That’s wonderful to hear. So many students just want XYZ school regardless of cost.
What then is YOUR ideal budget?
Also be prepared, you will need to fill out the FAFSA (and the CSS depending on the school) to get merit awards, even if you think you don’t qualify for need based awards.
Ideally I would want private schools or other top schools to be within 50k (some net price calculators have shown around 45k, but you can’t be too sure until actual aid offers come through), but I would probably have to wait and see what the financial aid package would look like.
What would be the ideal timeline for me to finish the FAFSA and CSS profile?
The schools that my daughter applied to that used the CSS wanted it almost immediately after her application was submitted. They will notify you. For FAFSA, you want to submit it as soon as possible after it is made available.
That’s odd because in your field, the public are often the leaders. Maybe they should pay $60K for a public, but $40K for a private? I’m kidding - but the goal should be an education. I understand the logic but disagree - but it’s their money - but there are many “higher profile” publics in this field and more than privates - at the high level…is my point - so it seems odd to sort like that - but it’s their $$ so it’s ok.
And “good” privates as you deem them won’t have merit aid or significant aid.
You get aid when you are either well above the average student - you are - or when kids won’t pay for you so you need to spur demand.
The names you and your parents want - there are plenty willing to pay the asking price.
These are businesses…don’t forget that. They have revenues and expenses. You don’t put something on sale if there’s demand or you don’t get something out of it.
So you want to hit a cost, you go to those that need to buy kids in. You likely get the same education and certainly have a chance for a similar outcome although in some cases you have to work harder to get it. Of course now, everyone has to work hard - and many, even from top schools, aren’t getting…
Delete.
I hundred percent agree. The ideal scenario would be getting into UT Austin where the cost will be around 30-40k or even lower. But, considering the competitiveness of the program, I am probably not going to get in. So, I want to apply to other top colleges with the hope that I will get in with a good financial aid package.
We haven’t lived in Texas for awhile, so I haven’t kept up, but are you not an auto admit to UT based on class rank? Or is that just to the system but not to the Austin campus?
I am not ranked in the top 10 percent and for auto admit to Ut Austin you have to now be in the top 5% of your class. My school is competitive enough that the top 10 percent is really hard to get into. Even if I were to be an auto admit, my intended CS major is not guaranteed.
Wow. Thanks for the info.
ETA: what about Univ of Arizona?
Nope. According to MIT’s website:
About 60 percent of MIT’s undergraduates receive need-based financial aid from the Institute, and 20 percent receive federal Pell Grants, which generally go to U.S. students with family incomes below $60,000.
Good to know, thanks. So a little more than half? Not sure if the 20% Pell Grant recipients are included in the 60%?
I think the Pell Grant recipients are included in the 60%. Here’s a link to the information:
And this is their financial aid page explaining their aid policies:
This is absolutely false and seriously please stop perpetuating the myth that elite schools are expensive. It is absolutely false for even middle income families. Their financial aid is extremely generous. I’ve spoken before that MIT was CHEAPER than my instate public university. And that is not uncommon for low income applicants. MOST students at MIT are on financial aid.
University of Maryland is well known for filling >90% of its admission class in early action.
Source? Link?
First of all, I asked a question. I was not perpetuating anything. While 60% is “most”, it still leaves 40% who aren’t getting aid, which is not an insignificant number. Perhaps OP should look at schools that guarantee to meet need without loans.
Second of all, elite public universities can be very expensive for out of state students. Cal and UCLA for example give little to no aid to OOS students. They cost over $80K a year. That seems expensive to me.
Third, I have read of many students being full pay at top private schools. Just the other day I was talking to a girl who turned down Harvard for Maryland because she would have been full pay at Harvard but got a lot of merit from UMD. It can depend on the student’s financial info, which we are not privy to. Maybe she was lying, IDK, but I have no reason to believe that she was.
Lastly, I mentioned upthread that private colleges can cost less than public schools, which was the case for us. Your comment about me perpetuating a myth is false.
Even if you get in, you aren’t a lock for your major.
It depends on the OPs situation - so it could be very inexpensive - depends on the student’s family.
In the last CDS, of 1099 first years, 596 were given a grant or 54%. So near half were full pay.
The average grant was $67,740.
Direct costs are about $86K - so on average let’s say kids paid about $18K.
But of course, kids aren’t average. Some grants would be full COA and others $20K so each student will need to run the NPC to see where they are.
This is a widely known fact, and their AOs specifically mention it when they visit high schools.
I have a child who applied CS this past cycle. His stats are similar to yours so his merit results might be helpful. He did not apply to any ivies or small northeastern schools - he wanted a big public school in the eastern half of the country and not in New England.
NC State gave him 10k even though we missed the window to apply for their scholarship (can’t remember what it’s called)
UW Madison, admitted, no merit.
UMD (where he’s going in a few weeks) gave him some merit but it’s unlikely you’ll get it down to $45k. I think you’d get some esp given you’re from TX. Yes you’d have to apply EA like other posters have said.
UNC admitted but we didn’t fill out the CSS profile so no idea what our costs would have been, he was already set on UMD.
Tennessee gave automatic 18k/year for your ACT last year, no idea if that changed.
U Fl admitted, no merit.
UGA admitted with 10k merit, got honors, and I feel like if we’d asked they may have given more.
Try Duke? Mine was waitlisted but net price would have been around 55k if calculator accurate.
Penn State admitted, no merit.
UMass, admitted, 18k or 20k I can’t remember / yr merit.
I saw Pitt on your list. I know some high stats kids who got pretty good merit there. Pitt students can take classes at CMU, too!!
Finally, rankings can be helpful when you’re trying to come up with a list: csrankings.org is nice in that you can filter results all sorts of ways depending upon your interests. Check it out and show your parents if it helps your case. Hope you get into UT Austin!