<p>My DS will be graduating from a private day school in northeast ranked in top 20 in the country. Because a significant number of the 120 students in each graduating class are the cream of the crop from surrounding towns as far as an hour away, the school does not rank students and doesn’t calculate GPA’s. We are lucky to have given all of our kids this first rate education, but dear child #4 is (thankfully!) looking to apply to merit scholarships (ACT on first attempt =32, hoping for better in june/september- mostly A’s and A-'s with a few B’s since 9th grade). Can he still apply without class rank and without GPA calculation from his school? Do I just calculate his GPA myself…GPA would not be straightforward to calculate, in part bc they are given a 1st term grade, 2nd term grade, final exam grade and a yearly grade, so if I were to hand calculate it myself, not sure if the year grade counts or just each term separately? And does 9th grade count too? Or just 10th-11th? In the public school in our city, he would certainly be in the top 20% of his class, if not top 10%, but honestly, I have no idea whatsoever what grades the other kids get in his school, so no clue if he can even apply for merit at places that use class rank. </p>
<p>Just apply. If these are scholarships through the colleges, they will either be familiar with the school…OR the school can include a school class profile. This often includes the range of GPAs in the class. And lastly, the scholarship organization or the college can compute the GPA. Many colleges do,this anyway for scholarship purposes.</p>
<p>Get a copy of the transcript.
The transcript is ONLY the year end grade and gpa is calculated using year end grade.
Many colleges recalculate gpa to 4.0 standard using their own formula. The formula is different for every HS and they don’t release their formula.</p>
<p>Scholarship boards also often recalculate GPAs. Clearly a 4.0 out of a 5.0 or 6.0 scale is not the same as the on a 4.0 scale. A lot of schools do not bother to calculate GPAs or rank these days. </p>
<p>My one son went to a high school that did not weight at all, and so they had a excerpt that was included in the school profile that the GC would send to scholarship and honoraium committees. For certain designations like All American and other such awards, it could make the difference betw making a cut and not, so the explanation is included. </p>
<p>likely schools will use year-end grade only since many schools only put that on transcripts.</p>
<p>you can either calculate it, or let the school do it. </p>
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<p>where does he want to apply/
what is his major?</p>
<p>how much merit does he want ? what is the goal net cost?</p>
<p>OP here. We are just starting search process. We are in donut hole - 2 kids out of college (DD 1 and 2 graduated Barnard and Smith) now looking at DS1 starting Brown (ED admit, 2380 SAT, double legacy, recruited athlete) this fall and DS2 starting one year later. DS2 is def lower stat student, not recruitable athlete, so even as triple Brown legacy (mother, grandfather, brother), not matchable range IMO. He does not seem like a good fit for state flagship (UCONN) - he wants small to medium school in small city where there are lots of things to do. Our feeling is he might get some merit money at less selective colleges than most of his classmates will attend. I read on CC that Tulane, U of Miami, CWR give some merit aid to kids in his range. He does lab research in psych lab and might consider getting PhD in Psych. Not STEM kind of kid, though likes bio and math, esp Stats. His HS graduating class of 120 (really, truly!) usually sends 10+ students to yale, another 12-15+ to MIT/Stan/other ivies. Then another 20-30 go to other top schools like Johns Hop, Tufts, Duke, Amherst, Williams, Middlebury etc. Middle of class goes to great schools like Bates, Georgetown, Colgate, Smith, BC, NYU etc. (I do not want to offend anyone by clumping these schools in groups, but this is just my observation from my older kids’ friends and so CC commenters can see where the typical kid from his school goes.) As for amount of money, we can pay about 40k for DS #2, including a 15K tuition benefit from my job and his 5K from a Stafford loan and 20K cash from us. Then, for 60K schools, there is another 20K to ask as merit or for us to borrow as PLUS, which I would be willing to do for some schools, but not others. Harsh I know. If DS #2 works hard to get ACT way up this summer and miraculously got into Brown, I would consider borrowing 20K a year, as that would be a good fit for him in terms of prep for PhD programs in psych, medium school in small city, 1.5 hours from home, etc. Or schools that might give DS#2 around 15-20K in merit aid would be appealing. As another possibility, I am not sure how 2 kids in college might work in our favor for FA, as DS#2 might actually put us in the 15-20K need range and then schools that guarantee to meet need might be appealing, though probably mostly admit reaches, esp in RD. I know we are really lucky for all that we do have, but in this college process, those in financial donut hole feel we should avoid ED applications. But DS#2 probably needs the ED extra boost to get into many competitive schools that promise to meet need. So choices are 1. flagship 2. Merit at schools where he would be a top applicant (fine with us, just need to find right fit) 3. We do a PLUS for 20k/year - but only if we deem it “worth it” based on how good a match it is for his long term goals. We will try not to be snobs and focus on fit and not prestige, but we may not do this as admirably as some of you all!. I really have learned a lot on this site as a lurker… 4) we end up qualifying for FA for 3 of his 4 yrs due to 2 kids in college AND he gets into a school RD that meets need.</p>
