<p>My parents make roughly $220,000 a year. We have a lot in savings and in our checking, meaning we will probably get close to nothing in need based aid. HOWEVER, my parents refuse to pay for me to go to college unless I get at least 1/2 off the Net Price. I know my merit scholarships will be pretty good. I have a 3.5UW and about 1700 on the SAT (I'm taking it again). But should I tell colleges that my parents won't pay for me to go to school? And would they even consider that when giving out aid? Or will I just have to suffer with loans because my parents refuse to help me. You know, it's unfair because they are the reason why I probably won't get good aid, but on the other hand they refuse to help me. So, any insight?</p>
<p>220,000 annual income is not upper class. Maybe you meant, upper middle class?</p>
<p>Your parents may want to you to get some sort of merit scholarship. Those do not depend upon income. Look at the threads that list some auto awards. Look at your grades and preliminary test scores and see where you may have a chance for some nice merit money.</p>
<p>Otherwise, you have the CUNYs and SUNYs and if you commute to one the cost is quite low If your parents fill out FAFSA which they may need to to do to get some awards even in not income based, you can get enough in loans and a part time job to pay your full way to these commuter schools. Also some local schools with chances for good merit too, like Hofstra, Wagner, Iona, Fordham, Manhattan College.</p>
<p>@2018dad well, I’ve done some research and apparently, my family is in the top 5% of America. So, I mean upper class.</p>
<p>@cptofthehouse Oh GOD NO. That is way too close. I’m talking about privates like USC, Northwestern, Boston University… And you know it’s ironic because my parents want me to go to Northwestern, but don’t wanna pay Northwestern money.</p>
<p>I do not believe that Northwestern gives merit scholarships. Only need based. Which with a parental income on $220,000 you are not likely to get a lot (if any) in need based aid.</p>
<p>The average SAT for Presidential scholar finalists at USC (half-tuition) was 2250.</p>
<p>Well, if you have the numbers. If you need close to full tuition, or large awards, look at the threads I referred you to. You are not likely to get financial aid, you know, so you need to focus on those schools that give merit awards. I listed a bunch of them in the area. NW does not give merit money, just fin aid. USC does give merit, but you have to have the numbers. If you tell us a little more about your stats, that would help, BU gives in a need/merit matrix. Needing half of $60K+ is going to be tough to get in merit money. </p>
<p>Just looked at your stats–didn’t see them at first. You need to be at the top of the pool of kids to be competitive for merit awards. You also need to look at schools that have merit money. So check out the lists. </p>
<p>You won’t be able to take out more than $5500 in loans your freshman year without your parents getting involved, so no you won’t be able to borrow. Schools don’t lend much to teenagers, neither do banks. Parents have to cosign or take it themselves, which is essentially what the cosign is. It’ll be on their credit history. You can talk to them about that. </p>
<p>You would need much higher stats to get good merit scholarships at the schools that you would likely consider.</p>
<p>NU is a top school and with your current stats, you would have no chance for admission at Northwestern.</p>
<p>schools wont care that your parents wont pay. </p>
<p>you cant borrow your way, you would need your parents to cosign the loans.</p>
<p>YOU can only borrow 5500 for frosh year…which isnt much.</p>
<p><<<<
I know my merit scholarships will be pretty good. I have a 3.5UW and about 1700 on the SAT
<<<</p>
<p>???</p>
<p>from where? who would give you good merit scholarships? I cant think of any school that you would consider that would give you good merit. And private entities usually give small scholarships for frosh year only and often have a “need component.”</p>
<p>,<<<,
I’m talking about privates like USC, Northwestern, Boston University…
<<</p>
<p>You would not likely get accepted to USC or NU…you certainly would not get merit at any of those schools.</p>
<p>do you know how merit is awarded at the schools that give merit??? They give to those whose stats are well within the upper 25% of the school. To get a half scholarship, you’d have to be within the top 5%. </p>
<p>just to give you an idea, Alabama (a school you probably wouldnt consider) is the highest ranking school with the most generous assured scholarships for stats. To get a half-tuition (not counting room, board, etc), you would need a much higher SAT. To get about a half-ride, you would need a 1320 (M+CR) SAT. Your 1700 (3sections) is probably about a 1200 M+CR.</p>
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<p>Top 5% or so income is not upper class?</p>
