How should I approach affording college with significantly reduced expected aid I can't pay

Paying for College
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Edit: I don’t know why, but I somehow missed all the other posts covering most of these suggestions, and also your feedback. But I’ll leave it for further consideration.

One thing I do think you should consider is whether a smaller college overall that nonetheless has a decent-sized business school might be doable. As noted below, some do have robust merit, and maybe at least getting an offer like that would be a good idea. You might choose something else in the end, but options are good.

End edit.

I’m not sure any of these are guaranteed, but might be worth checking out. I am going to link the Poets & Quants descriptions of their undergrad business programs, because I think they can be really interesting.

One idea would be the University of Richmond:

They fit into the relatively rare category of a small undergrad-focused college with a robust undergrad business school, and I think they are increasingly attracting the sort of students many competitive business employers are interested in recruiting, and they have a very robust merit program. I don’t know for sure, but you might be the exact sort of applicant they would love to woo with a generous offer.

Another suggestion along these lines would be Trinity University:

Just to be blunt about it, Trinity reminds me of Richmond in the sense it is an institution with a lot of ambition, and wealth to support those ambitions, including funding for potentially very generous merit aid. And again I think it is really seeing a market opportunity to attract students potentially just like you.

Finally on this theme, I note Bucknell would be the more traditional choice for people with your interests looking for a smaller college that is nonetheless very well-networked in business circles:

The problem is to my knowledge, their max merit offer for business students is $40K/year, but I don’t know if they ever stack that with need aid:

OK, very different direction, but in addition to Kelley and Purdue, among the Big Ten options, Minnesota also has an excellent business school, with a pretty cool variety of programs for undergrads:

Their NPC will tell you what merit you qualify for, and Minnesota also has rolling admissions. I am not sure they will get all the way to your budget, but I would try out their NPC, and maybe if it would be doable, even if not ideal, you could plan on an early application there.

Another possibility along these lines would be the University of Pittsburgh:

Again, they have OOS merit, and while I am not sure it would get you all the way to $40K, they also have rolling admissions, and then merit decisions usually (not always) come fairly early for early applicants as well.

I note Minnesota and Pitt are often considered top possibility for pre-health students as well. As you correctly noted, all of these suggestions would be plenty good enough to support a pre-health student, but I do know pre-health students who specifically seek out Minnesota and/or Pitt due to a combination of very strong departments in related areas, and many convenient experience opportunities.

Finally, yet another that I think might get you right at the edge of your budget with merit would be SUNY Binghamton:

I note Binghamton has what they call a concentration in Leadership and Consulting–I don’t think such a thing is at all required to go into consulting, but it might be interesting for you to have as an option if you keep thinking along these lines:

OK, so that is at least some ideas!

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I have never heard PA training described as a backup plan before.

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43

Ok - so not the south (where you’d most easily hit budget) and not a PWI, which is most every school mentioned.

Delaware State is about $35k for tuition, room and board.

Towson is $48k. Not sure of merit though - may be some.

Southern Connecticut and Central Connecticut should work with merit.

NE Illinois

U of Arizona about $40k with merit

Hope that helps.

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Yes, not a PWI changes things. And this is the downside of CC’s chance me form that now doesn’t include race identity and/or something for expression of interest for a non-PWI.

I would add U New Mexico to the new list.

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If you don’t want to be a PA, please don’t pursue this path.

Has anyone mentioned SUNY Buffalo? This could come in at the price point and seems to meet some of the other criteria.
@aunt_bea

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46

In fact if that means it has to have a reported white percentage under 50%, I think that might have wiped out every one of my suggestions.

Which of course is fine, but I think there is a latent problem in that some of the most generous with merit colleges are operating in student markets where a majority of those students would identify as white. Not by intention, it is just a combination of being in a location where they might need merit to woo some kids, and also being the sort of colleges that appeal to a lot of kids with professional parents.

There are of course plenty of colleges that fit that last criteria, but a lot of those will offer little or no merit, because they don’t have to.

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47

OP- there are plenty of careers out there that could interest you. Assuming that you’ll be a “walk on” for PA-- that’s just not how the adcom’s will see it.

Why not explore actuary, health care management, biostatistics? Not very prestige conscious fields-- if you have the goods, you’ll have a job. And the gatekeeping isn’t as intense as it is in other fields…

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8732 of 20,114 are white - so outstanding choice, well reputed school.

On a most diverse search, it’s neighbor Buff State came up but not SUNY Buff.

Just out of curiosity, I looked up Binghamton - 7,594 of 14,400 are classified as white - so a bit over 50% - with 2,648 Asians. At Stony Brook, Asian is the largest ethnic classification at more than a third with white less than 25%.

If the cost works, you’re onto something with SUNYs - is Long Island or Buffalo or South Central NY liberal - likely not - but the state is.