<p>You are in a better place than most people that have a two in college situation in that you have your older DD at Brown which does meet full need and will adjust need according to formula when a second student enters college. Do talk to their financial aid office about this and run the NPCs with two kids to get an idea what Brown will expect you to pay next year when your son is also in college. Their NPC is pretty accurate if you don’ t have your own business, complicated finances, and I believe Brown does multiply the parental EFC for their student 60%. </p>
<p>IF your son does get accepted to Brown ED, you can pretty much count on paying about 20% with that 60/60 split that Brown does with the EFC. That is the way a lot of the schools that guarantee to meet full need do it with fin aid. </p>
<p>Where you are in less sure footing is if you son gets accepted to a school where they do not guarantee to meet need or they us a less generous formula. </p>
<p>In general, I don’ t believe that those who need financial aid should apply ED, but in your case, you know what you are doing and you do have flexibility as it appears as though you are financially sound and could take the hit of PLUS if it comes down to it and you feel it is worth it. The reason ED is a problem is that it too often puts families in a spot where they don’t have this all worked out and they end up in a corner with a lot of pressure to succumb to an obligation they really should not be making with no idea of what other options would be available. It’s really hit some people very hard. I don’t get the sense you are in that situation.</p>
<p>So look for merit money now for the one going to Brown. And hopefully there is something that comes up with you son next year. It’s been my experience from looking at awards from my sons’ schools that kids who the more generous aid from schools as you mention tend to have the stats that get them into the highly selective school and they often find themselves having to choose between paying full freight for the selectivity or getting merit discounts for schools not as high up on the list. Getting those big scholarships is not easy. My one son got a lot of awards but the highest amount was $5K a year–still$20K over 4 years, but those big awards are elusive for those with “match” stats at a school. Happy hunting!</p>
<p>To the OP…I might have missed something important in your last long post. Just a suggestion (and it’s intent is to help…not criticize)…could you break your post into paragraphs?</p>
<p>Look at the two threads with a stick pin above.</p>
<p>Automatic full tuition/full ride scholarships</p>
<p>Colleges with low costs >$25,000 a year. </p>
<p>You might find a gem in those.</p>
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<p>Not sure what this means. Any outside scholarships for this student are probably going to be a drop in the bucket. And Brown itself gives no merit aid.</p>
<p>And the majority of outside scholarships are small, one time awards that go to incoming freshmen. That ship has sailed.</p>
<p>OP again. Of course, option #5 is to pick school that costs less than 60k, but looked at schools under 25K thread and nothing particularly enticing for him. So ideas for 30K-50K total cost schools welcome. Wants small-med LAC or uni, in or near small-med city, preferably NE, mid atlantic or SE. Liked Emory, Vandy and Davidson, all for diff reasons of course, but all 60K and he is not in merit range for any of these. (A- avg from tippy top prep but not in all AP’s, 32 on 1st ACT, no hooks, so all actually reaches, esp for RD). Not looking for unusual major/program - psych as prep for phd application, and does not care about greek, dorms, food etc. Would like club water polo team. </p>
<p>Glad to hear about Brown’s FA calculations once DS2 is in college too. And yes, we are very lucky to be able to (barely, not comfortably) afford 40K/yr per kid, with my 15K tuition benefit, plus 5.5K stafford, plus 20K cash that will come from working extra job and doing the usual CC parent sacrifice of no vacations, old cars, and living in old unrenovated house (many yrs of private school tuition has gotten us used to this budget). Also no significant savings except in 401k and no real equity in home. No way to come up with more than 20K cash per kid, and borrowing 20K PLUS loan per kid per year might be crazy, so any reduction from 60K per yr per kid in our COA will help. (Ext of house badly needs painting for example!)</p>
<p>We already committed to the 60K, including 20K PLUS, for DS1 and don’t feel that we can tell DS2 that we won’t do it for him bc he doesn’t have stats of DS1. So though DS2 will look for merit, as well as cheaper schools, in the end, we will want to offer him same as DS1 if his best fits are 60k. Just hoping though that he will find a good fit in a <50K school or in a merit aid school. Ideas?</p>
<p>Has your son looked at your state flagship university, and their honors programs? He might be in the running for something like that.</p>
<p>$40,000 a year budget can pay for a lot of schools. </p>
<p>Look at Miami University in Oxford Ohio…great smaller university. What about some of the smaller LACs…Denison, Allegheny, etc…where he might get merit aid? </p>
<p>Any SUNY will be under $40,000 a year for an OOS student. </p>
<p>Lots of options…but not those top 20 schools.</p>
<p>If you can afford your EFC and have kids who have a shot at being admitted, the meet need schools are great.
