Certain schools use CSS form and based on that formula will meet 100% of your students financial need.
and so thatâs UND - and thereâs more but not on your list.
But does UND, SU, and VIllanova look good in their NPCs?
Youâll know a lot more after the NPC - which under $30K schools you can target.
What is your estimated SAI from FAFSA?
Is it that your income makes you eligible for need based aid at colleges that are very very generous with need based aid for high income families? That is possible.
But remember, the college will compute your family contribution. The NPC should be viewed with caution right now because NPCs are set for students enrolling fall 2025, and that isnât your student, right?
You asked for colleges that would give instate costs to your studentâŠlike South Carolina did for the sibling.
The New Mexico universities will do this.
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My d24 (similar stats as OP) received no merit for Rutgers. SOE tuition is a bit higher, tooâŠI think first year COA came out to $37k.
Bing came in a bit lower ($36k).
Stevens higher (~$40k)
OP, my D24 ended up at RIT for engineering. She has a very specific merit-based scholarship (tuition exchange because I work in higher ed), that brings COA to $33k for year 1, in spite of a ridiculously expensive sticker price (I think $74k this year?).
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Our Southern California daughter went to the University of Buffalo for a computer software and electrical engineering degree. She originally didnât intend to go into engineering. She was in medicine. She got into top schools, but she attended Buffalo for the price.
She ended up transitioning to the engineering program. We didnât know a soul on the East Coast and even less familiar with the upstate New York area, but it worked for her. She got a great foundation in engineering and computer software and returned to California for internships and work. They have innovative ideas and they are really underrated. Sheâs become an engineering and CS manager and conducts hiring/interviews. Sheâs considered a phenomenal trainer. My husband is a graduate of Stanford and UC, and he was impressed with their programs.
Families tend to dismiss SUNY Buff because itâs in Buffalo, but she was only there for 5 years (double major). At the time, she received a full ride. She had two major snowstorms there, but most of the time she was on break, when those happened. We had pre-booked direct flights from San Diego to Buffalo, which were about $90 - 100 dollars per flight.
Check out the honors program.
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Thanks, Mel.
Just so I understand this, youâre saying that CSS lends itself to getting more financial aid than a family would get with FAFSA?
@MelWood the use of the CSS Profile in and of itself renders no increase in financial aid. What you are seeing with the colleges you are targetingâŠthey are simply way more generous with need based aid for higher earners AND they use the CSS Profile to gather your financial data.
You wrote:
Certain schools use CSS form and based on that formula will meet 100% of your students financial need.
The colleges using the CSS Profile have varying formulas they use to calculate your need based aid. There is no âthat formulaâ that all CSS Profile schools use.
If you are not self employed or own a business, you donât own real estate other than your primary residence, and you are not divorced parents, the Net Price Calculator will give you a close estimate of your net costs.
BUT as I said earlier, the NPCs are currently set for students starting college in fall 2025âŠand that is not your student.
And yes, financial aid formulas and policies can change.
Please let us know if you have had time to consider the New Mexico colleges. They meet your price point and have great engineering programs.
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WVU would be affordable with scholarships listed on their website.
FSU with the OOS tuition waiver but would need to up his SAT score. Iâm guessing 1430 or higher. It keeps going up.
Did you run the NPC for Lafayette, Lehigh or Bucknell?
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Go West Young Man. A lot of the western schools give good merit. U of Wyoming gives a lot of merit to engineering students, and no one would accuse Laramie of being âtoo urbanâ. It is a D1 school (and tickets are included in student fees), mid-sized, well funded. Montana and Montana State also treat their engineers well. Colorado State could work financially.
UF and FSU are hard admits, but other florida state universities, with engineering, are not that hard to get into and have cheaper tuitions. Housing in most of these university towns is cheaper than more urban places. My daughterâs first two years in the dorms was much more expensive than her off campus housing for her final two years (she was at a private university, Florida Tech in Melbourne and her cost after merit would have been well within your budget but that was 10 years ago so I donât know what it would be now, but housing is still low). Try the NPC for some of the private schools in the south like Florida Tech, ERAU,
St. Thomas, although most are less than 5000 students.
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SAI is 15878
Yes income is too high to qualify for Fafsa money but schools that are 100% needs met use different formula. Based on the net calculator for a couple of them we come in under the $30k. So basically they cover the total difference between what they say we should be able to pay and cost of attendance.
Lehigh was too high. I have to look at Lafayette and bucknell wasnât on list. But will look at it.
I think that is too far for him. Iâm going to talk to him about them but I donât think he wants to go
That far. I think 10 hours ish is max except
Florida we have family.
You donât have to drive. It would take far less than 10 hours to get to Albuquerque from just about anywhere in the contiguous U.S. by plane.
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I doubt Villanova would work financially. Although they are need blind for admissions they do not meet full need so probably would not get to 30K unless you get presidential scholarship but that is super toughâŠthey give 25 per year about 1.5% of the incoming class. Good luck.
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The student neednât choose New Mexico. Many schools much closer were mentioned above. And there are likely more. New Mexico is not the only state with schools under $30K.
The poster will have many opportunities to build a list, sans schools out West.
Also @MelWood FAFSA doesnât give you money. It determines an SAI (thatâs it) and makes you eligible for federal loans (up to $27K, including $5500 the first year).
For meets needs school, they use CSS - and thatâs why you see higher amounts required - they look at other assets like home equity, etc.
We can certainly build you an assured to go list much closer than New Mexico - and a pretty good shot list within 10 hours.
Any type of engineering discipline in mind - or not yet?
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@MelWood I sent you a message. Look for the little green thing in the corner of your screen.
Yes I meant based on Fafsa, we donât qualify for any need based aid, from experience at any of schools my daughter applied to. Someone had recommended a few needs met schools based on him having higher stats than her so that opened a couple of options but all reach schools.
Heâs leaning towards mechanical.
Obviously I know we can fly but for comfort both my kids like they idea of being away from home but not more than 2 hour flight or that I can hop in car and drive if need me. Itâs just comfort thing. We have family in Florida so thatâs an option.
Iâve added the new schools mentioned here to my spreadsheet and feel like we have some great and varied options now!
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Got it! Thanks! Iâm going to show him them and see what he thinks. Itâs more of comfort thing of him knowing I can get to him fairly easy if need be. Itâs like he wants to go away from home but also have a security blanket. 
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Itâs nice to look for the perfect school for distance, fit, and cost, but sometimes cost wins. The recommendations for schools in the west come in under budget, but if distance is more important, then look for schools in the south. They are going to be the next cheapest. I know students who found Mississippi State fun and affordable..
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