Which colleges are generous with financial aid?

<p>Hi everyone. I'm not a parent but since parents tend to be knowledgeable in these matters, I thought I should create a thread here.
I am an international student from a third world country and I would like to attend college in the US mostly because the courses I seek are not available here but also because i'm in love with the sheer idea of an American college experience.
Anyway in order to attend I will need a lot of financial assistance. So could you guys suggest me some colleges that provide substancial aid to applicants? Perhaps the colleges where your S/D got the most aid.
I in the top 4% in my school and im expecting around 2200 in the SATs but my ECs aren't especially noteworthy. I'd prefer less selective colleges. Do any state colleges provide aid? Please, any and all help will be appreciated.</p>

<p>check the top 20 LACs. many are quite generous like Colgate University</p>

<p>I have researched them but admission is too competitive in places like Colgate. I’m looking for less well known colleges that are less selective.</p>

<p>State (public) universities generally do not grant aid to international students. A few of the most selective private universities are generous with aid to internationals. So are many LACs.</p>

<p>[Need-blind</a> admission - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need-blind_admission]Need-blind”>Need-blind admission - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>The ones on that list that are a bit less selective than the others include:
Beloit, Holy Cross, Knox, and Lawrence. Maybe Brandeis, Miami, and Richmond too.</p>

<p>Some schools not on this list also would be good candidates. You might get a generous package from private schools that meet > 90% of need (on average), even if they are not need-blind, if your stats fall in their top 25%. You can identify these schools from information contained in their Common Data Set files, or from college sites that aggregate such information (such as USNWR). Pay extra attention to the CDS section that covers aid to internationals.</p>

<p>This is assuming you do qualify for need-based aid (your EFC is lower than the full COA) and that your family can afford its EFC. If you cannot afford the EFC, then you need to look at less expensive schools, or at schools that offer sufficient merit aid for students with your stats.</p>

<p>All but a very few schools (6, I think) are need-aware for internationals. The few that are need-blind are extremely selective.</p>

<p>“I am an international student”</p>

<p>“I will need a lot of financial assistance.”</p>

<p>None of us can tell you where you might be admitted, or if you could receive the kind of aid you need. For that kind of expertise, you need to meet with the counselors at the closest advising center of EducationUSA. Read through the website at [EducationUSA</a> | Study Abroad, Student Visa, University Fairs, College Applications and Study in the U.S. / America](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.state.gov%5DEducationUSA”>http://www.educationusa.state.gov) then follow the links (click on “Finding an Advising Center”) to find the closest location. The counselors there are expert at helping students like you find good places to study in the US. They will be able to tell you whether anyone like you has been accepted in recent years, and if those students received sufficient financial aid. If you can’t visit in person, they should be able to help you by phone or email.</p>

<p>You also can look through the Financial Aid Forum where there are a few threads there on aid for international students, and in the International Students Forum where there are some more. </p>

<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>

<p>What courses are you seeking that aren’t offered in your home country? If they are unusual - or even pre-professional - it may rule out a lot of schools here.</p>