<p>Hello - I’ve enjoyed reading the message boards here and have gained tremendous insight on the college application process through the folks posting here. I’d appreciate some advice on a dilemma. My senior daughter took the old SAT in her junior year and scored very well. She wants to major in mechanical engineering and has applied to UMich, UDel, Penn State and WANTS to apply to Cornell, Princeton & Carnegie Mellon - applications are almost done. UMich and UDel would not take the old SAT score so she retook the new SAT and only listed those two schools to receive the scores (the others received the old SAT score when she took the SAT II’s). She once again did very well. Should we pay to resend the new scores to Princeton, Cornell and CMU (she’s already been accepted at Penn State)? We are very middle class and I doubt we will be able to afford the private schools even if she is accepted, so I’m very tempted to just leave well enough alone.</p>
<p>You may get aid. Try this calculator from Princeton.</p>
<p><a href=“https://sweb.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/FinAid/finaid_form.pl[/url]”>https://sweb.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/FinAid/finaid_form.pl</a></p>
<p>It may be worth sending your scores.</p>
<p>By all means, send them in. They can’t hurt and might help. And many schools do require the new SAT.</p>
<p>Thank you. Princeton is very generous, but we’ve planned our budget around our kids attending our state university as we get a staff discount. Is it worth the debt to go to one of the above private schools? She may get substantial merit from the publics which makes them more realistic. But I don’t want to deprive her of a life-changing opportunity. There is so much pressure on her, I don’t want to put any more. She hasn’t pushed about sending the new scores, but I think she just needs encouragement. Man, this is hard.</p>
<p>We are in a similar position - S gets one degree (if admitted) from Case on my husband’s tuition waiver … he will use it for grad or med school, and is currently a first-year at U of Chicago. My poor home equity line. But - every family is different - I only have one kid to get through college - and Penn State is a fabulous option - especially if she makes honors. </p>
<p>I think that discussing the situation with her is the way to go. P’tn is going to be at about 7 or 8% RD - so its a very long shot indeed. But, I’m still kicking myself 35 years later that I never applied to Radcliffe.</p>
<p>Good luck with a tough decision!</p>
<p>I thi</p>
<p>You are not out too much if your daughter applies. Then just see what happens. You may be stressing over nothing.</p>
<p>Talked with daughter, sent the scores. Now we just pray that the right door opens and I’m not standing in the way. Thanks y’all.</p>
<p>Is the Princeton calculator fairly representative of private universities?</p>
<p>There is nothing regarding home equity value. Also, do most schools consider private tuition and medical expenses?</p>
<p>Some schools count home equity, some don’t. Private schools have their own way of doing things, so there may be some differences. Some use loans. Some use grants. Some schools are more generous than others. </p>
<p>So, if you need aid, apply to multiple schools and compare packages.</p>
<p>Private high school tuition? I doubt that flies.</p>
<p>Medical expenses, I would call the financial aid department of the school, if I didn’t like the package and explain and negotiate.</p>
<p>“Private high school tuition? I doubt that flies.”</p>
<p>Only asked because it was on the Princeton calculator. </p>
<p>The results of this calculator were significantly different than most I have tried, to my benefit.</p>
<p>Maybe, it does fly…I’m not Princeton. 
Good luck.</p>
<p>OhMother, as long as your D understands the family financial realities and would be able to manage her disappointment if she us accepted to one of these high-flying schools and the fin aid doesn’t make it possible for her to attend, opening any and all doors can’t hurt. Best of luck to her!</p>
<p>I think she understands the financial realities. She’s applying for many private scholarships, but as I understand it, any private money reduces the school’s financial aid package (work/study first), not the parent’s contribution, is that correct?</p>
<p>Usually, yes. Some colleges have more generous policies, some less generous, but most have policies where scholarships reduce loans first, then workstudy, then grant. But different schools have slightly different policies - so read the fine print.</p>