<p>What kind of financial aid awaits a valedictorian with SAT of around 2100 and decent ECs combined with an EFC of 0? Combined with a zero EFC and valedictorian status, will FA be abundant? Will an EFC of zero push me into schools that might not otherwise accept a val with only 2100 SAT considering I have not been privileged to SAT prep courses and the like? Considering such a low EFC, will schools look down on not-so-spectacular EC considering I have no means of volunteering (no transportation)? Thanks.</p>
<p>p.s. I am sure I will be explaining my family situation throughout the last seventeen years in my essays. I am sure that will play an important role.</p>
<p>The 0 EFC will likely get you some generous need-based financial aid offers, depending on the school. You can take a look at each of your school’s financial aid record at College Board, to see what % of need they meet, and what % of grants to loans they offer on average.</p>
<p>The other type of aid is merit aid-- really hard to predict that. Depends on what scholarships you apply for, and again, which colleges you’ve applied to.</p>
<p>I am truly taking the advice “build your college search list from the bottom up” to heart. I am seriously considering some schools way below my SAT scores just for the scholarships, as cost is going to be a HUGE part. </p>
<p>In addition, I wonder if valedictorian status plus EFC zero is a hook. Overcoming adversity maybe???</p>
<p>Valedictorian status and SATS etc will be looked at for merit awards.</p>
<p>The zero EFC will be looked at for need based aid.</p>
<p>Many schools the admissions department is completely separate from the financial aid department so the admissions department will likely not know your EFC. People looking at your ECs as a factor for admissions will probably not know or care that your EFC is 0.</p>
<p>If you are a junior, have you looked into the Questbridge Scholarship? The College Prep Scholarship is open for applications now, and the Match Scholarship will open in August. Also, many of the QB partner colleges have eliminated loans in their financial aid packages and replaced them with grants. </p>
<p>Your reach and match schools should be ones that give great need-based aid, and look for safeties with big merit awards. What area of the country are you looking at? What types of schools interest you?</p>
<p>I am in North Carolina, so UNC is probably where I will end up because of the excellent education and I believe UNC gives pretty good need-based aid (I think it is called the Carolina Covenant). I am also looking at Davidson (who has a really good aid program called the Davidson Trust), Wake Forest, Guilford, and a couple of other schools. I don’t really feel the need to go outside of NC because we already have awesome schools, but where ever the money is, I would go.</p>
<p>@swimcatsmom</p>
<p>That really sucks that they will not see my low EFC. I really haven’t had the opportunities to do community service and volunteering because of my situation.
Too bad, I guess…</p>
<p>@justlouise</p>
<p>Thanks for the link to Questbridge! I will look into that!</p>
<p>They will be able to know about your low EFC because of your school profile, letters of rec (which should better address this), and even your essays. I’d also advise you apply to HYPS. Your val status, decent SAT scores, all from a disadvantaged neighborhood should help you. What’s your SAT outta 1600?</p>
<p>You should definately look into Questbridge. The application is much more extensive than a regular app, and has additional sections to explain unusual family/life/financial circumstances, which you indicate you have.</p>
<p>NC mom here. With an EFC of zero you will more than likely qualify for College Board and other application fee waivers. The fee waivers will be included in your admissions packet. Get them from your GC. Your GC can also give you the ones from the the national association of college counselors, on their website. Those are unlimited unlike the College Board ones.</p>
<p>The College Board ones are usually a bright neon color. Color denotes year. Can’t miss them. Bright as day!!</p>
<p>So no, admissions won’t necessarily see your EFC of zero but they will see your fee waiver. Every time.</p>
<p>And yes if I were you I would look to HYP if it is a good fit for YOU.</p>
<p>My son was val (public non-magnet high school) here in NC less than 2 years ago, with a similar EFC and similar stats. He was accepted to Duke and Carolina (and yes Carolina Covenant, although he was a finalist for the Morehead). And MIT and Cal Tech. And most of the ivys. </p>
<p>He is at Princeton.</p>
<p>So yes it is possible. And yes the admissions counselors take into account your specific circumstances with regards to EC and course curriculum availability. The adage “to whom much is given, much is expected” is very much alive in college acceptances.</p>
<p>Since he was kiddo #4 out of our 5, we have done this a few times!</p>
<p>SlighAnarchist, I read advice similar to the one I am going
to give you and benefited this year.</p>
<p>** Do not apply to schools way below your Match level **</p>
<p>You will get in where you aim. This does not mean apply only to
the top 10 but do not go about choosing a college based on low
SAt requirements thinking they will give you more aid. </p>
<p>The top schools give more aid. See the US News list. The
mid level schools selectively give decent aid.</p>
<p>You will in any case end up payign less at top schools than in
lower level schools.</p>
<p>Really? That is very interesting. I figured that lower level schools would love to shower me with money to attend their schools to up their average SAT scores, GPA, et cetera. However, these same schools have low endowments, so your logic understandable. What I am so surprised about is the amount of recommendations I am getting to apply to amazing schools. Perhaps I stand a chance. ;)</p>
<p>I helped out a student a couple years ago who had very low EFC (almost 0), 29 ACT, disadvantaged background. He came to me too late for Questbridge; don’t miss out on that one. He used fee waivers for tests & for applications. He did all of his apps before he met me … he applied hit or miss to places he read about in Rock Hard Apps. He didn’t know anything about the schools! He was pretty shocked to be accepted to a top LAC, especially when kids with better stats obsess for months on end about whether or not they’ll get in at this school. He was also accepted to UMich. He was leaning toward UMich, because he thought it would be less expensive (in state). I told him to hold off until he got the financial aid package from the LAC. He was amazed … he would have had to take out thousands of dollars in loans for UMich, but LAC met his need. He ended up with a really great financial aid package. Don’t underestimate your chances (but also make sure to apply to a variety of schools, because anyone who thinks he can predict admissions to elite colleges is foolish).</p>
<p>I researched Questbridge and decided not to apply via them. They are
a very good program if you can have great scores in by their relatively
early dates (September ?) and you like the colleges featured in the
program as your top choice. My top chocies were not covered.</p>
<p>The top 10 schools have tremendous aid programs even if you choose
to apply without Questbridge.</p>
<p>I did notice on the Stanford thread that at least one applicant benefitted
RD possibly via Questbridge. That is very good because I am still wondering
what my aid is going to be after receiving a likely letter from Stanford and
will not know until much later.</p>
<p>Thanks for your insight into Questbridge. After researching it in depth myself, I have figured that this would be a good opportunity for me because of all of the LAC’s that are with the program. Those are some really great schools that have a partnership with the program. </p>
<p>I believe on their website, it says 600 Questbridge applicants were accepted to their partner schools with those amazing FA packages. Do any of you know how many people apply through Questbridge?</p>