. However, I don’t think I’ll actually be matched to those schools. One thing I like about the match program, though, is that it’s a full ride for four years. I know that all the other QB partners meet 100% of need, but wouldn’t that package change every year? The reason I’m asking is that my parents are both farmers. The farm economy is extremely volatile, and I’m afraid my package will change. I think I could get good FA for this year (farm took a huge loss due to grain market plummeting), but I’m afraid that if the market recovers, I won’t be offered what I need for FA. My parents aren’t going to help me pay for any of my tuition or anything, so I really need to know whether or not I’m getting the same package every year. Will my FA package change if I’m accepted to a school with QB regular decision? Or should I just try to match to a binding school that I would have a better chance of being admitted to just so I know I’m getting a full ride?
This is going to be your situation no matter what school you attend unless you are chasing straight merit aid with no need component. Even then full ride schools are still few and far between. you need to make sure that no matter what programs you apply for that you have some financial safeties.
You have to apply for aid every year and each year the college will base the aid calculation on the previous year income.
Ask yourself which of the 35 QB schools you would not attend on a full ride. If you can afford to walk away from a full ride with no financial support from your parents, then eliminate those schools completely. Then ask yourself which of the 35 QB you would attend on a full ride. Rank those schools, paying particular attention to the programs offered, your interests (first, second, and third possible majors), travel costs, and available campus jobs. If you still cannot rank at least three schools, then maybe you should not rank at all.
But FA for most of the QB schools is need based and evaluated yearly. Can you afford to have your out of pocket costs fluctuate? Will you be in a position to come up with the funding based on FA award letters issued in March/April? Do you mind being forced to transfer to remain on track if your funding is interrupted (i.e., a high yield income for the farm)? If the answers to these questions are ALL “yes,” then can consider not ranking. If any answers is “no,” you should certainly think hard before you choose not to rank. You seem to need the stability of funding to attend college. So many great student drop out due to financial conditions. You want to minimize the financial stress so that you can focus on your course work. In my opinion, at this juncture, you should really try to get as much “guaranteed” funding for all four years as you can possibly obtain.
That was a very helpful answer. I’m pretty much dead-set on ranking to the four non-binding schools. The thing about all the other schools is just that I can’t really KNOW if I like them. I’ve never been on campus, I’m pretty much undecided when it comes to majors and career interests, and I don’t know how I would handle being farm from home. I think I’ll probably just play it safe and see if I can get a match to the four non-binding schools.