Financial Aid in Future Years

mom2collegekids
Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:02:57 +0000

*We are looking to have D1 include merit schools on her “list,” as she is focusing primarily on need based only PROFILE schools. She has very strong stats (top 2% of class in most rigorous curriculum, 35 ACT/2190 SAT, will be NMF) and is strongly oriented at this point towards a LAC or possibly a small university with strong sciences (ie Carleton, Swarthmore, Bowdoin, Wellesley, Haverford, WASHU, Chicago, Grinnell, Kenyon), only the latter four of which offer any merit aid, with the first two of those being a crapshoot. She very much is looking for an intellectual community for a fit since her high school has been very rough on her socially. *

If you set the standard with your first child of going to a “need only” expensive school, then you are setting a standard that younger kids can do the same. You could end up with some major education bills since the younger ones may not get accepted to schools that give great aid.

I understand your concern with your D’s high school experience. You really don’t have to worry about that in college. A student doesn’t have to go to a top, top school in order to have a social life with other smart kids. Many colleges have very smart kids and some have Honors programs.

You probably know that your D’s ACT 35 is much higher than her SAT. Her score could result in big merit at various schools. If you carefully select some of these schools, you will find that she won’t be some unusual smart student specimen.

Many of us here have kids with similar stats - NMFs, Vals, high test scores, etc. We can assure you that your child doesn’t have to go to a tippy top school in order to be around intellectual stimulation and to be around her academic peers.