<p>I’m in NC. UNC is on the list as a given; I’m really lucky to have such a fantastic state flagship.</p>
<p>The schools of interest so far are Yale, Brown, Beloit, Chicago, Reed, Wooster, Kenyon, and Stanford, plus UNC. I’m about to look at Alabama and Arizona. I can already say with confidence that I definitely prefer the LAC/smaller university feel to a huge public, although I plan on applying to one where I’m guaranteed a full-ride as a true safety. Am I on the right track?</p>
<p>You’ve all been very helpful. I’m going to casually mention all of the financial advice given here to my parents; for all I know, they’ve got it covered and just haven’t told me.</p>
<p>Sorrel: I hope you 'll pop over to the UA forum. My D is an NMF who will be attending UA next year and the folks on that forum have been a wonderful source of information. </p>
<p>Sounds like you have a good plan in place!
good luck :)</p>
<p>I’ve seen this happen a lot. When it comes time to pick your schools, have your family visit the counselor with you and explain the varied choices you need to make. I’ve seen many families assume that their high achieving kid is going to get full scholarship offers to HPY, and are shocked to find out that they are expected to pay a goodly part of the cost, and that their kid, though stellar, is not given the most competitive awards.</p>
<p>My son was considered a good candidate for a GA Tech presidential award, given others at his school who had gotten one in the past. Nope. Didn’t make the cut. Got into GT but would have had to have gone on our dimes. The Hotel School at Cornell was considered a good choice for him as well, and he was flushed out of that one, as fast as they got his app. Not a good start on his college apps. But there were some unexpected good surprises too. I had a pretty good handle on the possibilities, but I was still surprised at some of the outcomes as were his counselors. So certain "what ifs’ were not even on the table at the end of the year when we had the hard offers.</p>
<p>My daughter also preferred LAC’s. UNC was her financial (in-state) and academic safety but always wanted a small LAC. All the other colleges she applied to profess to meet 100% of financial need. Davidson, Swarthmore, Haverford, Williams are without loans. Oberlin and Wesleyan with loans though the Wesleyan didn’t go beyond Stafford. All the schools, but particularly Swarthmore and Williams should meet the prestige criteria for your folks. Also look at Amherst (the biggest “name”), Middlebury, Carlton, Grinnel and Bowdoin for other prestigious schools that may meet 100% of demonstrated need.</p>
<p>College visits are good for parents as well as teens. My DH came home from a Whitman orientation with a slightly surprised manner. The financial aid officer had laid it out for parents the news that a (then) 2008 dollar did not buy what a 1975 dollar bought. The kid who waited tables in 1975 could foot a fair portion of a tuition bill. She went on to say that a kid would have to earn $20 a hour to have the buying power of a 1975 minimum wage job. Very sobering. </p>
<p>Just as teens will listen to someone other than their parents at times, so is it that parents may learn from someone else the same thing their teen has been saying.</p>
<p>If you don’t qualify for the Covenant program, they also try to provide as much aid in grant rather than loans and has one of the smallest (average) amount of debt per graduate of its peers.</p>
<p>If parents want any say…they have to pay. Community college then a state U is fine. Consider Cornell or Amherst after community college as they both have special programs for such.</p>
<p>“Basically, they’ve decided to depend on me to be successful and eventually support them.”</p>
<p>– OP, if your parents really do expect you to help the family financially after you graduate (and in many cultures that’s a given) point out that massive debt you will incur for a ‘prestige’ undergraduate education will make your assistantce that much more far fetched.</p>
<p>Yes, the parents do seem to have cross-purposes.</p>
<p>A student who takes on big debt will not be able to afford to help the family. They are under the mistaken impression that those who graduate from the elite schools make SO MUCH MORE money that they can easily pay off big debt and support the family. </p>
<p>They are so wrong. Elite school graduates (for undergrad) do not earn more or at least not much more. Certainly not enough more to justify big debt.</p>
<p>The OP’s stats are high enough that he doesn’t have to rely on the CC then transfer route as his safety. He can get a big scholarship from a mid-tier school. Fed aid can cover the misc other costs.</p>
<p>He can apply to the top elites that give great aid without big loans for his reaches.</p>
<p>Mmmh, actually in the OP’s case, CC + transfer to UNCCH–if there are articulation agreements–might be more attractive than, say, a degree from Bama. (Not that there’s anything wrong with Bama, mind.)</p>