<p><a href=“1”>quote</a> How is this “expectation” affected when a family has more than one child in college?
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<p>Can’t answer that because while I did have 2 in college at the same time for 1 year, D1 attended our state flagship under the Lottery Scholarship program. </p>
<p>But you must remember that most US colleges and universities do not meet full need and will ‘gap’ you so even if your EFC=1/3 your pre-tax income, your actual costs may be much higher.</p>
<p><a href=“2”>quote</a> Do you think that applying ED affects the aid package? If so, how?
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<p>Have no clue because I did not allow either of my children to apply ED anywhere. (EA and rolling decision–yes; binding ED–no.)</p>
<p>Both were eligible for NM’s Lottery-Success Scholarship. (Free tuition for 4 years at any state U. And since the state flagship is here in town-- they basically had free room & board too. Both could go for the cost of books, lab fees and parking pass. Hard deal to pass up.) My husband and I required our kids to consider cost when choosing where to apply. They each had a budget to work within. For D1 this meant applying to programs under WUE as well as for merit scholarships. For D2, this meant applying for merit and outside scholarships everywhere. This was very important since DH had stage 4a cancer at the time D1 was applying and had passed away by the time D2 was applying. Both my DH and I strongly felt the gift we most wanted to give to our kids was an education for which they didn’t incur debt. And we’ve managed to do that.</p>
<p><a href=“3”>quote</a> How/when is merit-aid factored in?
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<p>Merit should come with the FA pkg at acceptance–except for special awards that require separate applications. Those notifications came in early spring–around March IIRC.</p>
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<p>Amen to that! I’ve always told my kids when they complained they didn’t have this or that that if they spent their lives being unhappy because someone had more than they did, they were going to spent their entire lives being very unhappy. No matter how much you have–someone is always going to have more.</p>
<p>And Pepper03–D1 graduated from the state U and I really cannot say that her opportunities and education quality was in any way substantially different that those her sister has at UR. I think in the long run their life outcomes are going to be equally successful. It really is the kid and not the school that makes the difference. Roses can bloom anywhere you plant them.</p>