<p>My rising senior twin daughters and I find ourselves unsure of our next step. Both D intend on continuing past undergrad degree. Little brother hs freshman this year. Will not qualify for financial aid, but ultimate college debt is a GREAT concern. State schools include Truman State University and University of Missouri-Columbia.</p>
<p>Our question is this: Do they focus on doing great things at our state schools and work towards admission in an outstanding grad/professional program or will they qualify for merit aid at top oos college or university?</p>
<p>D #1:ACT 33, GPA 4.103, 46/473, AP, good ECs, athlete<br>
D #2:ACT 34, GPS 4.170, 32/473, AP, good ECs, athlete</p>
<p>Is there a good strategy/balance that you have found?</p>
<p>Check out the Merit Aid thread stickied at the top of this forum. They may very well qualify for merit aid at private colleges/universities.</p>
<p>Keep your searches geared towards schools that offer merit aid. As long as your twins realize that, without merit aid, these schools are unaffordable, and they know this up front so there’s no surprise at the end, they should apply to any of those schools that they like. They may have more choices at the end of April that you would think. Then of course they may prefer the state schools to all their other choices. You never know.</p>
<p>Are you absolutely certain you will not qualify for financial aid? If they both go to private universities, their combined Cost of Attendance may be as much as $100,000 per year. What is your estimated EFC? Is it over $100,000?You should run the fin aid calculators. If, for example, your EFC is $60,000, that would be split between your daughters and they would qualify for $40,000 in financial aid.</p>
<p>I agree with the above posts. If your kids are interested in state schools, with their stats they will be competitive for good merit aid. TSU, in particular, seems to have quite a few excellent merit awards. But with those stats, they also are competitive for automatic scholarships at some great private schools … which are generally around $15k/yr. or so … maybe a drop in the bucket, but far better than nothing. </p>
<p>My suggestion is to find a financial safety each likes, as well as an array of merit-awarding schools & perhaps a reach or two at a need-meeting/merit-awarding school (Vanderbilt springs to my mind as an example). That way, they will have some really good options & your family will have choices that can work for you. Please make sure you are up-front with them about what you will/won’t pay in the process. It makes life easier on all concerned.</p>
<p>And if they want to do sports … that can work to your advantage. Check out the threads on this subject.</p>
<p>Thank you for your responses. H income above 150,00 this year. So we will see about need based. New to the community, could you tell me what you mean by “stickied to the top of…”. When reviewing merit aid, seems like many schools offer great scholarships, but the competition seems fierce! We are talking openly about the hard facts with our daughters. We just don’t understand how or where to position ourselves for most positive outcome (finance/quality of education) in the long run. Without boring you with greater detail on their stats, are we in the running for substantial merit aid or is it a roll of the dice? Thanks again for helping a very confused family!</p>
<p>You are right, competition is fierce! The class of 2008 was the largest and most accomplished group ever to apply to college, and the class of 2009 will be the same - if not larger. Your daughters have good GPAs and great test scores, so they are definitely in the running for merit aid - if they choose their schools carefully. They will just be one-of-the-incredibly-qualified-crowd at the top national universities. They should apply to schools where their “stats” put them in the top 10% of all applicants and that guarantee to meet “full need.” (Caution: you will find that “full need” will not be nearly as much as you actually need.) There are lots of schools that give automatic merit scholarships to students with your daughters’ qualifications.</p>
<p>A great book to buy NOW to prepare for financial aid applications is “Paying for College Without Going Broke” from the Princeton Review series. Even with an income above $150,000, with two kids in college you may find that you quailify for need aid.</p>
<p>Read all the “stickied” threads - those are the ones listed at the top of the financial aid forum that start with the word IMPORTANT. LOTS of great information there.</p>
<p>Check out “Financial Aid Resources” by Roger_Dooley for an EFC calculator (it is currently the thread that appears just above this one with a little picture of a lock on it.) That will be your first indication of whether you qualify for need-based aid. REMEMBER, your EFC will be split between your daughters - it is actually a great financial advantage to have both daughters in college at the same time.</p>
<p>Excellent suggestions. We have a great deal of research and reading to do! When looking for merit aid on the school’s websites, are there any tricks of the trade? Or, do we just go to each site and compare the girls stats with the schools and scholarship availability? </p>
<p>As the girls consider Truman State University (selective liberal arts in Missouri) and our flagship public university (University of Missouri-Columbia) safe schools, we will now cast our net. What surprises me is our flagship school seems to offer very few merit scholarships for non underrepresented groups. I guess we will see as time goes on…</p>
<p>Have each daughter generate a list of possibilities. Then set them to work researching. The best bets for merit aid will be in the “safeties” group. Each school listed will have a list of general information about scholarships and aid and a link to the school’s website. Note: Many merit scholarships have earlier deadlines than the regular application. (DON’T apply early decision - you lose all bargaining power and options - early ACTION is fine, though.) Remember that OOS publics tend to reserve aid for in-state students. When applying OOS, privates will probably be cheaper for you. Keep in mind that there are literally thousands of colleges and universities in the US - don’t limit yourselves to the “name” institutions.</p>
<p>Our family just finished the process you are just starting. (We only had one daughter applying.) It was a long year and a lot of work, but she is heading off next month to a GREAT school with a GREAT financial package of merit + need aid. By starting now and applying strategically, your daughters are sure to do the same.</p>