If your budget is $20,000, does that include student loans?</p>
<p>Oldest daughter attended a private school that didn’t weight or rank, however, they did calculate rank for scholarships that required it, & most in our experience do.</p>
<p>We also live in our starter house, except it is still our home, and I wouldn’t suggest doing without needed maintenance like exterior painting in order to spend on the kids.( except for their health care)</p>
<p>I think Im missing something re money, I agree that it seems most fair to roughly pay similar amount for your kids, depending on circumstances. We told both our kids we would pay our FAFSA EFC, but would also expect them to earn money in the summer, since EFC was a little difficult to come up with by ourselves.</p>
<p>For example, with my oldest, our EFC was roughly the amount of an instate public school. ( which wasnt too bad when she applied to college, 14 years ago!) 
Part of that was because her sister was young and there was an extra child deduction.</p>
<p>She attended a school without merit aid but that met 100% need, much like Brown, but slightly less well known.</p>
<p>In the intervening eight years that it took for our youngest to become college age, colleges became more expensive and exclusive. 
We still were sticking to our promise of paying EFC, but as we had no more small children at home, and as our income had increased, our EFC had increased by at least $10,000, per year.</p>
<p>Our youngest also was unlikely to be accepted to the very competitive schools that met 100% of need and the schools that offered merit, didn’t offer quite enough to make up the difference, so she attended an instate public school, that wouldn’t have been her first choice, but it was affordable.</p>
<p>( She also applied and was accepted to schools that were part of the regional undergraduate exchange. I believe most states belong to a consortium which gives slightly higher than instate tuition to residents of neighboring states, for certain schools and majors. This is the link for the western schools. <a href=“Save On College Tuition | Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)”>1955: Alaska, California, and Washington join - WICHE)</p>
<p>Especially since you mentioned he would be looking at graduate school, although I don’t know if you were planning on helping with that, I would try and keep undergrad expenses down, including considering public schools.</p>
<p>Our daughter, although initially was not thrilled to be staying instate, and attend a school that some of her peers ( but not her friends) disparaged, ( which is because high school students/ and sometimes parents- repeat any catchy thing they hear. If on an overnight, students saw a party, then it is a " party" school.) :O) she is now VERY PROUDhttp://<a href=“Public and private college grads about equal in satisfaction with their lives | Pew Research Center”>www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/05/19/public-and-private-college-grads-rank-about-equally-in-life-satisfaction/</a> and happy to ne graduating in a couple weeks from that school and had a great experience.</p>
<p>Yes, some of the initial lower level classes are larger than at a Lac, but the upper division courses are often very small, and the masters level universities, can be an amazing deal. No grad students teaching courses, and as academia is a very competitive field, the profs have credentials not dissimilar from profs at universities with big names.
Not everyone chooses their workplace for the name, some also are influenced by quality of life and because they really like working with undergrads. ( they also have visiting big name profs as much as any other school)</p>
<p>While you can help your son identify schools where he would be eligible for merit aid, I would encourage him to also consider public schools.
Regarding ED, it is true that a school that meets 100% of need, will do that still with ED, BUT.
They can & will calculate the aid package, how they see fit. They will determine need using their own calculations, which may not be that transparent, and because need can be met with any combination of loans, grants & workstudy, its possible that the ED school still isn’t affordable.</p>
<p>Several of older daughters friends, transferred out of their college because of aid packages and younger daughter freshman yr roommate actually had been accepted at the same Lac her sister attended, but her family still didnt feel they could afford it.
For that reason, I would suggest going EA instead.</p>
<p>You also might have someone show son this study.
<a href=“Public and private college grads about equal in satisfaction with their lives | Pew Research Center”>http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/05/19/public-and-private-college-grads-rank-about-equally-in-life-satisfaction/</a> </p>
<p>OP here. Thanks for writing. To the post asking about our flagship, Our in state flagship is UCONN. It does have an honors program, but the school is not a great fit for him. He wants 2000-10,000 students and wants to be in a small city, and though the UCONN campus is pretty, it is not near anywhere. He is not a party kind of kid and there is not a whole lot to do in Storrs. He wants to volunteer in a hospital, etc, and that will not be easy to do as he will not have a car and the UCONN medical facilities are at least 30 min drive away. Obviously he will apply, but I am hoping he will have some other choices that make sense financially and get him excited. </p>
<p>And the 20K we can pay for each kid would be cash, not loans. 20k cash, 15k tuition reimbursement, 5K Stafford, and then about 20K to borrow PLUS if DS2 chooses a 60K private school. Obviously, any way to reduce or eliminate that PLUS borrowing, either from merit aid or cheaper tuition, makes me happy. I think W and M might be marginally cheaper, and Lafayette or Tulane or any number of other good schools might give him merit. But DD1 told DS2 that she read on this site that Tulane is a big party school. I think that all schools are probably big party schools, (they were when I went on college recruit visits!) but that does not mean that everyone has to party to fit in or have fun…</p>