<p>My parents make about 375k a year. I have one younger sibling in 6th grade.
Do you think that I would get any money from need-based financial aid? Should I even bother applying for it? Am I more likely to get accepted if my family can pay full tuition?
I am applying to mostly top colleges.</p>
<p>You should use the Net Price Calculator for colleges in which you’re interested. That way you don’t have to take my word for it; you’ll see for yourself that it will be a waste of your family’s time to apply for need-based financial aid. There are those who say that everyone should apply for need-based financial aid, because you never know what a college might give you … but now that colleges offer Net Price Calculators, you have a pretty good idea.</p>
<p>Many top colleges state that they are need-blind for admissions. As a result, you are not more likely to get accepted at such colleges if your family can pay full tuition. Check the websites of the colleges in which you are interested to confirm whether they are need-blind for admissions.</p>
<p>No, need based aid is for people who make far less money and actually have financial need. If your folks don’t want to pay full freight for college then you should look for merit scholarships.</p>