Can you tell us how much you CAN pay each year? $10k? 15k? 25k? More? Less? What?
If there are cost constraints like not qualifying for need-based-aid, but can’t pay for most costs, then really, your first goal should be to identify 3-5 schools that FOR SURE will give your child HUGE merit for his stats. After that, apply to some with competitive merit.
Our son is a NMSF and we expect he'll make NMF. <<<
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There are a few schools that would give him large awards for that.
Definitely check out the program the University of Utah. They are very generous with NMF, and the program is highly ranked. Some of their non-resident merit scholarships are full tuition. 
http://www.sltrib.com/home/2327031-155/princeton-review-university-of-utahs-video
Be careful, though. Washington’s CS major is competitive admission for those who do not get direct admission to the major. This is true for many other schools.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19854939/#Comment_19854939
Look at the average debt load of a kid graduating from SCAD (and the graduation rates), then run like hell from it (I’m an art major/returning student and did my homework on that).
Look at North Carolina State University. It’s ranked very highly for its game design.
https://www.csc.ncsu.edu/academics/undergrad/bs-csc-gdc.php
It will cost you less than CMU, that’s for sure.
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University of Washington on the list but somehow I neglected to list it. It’s actually my top choice, and they give full tuition for NMFs
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Really? Is there a link for that? Is that for instate and OOS NMFs?
^ My google-fu skills need work. I can’t find national merit scholarship anywhere on their web site.
I can’t either. And it seems like the OP is OOS, so even more doubtful.
I can’t either, now. Maybe it was on an outdated list.
I think the most we would be comfortable with is 25k. However, if he can get a full ride for tuition at a strong school, then we have money to help with graduate school. We aren’t allowing either kid to take out more than 5k a year of their own loans. We are also much more concerned about the quality and reputation of the program than I am even of the school overall, provided it’s known in the field and that the non-program courses are of good quality.
We also made the decision not to send our daughter to the most prestigious schools she got into because she was offered more merit aid from UVM and their OOS tuition was less, saving us 6k a year. We are also certain that she’ll continue on to graduate school, and so generally no one is going to care where her undergraduate degree is from. And of course UVM is a very good school.
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I can’t either, now. Maybe it was on an outdated list
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Must be. I’ve been following NMF scholarships since 2005 and I don’t remember UW having full tuition awards for OOS NMFs, but maybe my memory is foggy.
This is the working list of school where he is likely to get full tuition or significant merit aid. I expect that he’d have a good shot or a guarantee of full tuition at Alabama, MSU, and University of Utah.
Michigan State
Northeastern
RIT
University of Alabama
University of Southern CA
University of Utah
WPI
If he makes NMF, he’ll get 5 years of free tuition, one year of free housing, some other goodies, and $6000 per year for being a NMF and CS major at Alabama.
Practically a total free ride.
Btw…the game design students that I know at Bama take CS and minor in Graphic Design.
Alabama is incredibly appealing, especially because if he finishes in four years, he can take the fifth year of tuition elsewhere for graduate school, as I understand it. The money for study abroad is nice too.
USC would only be 1/2 tuition.
Re: graduate school
What kind of graduate school?
PhD programs worth attending should be funded. Professional programs (MD, JD, MBA, etc.) can be very expensive.
I didn’t know UW gives full tuition to NMFs - that’s amazing. Seattle is starting to get more smaller companies and startups, particularly in games, so if he wants that environment it is here. (It’s just not as pronounced as Silicon Valley.)
If he’s interested in game design, there are several majors and minors at UW that he could consider - computer science, digital arts and experimental media, interaction design, human centered design and engineering, and informatics. One of my coworkers (a researcher on the Xbox platform) got his undergrad degree in informatics at UW, and several of my colleagues have or are working on an MS in HCDE there.
Eh, I wouldn’t be, for a variety of reasons. In CS it’s more of a grey area, but most of an undergrad’s education actually takes place outside of the department of the major. Overall quality also determines the competitive of his classmates, the resources and internships available to him, reputation in adjunct fields he may enter (so yes, he may major in CS but then go work as an app developer at a finance company), and related things. For example, I’ve met more non-science majors from UW, Stanford, MIT, et al. at my company than CS majors from Champlain College. And also, he may change his mind! So you want him at a well-rounded educational institution.
It’d be extremely unusual for a university to pay for a student to go elsewhere for grad school. I’d bet that the additional semesters could be used at UA for graduate study but not elsewhere. Still is a nice deal, though, for a five year BA/MA program or something.
Re: Is Michigan State an assured full ride for NMFs - I’m pretty sure it is. Member @greeninohio has a kid there who’s doing it. If I find the relevant thread before the edit window expires, I’ll post a link.
ETA: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/18636932/#Comment_18636932
ETA2: Ok, so if one isn’t COE and doesn’t have something similar, and assuming that invitation to the Honors College is automatic for NMFs, then it might fall a short of full ride, but it looks to be well in excess of full tuition. Green’s kid also has an alumni scholie and gets $$ back each semester. Nice work if one can get it!
I understand that $ and merit aid are big factors for you, but have you considered Cornell? No merit aid, but if you can swing it, a great school to graduate from with a minor in game design. S has similar interests, and has Cornell on his list.
I don’t think UW gives NMF scholarships. I live in WA and have heard nothing like this.