<p>School scholarships (merit & need): 65.9%
Outside scholarships: 11.8%
Parents: 13.6%
Me: 8.69%</p>
<p>This semester we’re not paying a single penny because being abroad is much cheaper than my own school. :D</p>
<p>There was a thread here on CC that was very good.It dealt with shpping around for schools that provided finaid for varieties of students. The reality is that there are excellent colleges for most every child where financial aid can be a reality. My own DD, for example COULD have gone to a school where we would have been paying less than 1/3 of the cost of OOS total cost of attendance. She was accepted to another school (her ultimate safety) where she was offered merit aid that would have reduced our contribution to well under 50% of the total cost of attendance. The reality is that she would have received a fine education at either place. So…you might ask…why are we paying 80%? Well…we are fortunate that we can. And truthfully, the school where DD is enrolled was OUR number one choice also (well…except for the cost). </p>
<p>Here at CC there is this notion that only schools in the top 50 or top 25 (USNews) provide top notch educations and opportunities. That is simply not true.</p>
<p>Many families have taken the time to look at some of the other fabulous schools that offer extensive merit aid, and/or where the costs are less to begin with. Many have also found terrific opportunities for their college students.</p>
<p>Sorry…don’t mean to be highjacking this thread…but this all relates.</p>
<p>Private. Average $ over the 4 years, about 72.% from competitive institutional merit grant, two scholarships, and selective savings from dorm and food selections.</p>
<p>Son attends private university with a merit scholarship that covers full tuition and engineering fees, including a required computer. An additional bit of cash towards other expenses such as books and supplies is provided by a school-sponsored national merit stipend.</p>
<p>We pay most of room and board.</p>
<p>To say we feel fortunate would be an understatement.</p>
<p>Right on Thumper, too much emphasis on top 25 schools. We are mulling offers where with merit aid the cost is nearly the same as state schools. We have a great state school, but it is huge! The 5 year plan could be likely. Do not overlook the non-brand name schools.</p>
<p>We’re paying 100% at a private university for our daughter and 100% at an in-state state university for our son. (He’s not getting cheated; it’s the school he wanted to attend.)</p>
<p>Ivy - 100%</p>
<p>A one-time blip in our income the first year we filled out FAFSA and Profile put us over the top. If we had received the money the year before, it wouldn’t even have been on the radar. They took it all.</p>
<p>0% of tuition, books, room & board, summer travel, etc. 100% of car expenses, cafe latte’s, the latest fashions, cell phone, and a few other misc. living expenses. Attend UVA on full scholarship. </p>
<p>I have the same deal with all my kids - instilled from a very early age: They earn the scholarship, I provide the niceties and trimmings. There’s no option that includes me paying tuition, at least not much. My position is that as long as there is merit $$ to be had, they’d better pursue it and get it if they want to attend such and such school. I will provide every resource and level of support to help them earn it, but they indeed must earn it. </p>
<p>So far, full ride for the oldest (had several offers), and two full offers for my current senior - nothing yet from her top picks, but it is still very early.</p>
<p>D is a recipient of a Scholarship from Mom&Dad. Pays 100% of COA at a private university.</p>
<p>We’re paying about 75% of total costs at small private LAC. Merit scholarship pays about 20%. The missing 5% is the “miscellaneous” stuff that D is paying for on her own - some of which she would be stocking up on at our expense if she were close enough for a weekend trip home!</p>
<p>We’re paying about 55% of total cost for D’s LAC. She had around 20% in outside scholarships (1 year) and the rest was merit within need…so I expect our share will be bigger for future years.</p>
<p>Son 1 at USC I am paying 20% of cost. rest in merit and grants</p>
<p>Son 2 at out of state public I am paying 40% of cost. rest grants and merit.</p>
<p>Both schools met 100% of need. The costs are the same amount out of pocket. My total out of pocket for both sons is 20K.</p>
<p>100% at an Ivy for us.</p>
<p>We’re paying 95% of the cost of a private school in the top 15. D is receiving a very small NMF scholarship - I guess this doesn’t count some misc. one time scholarships she received and is using this semester! They will not be there in the spring - ouch! Yes, it did hurt to watch her walk away from the many four year full rides she was offered, but we all knew they weren’t the schools for her. She did say before she made her decision, “I feel like I am costing you a lot more than my sister”. She is (sister is in the honors program, living in honors housing at our State U - her choice), but we would have done the same for each of them if it was what their heart desired!</p>
<p>Son 1: we pay 100% of COA at a top 10 private university.</p>
<p>Son 2: we pay 45% of COA at a small LAC, reduced by merit awards.</p>
<p>D is attending private LAC in major metropolis. 79% merit & need grants, 15% student loans, 6% out of pocket.</p>
<p>My mother doesn’t pay anything. I go to an Ivy that meets 100% of need and requires no parental contribution below a certain income level. This year, my school gives 59.4% of the COA in need based aid, and outside scholarships pay 40.6% The balance will change in subsequent years because some outside scholarships are only for 1 year.</p>
<p>I worked so hard to get outside scholarships, only to find I had way too many for the school I chose. The outside scholarships pay my student contribution and the remainder just goes to replace need based aid I would have got anyway. I am glad, though, to be contributing something to the cost of my education, albeit indirectly, and at a different school, they would have been much more important.</p>
<p>We’re paying 50% of COA for an OOS big public. The other half is paid by university merit money (some automatic, some competition).</p>
<p>The out of state SURCHARGE is 130% of the instate tuition!</p>
<p>Paying about 40% for small private school. Balance is merit scholarship, thank goodness!</p>
<p>We pay 25% total COA at a private…55% merit aid from the college; 5% from outside scholarships; 15% student loans. Next year, we’re hoping to discontinue the student loans (at least partially) and increase what we pay out-of-pocket. Our goal as a family is to see our daughter graduate with no more than $10K in loans, but we might miss the mark by a few thousand. My daughter is waiting to hear on additional outside scholarships which would kick-in in January; if she receives any, we’ll definitely be able to eliminate the student loans next year. (To those with seniors who are hating the college essays…it doesn’t necessarily stop this year if they continue to apply for outside scholarships. But you might not want to mention that…!)</p>