Ugh, I can’t believe that I, as a UNC alum and fan am, saying this but Duke could also be good for you and if your parents’ combined income is below $150k as a North Carolina resident you should qualify for free tuition: Initiative for Students from the Carolinas | Karsh Office of Undergraduate Financial Support
But UNC has some great scholarship programs too. https://studentaid.unc.edu/
Harvey Mudd should be viewed as a reach, even by very strong students…not a target. Acceptance rate is very low.
Like others are saying, I think you need to get an all-in budget, and then look at a bunch of NPCs to get an idea of where might be on budget just with need aid.
Once you report back on that, you might have a LOT of options to consider. In the event need aid is not typically doing it for you, though, we might be able to come up with some options where merit aid could get you there. But we’ll need some more information to really do all that.
You need to pin down your budget. Do you know/think you’ll be a NMSF? That could open doors for scholarships.
With a budget under $15-20k it is important that you use the NPCs. I would look into schools that meet full need, and if necessary there may be schools with significant merit that could be recommended.
Besides Duke, I would also look at state schools in NC. Have you used the NPC for UNC?
My experience with UNC is that there is a TON of research going on, however due to politics (I won’t say anything else) I don’t know what has been impacted.
I tried filling out the Duke Net Price Calculator and the result was around 25k, but it won’t be accurate since everything is based on 2024 tax forms and my family’s financial situation has changed since then.
Does FAFSA use 2024 tax forms for the upcoming college application cycle as well, or will they request more recent information?
Assuming that you qualify for significant need-based financial aid, and based on your academic interests & desire for cold weather & big city, consider the University of Chicago and Northwestern University (which is located in an upscale Chicago suburb on the shore of Lake Michigan).
Consider: Quantitative Finance & Quantitative Economics/Econometrics as potential majors leading to very lucrative career paths.
Northwestern is a leading university for study of neuroscience.
Econ major offers a few options for those highly talented in math:
Because you are a junior, for your first year of college, FAFSA and CSS profile will use 2025 income (assets treated the same…as of the day you file FAFSA and CSS profile.)
Run the NPC using your 2025 financials to approximate 2027-28 FA, do not use 2024. NPCs aren’t really set up for 2027-28 yet, but the results at CSS Profile schools (like Duke) should keep pace with yet-to-be-determined COA increases.
In what way did your 2025 financials change? If income and/or assets went up significantly, that tells us that meet full need schools might be off the table for you (even with 2024 income, Duke seems to be higher than your budget.)
If OP needs substantial financial aid, Northwest need to be carefully examined for NPC. It tends to give much less aid than UChicago.
You need to base the list on your budget, rather than the other way round. I (as a parent) ran a ton of net price calculators because we had a similiar budget. With a budget in your range - that is going to be the driving factor to where you can apply.
If you have a lot of need - you may find what you want at a small liberal arts college (like Macalester). Otherwise, you may need to look in-state. Your test scores and grades will help you get funding.
You are likely going to get recommendations for the ‘warm’ schools - like Alabama and others in the south that reward high test/gpa combos.
But if you want cold – and really want cold – try running the calculator on something like Michigan Tech and see what that shows. 
ETA: There are a number of schools with free tuition if your family income is under $200K. You’d still have to cover housing, but that should be within range. I think Brandeis is a ‘northern’ option. If you search CC, you are likely to find others like that.
But definitely confirm the budget
NC State ! Good chance for $. Very strong fit based on your interests.
I believe that contributor used target in a different sense from that of an admission match.
RHIT’s majors in fields such as biology, chemistry, physics and math attract few students, however. Moreover, RHIT does not offer a geosciences major, which I’d regard as essential for a student who might like to explore widely across physical and natural sciences. Nor does RHIT offer a neuroscience major.
You shouldn’t fill out. Your patents should. I put two others earlier in the conversation.
Many schools adjust aid each year. So if income goes back up, you’ll pay more.
The most important school on your list isn’t Duke. The most important is the assured, affordable admit - the W Carolina of the world. It’s less expensive than other publics as an NC Promise School..
Duke is in the possible (if it hits budget) but highly unlikely because they turn down more like you than they accept.
Do you live in commuting range of a 4 year public ? Room and board alone will eat your budget so you may have to settle for living at home.
Don’t make the mistake many do - focusing on the dream.
Focus on finding a safety valve b4 chasing the desired schools. You want to like your safety valve.
For the 2026-2027 academic year, the financial aid forms use 2024 tax year info.
For the 2027-2028 academic year, they will use 2025 tax year info.
For the 2028-2028 academic year, they will use 2026 tax year info.
Also, the net price calculators are currently set for students starting college fall 2026 and that is not you. So use these as an estimate only. Financial aid formulas and awarding policies do change at some colleges. Plus, your family sounds like it has different finances for years after 2024.
As do all schools.
Northwestern University is among the relatively few schools that meet 100% of full need without loans.
Not sure, but if I recall correctly, Northwestern’s financial aid became more generous over the past several years (and will remain so in future years) due to a lawsuit alleging cartel like price fixing among over a dozen ultra-elite universities.
In short, Northwestern University’s need based financial aid should now be among the most generous in the nation (100% need met without any loans whatsoever).
How generous “100% of full need without loans” is depends on how the school defines “need”. Some schools define “need” more generously than others (and it may depend on the student’s situation).
Yes, but Northwestern is acutely aware that it needs to be generous as a result of the lawsuit against 17 or 18 of the highest ranked US universities. Plus, NPC calculations for each school should give a fair indication absent any unusual/complex financial situations.
The University of Chicago was also among the 17 or 18 prestigious universities included in the lawsuit regarding cartel like activity regarding need based financial aid. Essentially alleged that schools like U Chicago, Brown, Northwestern, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Caltech, Emory, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Notre Dame, U Penn, Rice, Vanderbilt, & Yale were awarding the same (or very similar) amounts of need based financial aid to any particular applicant.
Both Chicago & Northwestern and most, maybe all, others have settled the lawsuit. Result is more generous financial aid in many situations and, of course, no coordination among these schools regarding need based financial aid assessments.
Northwestern does meet 100% of need without loans. But NU does not have among the most generous of need based formulas within the group of meet full need schools. Northwestern hits home equity hard (one can use the NPC to model those scenarios) and there is a current parent on CC who has appealed their package based on this calcuation.
Some of the most generous schools do not hit home equity at all, for example Harvard does not typically consider home equity when calculating need. Obviously for families with home equity, assessing home equity at 5.64% can greatly impact a fin aid package even if the school caps the hit at X multiplier of income.
Do you have data to support this statement?
Regardless, OP can and should model certain situations that are relevant to them in the NPCs.
Yes, that is what each school’s NPC calculator is for as schools calculate the need determination based on their specific financial aid parameters.
Harvard & Princeton have always been among the most generous schools regarding need based financial aid.
And, prior to the 568 President’s lawsuit alleging cartel like activity among at least 17 super elite universities, financial aid need assessments were coordinated among these schools. Now, use each school’s NPC to determine level of expected aid absent special/unusually complex situations.