<p>"…the financial adviser has reassured me that they do not want the high tuition to be a reason for why a student cannot attend if they are accepted."</p>
<p>I would love to tape these statements that most always come out of the mouths of what are usually admissions office employees. Yes, Davidson BrynMawr and a number of top schools, HPY as well, GUARANTEE to meet full need for accepted student and will often heavily tout that no student has to decline an acceptance due to unaffordabilty issues. Ummm. Well, sort of. There is that category of students whose PARENTs can afford to pay for these colleges ACCORDING to the need calculators. If that is the case, such students, get little or nothing because they are defined as having NO NEED. It’s all a matter of definitions, and what the definitions of “need”, “afford” are. </p>
<p>You also need a bit of perspective, OP. You are not “middle class”. take a look at what a true middle class family income is. You and your family are very acustomed to the standard of living you have and think it’s middle class or average, in part because of your surroundings. Very easy to feel that way. </p>
<p>When it comes to defining need, your family has to “show it all” in terms of income as reported on the IRS tax forms, and assets, including home values for PROFILE schools. The schools and other sources of financial aid look at hard numbers and run them through the calculators to decide whether you are needy or not. Because a family spend a lot of what they make and they don’t want to part with their hard earned assets is not a case for financial aid. </p>
<p>So, you should run some NPC numbers and also start looking at schools that give merit awards that can bring the cost to affordable levels for you.</p>