<p>After getting two financial aid packages with big PLUS loans today, I definitely think they shouldn't be calculated on meeting need calculations. I mean, they can give you all the free scholarship money they want that seems like they want you but if they give you big loans as well it cancels that out. I'm just hoping my other schools will deliver which thankfully include the better two schools for financial aid. </p>
<p>I'm also glad I decided not to apply to any public out of states. That package from UW is ridiculous. It's like a rejection in my mind if they dont give you the money as its an easy cross off the list and doesn't give much of a choice.</p>
<p>This is somewhat off the original topic, but hope someone could answer this as well--
If a student applies to their first choice school in the early decision round, are they giving up their chance of receiving merit aid?
Thanks.</p>
<p>ED students may be given merit aid, but can't compare offers among schools, since they're obligated to attend their ED school if accepted. They are also supposed to withdraw their aps at all other schools as soon as they get their acceptance.</p>
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My son's best FA award was from a top university that was regarded on this forum as not being good for FA. It turned out to be the best (USC)
<p>Mac, You havent told us much about your daughter but lets assume that shes a good student with good but not perfect scores and grades, from a crowded demographic without an obvious race or talent hook. Add to that profile that shell need a fair amount of merit and/or need driven aid, then shes gonna need more than 7 apps if you intend to get any sleep between December and April! </p>
<p>My sons school set a limit of 8. As it turned out he was accepted to his ED choice so we never came to blows but I really agree with twinmom that the number of applications should be the familys decision not the schools. </p>
<p>I'm not talking about a random shotgun approach; even if you do your due diligence, research, visit, interview, toss the dice and pray, she may have to cast a wider net than seven to cover both her academic and financial reach/match/safety choices.</p>
<p>Momrath, you're on target concerning my daughter. However, we're in-state NY residents, and I'm guessing that the SUNY system will be D's academic safety and also our financial safety. I'm told that she can apply to up to six SUNYs on one application. So although D is limited to seven applications, she can apply to 12 colleges in theory. I know that New York State is hardly up there with Michigan, Virginia, and California, but I think she can still get a decent education in state. </p>
<p>D's high school is having a meeting at the end of the month and I intend to ask about the seven-app limit. I don't know what the reasoning is behind the policy, but I suspect the high school might have to change with the times. In the current climate (acceptance rates in the single digits at some elite colleges), seven applications aren't going to cover all the bases.</p>
<p>Also, D's school didn't have a particularly good year getting the class of 05 into top schools and in fact experienced a noticeable and distressing decline. So maybe the school will be open to new approaches.</p>
<p>My D's high school (small NYC public) allowed them to apply to 8 schools. Does your D's school have a large senior class? The rationale behind it is that applying to college is not simply about the application, it is putting together the transcripts, GC evaluation, Teachers writing rec's for kids, and still balancing teaching, exams, checking homework etc. </p>
<p>while there there were only 97 kids there is one college counselor who also coordinates the internships for the juniors and teaches a senior institute for all of the seniors, so it was a lot of work for her because very few kids apply ED (the PTA paid for someone to come in on a part time basis during application season to help with the paperwork, a luxury that most public schools do not have). I understand what you mean by the choosing carefully. when she really fleshed out what she wanted and did not want, she only came up with 7 schools.<br>
Sometimes 8 is enough schools unless student have to cast a really wide net lor merit money at different places. what I have found is that NYC tend to want to stay clustered in the north east and this can sometimes be a backlash. D's best bet is to be willing to expand her geographical horizions.</p>
<p>macnyc, using New York state schools as safeties both in selectivity and cost makes sense as long as she'd be happy at one of them. I'm sure that the quality of education could be good. The fit issue is something only she and you can judge.</p>
<p>I have no argument with applying to only 7 or 8 or even 4 schools. What made me crazy when my son was applying was that his high school felt they had the authority to determine the number that was right for our family and all families. </p>
<p>I found at one point that we were stressing over whether college A, B, or C should be number 8 when it would have been simpler to just apply to all 3. Who needs that additional decision making pressure at a time when stress is off the charts?</p>
<p>Mind you, I'm not talking about applying to dozens or all 8 ivies, but a reasonable approach especially when merit aid is involved is, today, wider rather than narrower.</p>