<p>I have read many times that if one is looking for financial aid, it can be a good idea to also have student stats land in the top 25% of the applicant pool. If my kid wants Podunk U, will they offer the same ratio of loans/work study and grants to him, as someone with much higher stats, provided family efc it equal? Remember, I am asking about 2 kids both wanting to attend the same Podunk U, and I am not asking about merit aid. I am asking only about financial aid.</p>
<p>Somebody out there must have an idea about this.</p>
<p>most likely yes, kid with better stats will get better packaging but you have to do your research about what this U does traditionally and what else is important for this college, besides academics- minority, diversity, etc. If this U is know to gap heavily your child still might not get better than other schools package.</p>
<p>It depends on the policy of the individual school. If Podunk U does not guarantee to meet 100% of need, I think it will very likely make a difference–they will use their funds to attract the students they most want. At a college that gives both merit and need-based aid it may also make a difference. For example, Grinnell College freely admits to preferential packaging, reducing loans and/or adding a merit component to lure top students. At an elite school that guarantees to meet 100% of need and gives no merit aid, however, I think it makes little difference. Most seem to have standard practices that they apply pretty evenly. One of my son’s attends a LAC where most of his stats fall just under 50%, and I can’t imagine anyone getting a more generous package. Outside scholarships did replace his loan and work study, however. Second son attends a solid (though I wouldn’t say elite) LAC that also guarantees to meet need, and he has a very similarly generous package, except that his does include a small amount of loan and work study. Again, his stats were not consistently in the top 25%–his test scores were, but his grades were way below that.
My kids looked mostly at LACs that guaranteed to meet 100% of need, and a lot of them spelled out their aid policies pretty clearly on their webpages. It may be that a top student would have more luck negotiating if they were unhappy with their original package and had other (better) offers.</p>
<p>Even for schools that guarantee to meet 100% of need, the packages can differ between stronger and weaker applicants. Grants can replace loans and work-study.</p>
<p>I guess the posts are suggesting that one might get a more generous financial package with higher stats, or if fulfilling a niche the school would like.</p>
<p>Honestly, the only way to see for sure is to apply and wait for that important F.A. package!</p>
<p>I know that my oldest got a great fin aid package from his LAC, it was almost entirely grant minus the Stafford. (100% need school where he was at the 75% mark and also geographically diverse) This year with two in, our need increased. The increase was met with more grant instead of loan, and a small amount of work study–but he has been on the Dean’s List all three quarters there. Judging from some of the posts about disappointing aid from this school, I would conclude that it was preferential in nature.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies.</p>