OP - great suggestion by @thumper1 and check the CDS of any SUNY interested in - section B2 for enrollment by racial/ethnic category. SUNY schools come in all shapes and sizes and typically at a solid cost, especially after merit.

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Of the schools I mentioned, the only one that would still qualify for these criteria is Loyola Chicago. Per College Navigator, it’s 48% White, 21% Hispanic, 13% Asian, 7% Black, 5% 2+ races, 5% unknown, and 2% international. There are about 12k undergrads here, and fraternities and sororities make up only 7% of the undergrad population, so Greek life is not dominant. And Jesuit schools (which Loyola is) are known for providing an excellent education.

I’ll think about some other options based on the updated criteria.

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50

Below are some additional schools that you may want to consider, all of which have enrollments of less than 50% white.

  • Howard (D.C): About 10k undergrads at this HBCU. 67% Black, 13% unknown, 7% Hispanic, 5% 2+ races, 3% Asian, and 5% international.

  • U. of California - Merced: About 8400 undergrads with 58% Hispanic, 22% Asian, 9% White, 5% Black, 4% 2+ races, and 1% unknown. This only works if you’re part of WUE (it would help to tell us your state).

  • U. of Houston (TX): About 38k undergrads with 37% Hispanic, 24% Asian, 17% White, 11% Black, 3% 2+ races, 1% unknown, and 5% international. Not only is the sticker price within budget, but oftentimes students who get even modest scholarships (like $1500/year) then qualify for in-state pricing.

  • Seattle U. (WA): About 4100 undergrads with 31% White, 27% Asian, 15% Hispanic, 7% Black, 10% 2+ races, 1% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, 1% unknown, and 8% international. This is another Jesuit school.

  • U. of Maryland - Baltimore County: About 10k undergrads with 31% White, 24% Asian, 24% Black, 9% Hispanic, 6% 2+ races, 5% international, 1% unknown. This campus is particularly known for its science and health programs.

  • Case Western (OH): About 6200 undergrads with 35% White, 27% Asian, 14% international, 12% Hispanic, 6% Black, 5% 2+ races, and 1% unknown.

  • Illinois Institute of Technology: About 3300 undergrads with 31% white, 22% Hispanic, 18% international, 15% Asian, 6% Black, 5% unknown, and 3% 2+ races. This school is definitely very tech-heavy, but business and the natural sciences are available here, too.

  • U. of North Carolina - Greensboro: About 14k undergrads with 38% White, 30% Black, 16% Hispanic, 6% Asian, 5% 2+ races, 2% international, and 2% unknown. Sticker price falls within budget here.

  • DePaul (IL): About 14k undergrads at this Chicago school. 46% White, 24% Hispanic, 12% Asian, 8% Black, 5% 2+ races, 2% unknown, and 4% international.

  • U. of North Carolina - Charlotte: About 24k undergrads with 48% White, 17% Black, 15% Hispanic, 10% Asian, 5% 2+ races, 2% unknown, and 2% international. Sticker price falls within budget here, too.

  • U. of Nevada - Reno: About 18k undergrads with 49% White, 25% Hispanic, 9% 2+ races, 8% Asian, 4% Black, 2% unknown, and 1% international.

I’ll second UT-Dallas which you had on your list from your other thread. Also seconding the U. at Buffalo and Binghamton suggestions.

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My daughter chased merit from many northeast universities (finance major). SUNY Binghamton was the most generous, came in under in state Rutgers (2021, under $30,000).

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Add University of New Mexico to @AustenNut’s list.

  • University of New Mexico is 45.7% Hispanic, 31% white, 5.56% Native American/American Indian, 4.35% Asian, 2.9% Black/African American and 2% international. 17000 undergrads. New Mexico is a reliably blue state.

Anderson School of Management

  • AACSB Accreditation ranks Anderson in the top 20% of the top business schools in the nation

Guaranteed merit for stats will reduce UNM’s OOS price to around $28K/year.

And as an alternative to business, UNM has a med school and PA school. Both are housed at University of New Mexico Hospital which is directly across the street from several of the freshman on-campus dorms.

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SUNY Buffalo is very underrated and is the best kept secret of the SUNY’s.
Budget friendly and lots of majors!

If my kid from San Diego could tolerate 5 years of winters, wearing Reef Sandals, then you can tolerate 4 years at a very good university.

Her first major was bio and chemistry then she switched to electrical engineering and computer software. (Double major) She is doing really well and is constantly headhunted here in California.

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100%

Their prehealth advising, science majors and school of management are excellent

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Acceptance rates to direct admit PA programs are in the 4-20% acceptance range. IOW, not a sure thing for anyone.

Although having healthcare experiences is not required at every program, having some is "highly beneficial "for applicants.

See: https://www.thepalife.com/direct-entry-and-dual-degree-bsms-physician-assistant-programs/

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