<p>Consider taking the ACT – some students do better on the ACT than the SAT.</p>
<p>See the big merit scholarship threads at the top of this forum section.</p>
<p>I should clarify, I took the SAT without any prep or practice. It was my first time taking it ever. I just enrolled in a Princeton review class which I am expecting to dramatically increase my score. Also, my extracurriculars are outstanding. Idk if that makes a difference lol. </p>
<p>Kiar. There is a thread pinned to the top of this forum called “automatic full tuition/full ride scholarships”. I suggest you start there.</p>
<p>If your parents make $220,000 a year, you will not get need based financial aid at ANY college. If they want to keep their costs in the $25,000-$30,000 range, you will need to get a merit award to make up the difference.</p>
<p>Also, going to college far away from home (BU, Northwestern, USC) would be on your oarent’s dime. BU and USC do give merit scholarships. You would need to be at the tippy top of their applicant pool to be eligible for one.</p>
<p>I think you need to have a broad list of potential colleges. You need to know what the bottom line amount your parents will pay is for each year. You will have to work within that budget, sure, apply to BU and USC (Northwestern doesn’t give merit aid). But if the money is not forthcoming, you will have to be prepared to walk away from an admission offer at ANY school. </p>
<p>So…the very best thing you can do is look for merit awards that are assured based on YOUR stats. You also need to look at a larger variety of schools than the three you listed. And I would strongly suggest you consider your SUNY schools. There are many to choose from, and they are an excellent value for the money. NY is a pretty big state. You don’t have to go to the SUNY closest to your home.</p>
<p>ETA…the colleges will compute a family contribution based on your parent income and assets…which will be on the FAFSA and CSS Profile if required. They honestly won’t care what your parents WANT to contribute…only what they calculate your parents CAN contribute. So…no…it won’t do you any good to tell the colleges your parents won’t pay for you.</p>
<p>And my GPA is over 4.0 when weighted. I didn’t include that. Sorry. I just made an account here today. Still getting accustomed to things 
</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids Thank you for your honest assessment. Kinda brutal lol, but still I appreciate your thoroughness. </p>
<p>Maybe you will. Maybe you won’t. My one son did the same and got a near perfect. Other did not get 1500 and could not even with much prep. Can’t count on that. You work with what you have. Easy to add the more competitive schools if your scores go up. Finding schools that work with the lower scores which also would be more likely to give money if those scores go up, is the hard part.</p>
<p>But I’m asking more about getting need based aid. Am I likely to get more if I tell colleges my parents are not going to pay unless I get significant merit??</p>
<p>^No.</p>
<p>Kiara, here’s an idea of what it takes to get a merit scholarship at USC. </p>
<p>For the Presidential scholar finalists, the average ACT was a 34 and the average SAT was a 2250. 28,000 people applied before the merit scholarship deadline and 800 were selected to interview, 500 for Presidential and 300 for Trustee (full-tuition). This translates to the top 3% of the applicant pool for half-tuition and the top 1% for full-tuition.
The ACT average for Trustee was 35 and the SAT average was 2320. </p>
<p>These merit scholarships, much like merit scholarships at any other school, are used to recruit the top applicants to boost the USC’s rank and reputation. Many of those who receive the scholarships end up at the Ivies or any of the top 20 schools. </p>
<p>Try your best to bring your SAT up and score well on the PSAT for National Merit. Being a National Merit Finalist opens an incredible amount of doors for merit scholarships. </p>
<p>Good luck! </p>
<p>Colleges don’t care if your parents won’t pay. No parent would pay if they could get away with just saying they won’t. Nope, nope, nope. No one wants to pay. In order to get need based aid or loans even, you and your parents will have to fill out some pretty nosy financial forms that will poke and ask about Every Friggin’ Cent. They even call it the EFC (Expected Family Contribution) which is what you and parents are expected to pay at minimum before you get penny one from the government for even subisidized loans and work study. And the colleges usually piggy back right on their and are even more strict. You are highly unlikely to get any financial aid. </p>
<p>But don’t take my word for it. Ask your parents for estimated income figures and assets and fill out the EFC estimator and NPCs for colleges. They’ll give you an estimate of what they expect you and your parents to pay. Some have merit calculators attached when they ask for gpa and test scores.</p>