<p>Look at Muhlenberg and Richmond for possible merit.</p>
<p>But with my newfound knowledge, I’m looking for 100% need with merit aid as a bonus…that’s why I included Hamilton and middlebury but I’ll look into the schools you mentioned</p>
<p>If you get merit aid at a school, it will very likely to reduce your NEED at that school. Most schools reduce need based aid if they award you merit aid…unless the school allows stacking of merit and need based awards. MOST schools do not do this.</p>
<p>If Middlebury and Hamilton award you a merit award, it will very likely reduce your need based financial aid at those schools. You would need to ask each college what their policy is.</p>
<p>Most will not reduce your EFC. They expect YOU to pay that (although if a Direct Loan is not included in your package, you can request that to help pay YOUR share).</p>
<p>Schools that meet your full need are not likely to give you a “bonus” of institutional scholarship money…when they have already ponied up a huge amount of need based funds for you.</p>
<p>Middlebury and Hamiltton do not offer merit. If you find an outside scholarship, you also need to know whether any schools will reduce your need award (or if they stack, as thumper notes. Or if this is a one-time freshman allowance.) I’m also surprised by the 900 at Trinity CT. </p>
<p>Re: travel, at some point, look at how you actually get to the Hamilton or Midd, campus, whether there are inexpensive fights when you would need and what connects you from the airport or train. Understand that at December break, rates go up. </p>
<p>I know I’m looking more for need based aid than merit based aid</p>
<p>I would seriously look at Bonner programs with that efc - with your church volunteering and academic profile you could be a strong candidate. Bonner fills any gap between award and efc and you have a ready internship stipend so you can afford some of those summer opportunities that you otherwise might not be able to.</p>
<p>I don’t really understand what is a Bonner program. Could you provide the link? </p>
<p>Just understand the diff between Bonner Scholar and Bonner Leader. The former may require summer work, in addition to during the school year. I think we’re talking 5k for Scholar. My kids were Bonner Leaders, which can have a stipend more like work/study. Start with Bonner.org. In looking at this yesterday, I found a college video with one D describing her experience. It’s a great program.</p>
<p>If you do a google search for Bonner Scholarships you should find the link to their website. They list schools that offer them there. Emory and Henry is another school that does.</p>
<p>Post #105 on this thread has links and a great overview. Her daughter is a Bonner Scholar.</p>
<p>But I should also look at schools that meet 100% need right? I know rice is a reach but it offers all aid according to NPC </p>
<p>Of course. But you should ensure the details you put in the NPC are accurate and that you correctly interpret the results. If some school includes merit in the NPC results, you should backtrack to ensure you are qualified for the merit, if there is a limited number of those awards (or a competition,) if they are guaranteed 4-years, and any other considerations (eg, it affecting need aid.)</p>
<p>Aiui (and I am clearly confused,) you will put 79k in for 2014, plus whatever he does earn. I don’t get how Trinity CT ends up with a 900 EFC. Sorry for my confusion.</p>
<p>Oh I’m sorry before in the thread I finally sat my dad down and the expected income this year is 59000 (September comes he is unemployed) with an AGI of 25000. rice NPC showed a big grant and 2500 work study </p>
<p>By the way, my school at least factors travel expenses into the cost of attendance, with an upper limit of $2000 for international students. Which means that if your need is big enough, you get money for travel.</p>
<p>As for winter clothes, I know that Harvard actually includes that expense in its financial aid calculations. I’m not saying you should apply to Harvard, but Harvard isn’t the only institution with good financial aid. You shouldn’t just assume that a college isn’t going to help you out with these indirect expenses.</p>
<p>This is why it’s good to have a mix . . . you just don’t know exactly how they will calculate and package until you get the numbers back next March. Target smartly, then show them the love so that they know you are serious. I would advocate looking at a few more “meets 100% of need” schools with higher acceptance rates to see if one or two seem like options - schools that are academic matches rather than reaches. The classics that I know of are all in the upper midwest (Carleton, Macalester, Grinnell and St Olaf) but there must be others closer to your geographic preference area as well that someone can recommend.</p>
<p>You can also do well at schools where you are at the top of their profile and qualify for large merit plus some need. And did I say Bonner? ;)</p>
<p>I’ve been looking for colleges that offer 100% need and most of them are selective with the highest acceptance rate capping at around the high 20 percent. Should I just keep 2 safety schools and then apply to these schools? (I don’t like st. Olaf because of the extreme cold)</p>
<p>yep - I was just wondering if there were any others in that high 20s range in your geographic area as opposed to teens for selectivity.</p>
<p>Oh I gots you 
I should change my reaches rice and middlebury to ones in the high 20s?</p>
<p>Btw do you know any safety schools for me besides the one on the automatic tuition (website)? I have FIU but its too close to home… also do you know anything about LA tech?</p>
<p>Again . . . I wouldn’t keep swapping out and worrying about exact numbers in each category yet. IMO there’s nothing wrong with having a slightly larger working list that you’re still investigating and pondering. It doesn’t need to be a zero sum game at this point.</p>