<p>I've got more than enough reach schools thanks to overly optimistic parents and guidance counselor, but not enough safeties. I think I have one!! :O
Good match schools would be good too :) </p>
<p>Stats:
SAT: 2200 (M 700 CR 770 W 730)
SAT II: 800 World History, 740 Chem
GPA: 97 UW, no rank (my school is so weird - no weighting, 4.0 system or rank)<br>
Junior year classes: AP US History, AP Bio, AP Govt, AP Eng Lang, Precalc Honors, Spanish Honors<br>
Senior year classes: AP Euro, AP Econ, AP Eng Lit, AP Spanish, AP Calc BC, AP Physics B </p>
<p>ECs:
Interact (community service) 9th-11th, secretary<br>
Animal Rights Club 10th-11th (officers will be announced next year - <em>fingers crossed</em>)
Knitting for the Kneedy 9th-11th, treasurer in 11th, president next year<br>
Help the Homeless 9th-11th, treasurer
SAVE (environmental club) 9th-11th, president
DECA - 9th-regionals; 10th-states participant(written event); 11th-regional winner and top 10 in my event
Asian Culture Club 10th-11th, Indian dance choreographer [this one was purely for fun]
Peer Leadership 11th (it's a big deal at my school) </p>
<p>Community service - my summer activity!
2009 - volunteered at Headstart (free daycare/preschool for kids in poverty)
2010 - volunteered at an orphanage in India - Families for Children
2011 - same as 2010 ^
Can you tell I like kids? lol </p>
<p>No major awards, just small things in school </p>
<p>There are hundreds of match and safety schools for you. To narrow that down, we’d need to know:</p>
<p>Where you live and your geographical preference
Small/large school preference
Planned course of study (undecided is OK too)
How much your parents can afford to pay</p>
<p>*but not enough safeties. I think I have one!!
Good match schools would be good too</p>
<p>Stats:
SAT: 2200 (M 700 CR 770 W 730)
SAT II: 800 World History, 740 Chem
GPA: 97 UW, no rank (my school is so weird - no weighting, 4.0 system or rank) *</p>
<p>And…you can pay up to $15k per year… </p>
<p>Is it possible that reach schools will expect your parents to pay MORE than that? Are your parents self-employed? Do they have a good amount of savings/investments/assets/home equity???</p>
<p>Welll…for you a safety school MUST be a financial safety school. A school cannot be your safety if you’re not 100% sure that you’ll have all costs covered thru ASSURED grants, ASSURED merit scholarships, small federal student loans, and/or family funds.</p>
<p>You say that you have ONE safety…how much does that school cost? How will that school get paid for?</p>
<p>Safety schools often do NOT give much need-based aid…however…the good news is that some give large merit scholarships for stats like yours!</p>
<p>What was your PSAT? Are you a likely NMSF?</p>
<p>In your situation, **I would suggest that you apply to at least 3 financial safety schools that you like. ** That way, if your top schools don’t work out financially or admittance wise, you’ll still have a choice to make…and choice is always good for the morale!!!.</p>
<p>Seattle… Penn State cannot be a safety for her…it won’t be affordable since she’s out of state.</p>
<p>Univ of Rochester would be a good match, and with your stats you might get some significant aid. It’s in a fairly good sized city, but the campus is set apart and has the feel of a traditional campus.</p>
<p>And they meet a high percentage of need through grants, and they have significant merit money, and the OPs stats might be good enough to get some of that merit money. I’m at roughly the same position as the OP in terms of what I can afford to pay, and UR’s online estimator gives me an affordable number, with no merit (which isn’t in the picture, since UR is a reach for my D). For the OP, it’s certainly worth a try, with at least a reasonable chance for a good FA package.</p>
<p>Looks like you might qualify as an OOS Presidential Scholar at the University of Alabama. This covers full tuition; other costs of attendance are about $15,000 per year.</p>
<p>Otherwise, see how SUNY schools would be admissions and finance wise for you.</p>
<p>Financial Aid Statistics UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER:</p>
<p>Full-time freshman enrollment: Not reported
Number who applied for need-based aid: Not reported
Number who were judged to have need: Not reported
Number who were offered aid: Not reported
Number who had full need met: Not reported </p>
<p>Average percent of need met: 100%
Average financial aid package: $34,176
Average need-based loan: $3,829
Average need-based scholarship or grant award: $30,430
Average non-need based aid: $11,503
Average indebtedness at graduation: $28,100 </p>
<p>“not reported” is always subject to scrutiny in my opinion.