<p>“Stickied” threads are the ones that say “IMPORTANT” and have a little push-pin icon next to them. That means that they stay at the top of the board, regardless of the last time someone posted in them. (The others drop to the bottom.)</p>
<p>I have to disagree with alamemom on the OOS publics. I have seen some pretty amazing OOS scholarships on the websites of public U’s. It really varies by state. Auburn’s OOS scholarship opportunities are great, as are those at MI state & Pitt. I know that there are plenty of other excellent opportunities at publics … you just have to go on a mission to find 'em!</p>
<p>I absolutely defer to kelsmom!!! (She’s an expert - I’m a beginner.)</p>
<p>We are in California, so my perception is affected by that. Every year there are bitterly disappointed OOS students with incredible qualifications who are accepted to Berkeley, UCLA and the other UCs and find that the OOS cost is over $45,000 and aid is not available. For California, at least, merit aid and university grants are very rare for OOS students.</p>
<p>I was actually going to mention CA as an exception!! Not all state U’s offer good merit aid, and some states offer awful merit aid for OOS. But those that give good aid … it is a lifesaver for some families to know that they are out there.</p>
<p>First, go for the cheap undergraduate option. </p>
<p>Second, if you stay in state, go for Missouri Columbia. Truman State may be a fine school, but will elicit a ? from anyone outside Missouri for jobs or graduate school.</p>
<p>Third, I assume that your Ds are not DI recruitalbe. That would change everything.</p>
<p>Fourth, S2 (also a rising senior) has a similar profile. He wants big sports. I have gathered some info on state schools with good OOS aid for that profile. Please feel free to PM me if you’re interested.</p>
<p>EMM1, thank you for your opinion. The more information the better. I understand your advice on the cheap undergrad. With all three of the kids looking at 7-8 years of school…cost has to be a consideration. I wish it wasn’t, but this is the real world.</p>
<p>The U of Missouri over Truman will be tough. Two different sizes, two different feels, etc. I am an alum from U of Missouri and had a great experience but see no need in the girls following in my footsteps. At a large university (24,000+), you have to fight to become something other than a student number…I was able to do that. They have an honors college that offers some interesting opportunities. The girls have been invited to check that avenue out. Truman on the other hand, is a selective public liberal arts university of 7,000. They are catering to the high performers throughout Missouri, Midwest and beyond. Exciting opportunities for research as a freshman, internships in Washington and extensive study abroad opportunties. Placements at the top grad/professional universities is impressive. Awards and ranking are impressive for a public from the Midwest. You are correct, the name recognition could hinder…</p>
<p>I will not pressure the girls to run in college. It changes your entire college experience. You must possess the passion and comittment. Only they can decide.</p>
<p>So, thank you to everyone that has posted so far. If you have any more thoughts, I’d love to hear them. This has been the best time investment I have made in a long time!!!</p>
<p>Ditto - run the FA calculator. With two in college at private full-needs schools you may very well pay LESS than for public school! Public U’s are not known for meeting full need, and loans make up a big part of many financial aid packages. COA for full-need privates will be about $106,000 a year - so even with an income above $150,000 you may very well qualify for financial aid. So, choose some good safeties that you can full pay even without aid, then shoot for the moon. With scores /grades like that they have a shot at some of the most selective schools.
Just read your original question. What you do now is focus on helping your kids find a variety of schools that will be a good fit. Grad school issue is for later. Probably yes for some merit aid at some oos schools, not sure about the “top” ones. I think you should expand you focus to some full-needs meeting private schools that would seem a good fit.</p>
<p>On Merit aid (I hope I am posting on the right thread–I can’t remember where I read the Q): it can be rather hard to find out, from some college websites, if they offer merit aid or not. Odd, it seems to me from a parent perspective, that at least half the time the info I REALLY needed, was really obscure on the website. And even now with DS going off in August–how could it be that ALL the paperwork needed, is posted in PDF format, EXCEPT the health form information, which is totally AWOL!!! An unnamed Maine school…</p>
<p>I don’t know what kind of merit aid Missouri will give to students of your Ds’ calibre. Some OOS state schools that offer some good aid like Oklahoma, Arizona, UPitt, South Carolina, may be worth a look to see if your D’s would do better there if there are guaranteed awards for their level of stats. Otherwise the lower sticker price of Mo is the only guarantee you have in hand. Then you try your best at smaller schools that may guarantee full need. Don’t know how Truman is in meeting need, merit aid. Have to cast a wide net when looking for money and also throw in a few that are not necessarily sure shots. </p>
<p>I am not as concerned about the “huh?” factor of a regional school. There are some jobs that may be that way, but I think a good fit and a good experience at a school more than offsets a recognition factor. Kids who have a tough time at large colleges often do not do well or not finish whereas a smaller school may well be more nurturing, and offer a better chance of success.</p>
<p>Update: We have taken all of advice. Can’t thank you enough. We have a college visit at University of Missouri-Columbia tomorrow. Meeting with admissions, financial aid, honors college, international studies department, foreign language department, pre-vet and general tour. They have a full day planned for the girls. Our strategy is to leave no stone unturned at Mizzou and Truman State University. The girls are currently working on a list of a few oos and privates to explore next. Though the plan is coming together, we know the “answer” will not be immediate. </p>
<p>If anyone else has suggestions for quality public/private schools to research that offer good merit aid…we would appreciate it greatly!</p>