Average merit award is $11,503 </p>
<p>OP, have you actually calculated an EFC online? Or is this number of 15k a number that your parents have stated? Your EFC could be much more than that, which is why I am asking you.</p>
<p>And they meet a high percentage of need through grants,</p>
<p>How do we know that this student would get any grants? </p>
<p>When someone says that they can pay up to a certain amount (in this case, $15k), how do we know that that is what their EFC would be (especially with CSS Profile)? This family may have assets, they may own a business, etc. They may have a financial picture that is determined that they don’t qualify for much or any aid.</p>
<p>Many people say that they can pay an amount that is lower than EFC.</p>
<p>For a school to be a financial safety the student has to know FOR SURE that all costs will be covered with ASSURED grants (like Pell), ASSURED merit scholarships (stated on website for stats), small federal student loan, and/or family funds…otherwise, it is NOT a safety. And, of course there has to be a strong indication of assurance of admittance.</p>
<p>I know that you’ve stated that your D has a couple of safeties…if you know for sure that all costs are covered, then great…if you aren’t positive, then they aren’t.</p>
<p>Yes…the OP qualifies for full tuition to Alabama…that is an assured scholarship for stats. Her parents $15k would easily pay for room, board, etc…</p>
<p>With a CSS PROFILE school, throw in self-employed parents, a divorce and a couple of step parents, the non-custodial parent’s income and assets etc. and a family’s EFC may come as quite a shock! (Step parents’ income and assets will count, even if there is an agreement between the married couple that step parent won’t contibute to step child’s college education) </p>
<p>Self-employed individuals often have some of their expenses added back into their AGI, like vehicle expense (mileage) and depreciation expense on large assets. Any contributions to their SEP are added back into their AGI.</p>
<p>I did not suggest UR as a financial safety to the OP, I suggested it as a match. Given what she has told us, it seems reasonable to suggest that it MIGHT be affordable, given UR’s history of very generous need-based aid AND the fact that the OP might well qualify for some substantial merit money. The only way for her to find out is to apply and wait for the FA package.</p>
<p>In my own case, I am not relying on the UR estimator, which says my D would qualify for $49K in need-based aid ($40K grants, $6.5K loans, $2.5K WS) on a $57K COA. I know the issues involved with the CSS Profile, and I do own a small business. However: (1) I can pay up to $20K if I have to, though it would be a stretch, and (2) I’ve been working with an FA consultant recommended by the D’s school’s guidance office, and his preliminary assessment is that the CSS Profile factors would pretty much net themselves out. You’ll forgive me if I give more credence to his analysis, since he’s seen my detailed financial information, than to the opinions of m2ck and slumom, who haven’t.</p>
<p>It would help if you would post the list of reach/target schools on your list in order to see what kinds of schools you think may be a good fit for you. For instance, if you had Vassar then people may suggest Skidmore or Goucher as safety. Not sure they will all fall within your FA needs, but it’s at least a start. Schools that can offer you enough FA is the next step to narrowing down your list.</p>
<p>Look at UConn!! With your stats, you’ll definitely get in. You’ll also qualify for the honors program and most likely the Academic Excellence Scholarship, which covers half of tuition. That’d put your COA at a tiny bit over $15k before any financial aid or scholarships (and isn’t affected by financial aid).</p>
<p>*I’ve been working with an FA consultant recommended by the D’s school’s guidance office, and his preliminary assessment is that the CSS Profile factors would pretty much net themselves out. You’ll forgive me if I give more credence to his analysis, since he’s seen my detailed financial information, than to the opinions of m2ck and slumom, who haven’t. *</p>
<p>We aren’t questioning whether URoch would meet YOUR family’s need - obviously you know your own family’s situation. The point was that since we don’t know the OP financial situation (and neither does your advisor), there’s no way to know if URoch would work out financially. And, the point of this thread is the search for safeties - hence the title. </p>
<pre><code>And, I was just saying that you’ve mentioned before that you have a few safeties for your D. I was just wondering if you’ve made that determination by “expected” aid…or by assured aid/merit/family funds.
</code></pre>
<p>These were my words, and I stand by them… .if you know for sure that all costs are covered, then great…if you aren’t positive, then they aren’t. I didn’t state that you didn’t know your own situation. </p>
<p>Since you are assured that you have the costs of the safeties covered, then great! You’re all set!</p>
