This forum was so helpful for looking into schools for my S24. He and his older sister were able to get great financial aid because they had the stats to get into schools that have lots of money and are known for being generous.
I’m already worrying about affording college for my D27. She will have good, but not amazing grades (maybe 3.8 UW if things stay consistent). She is not taking the most challenging courses offered in STEM subjects, but will be taking the most challenging courses in English/History. She is averagely involved in extracurriculars. She also will probably go test optional.
So I know it’s early, but are any easier-to-get into colleges known for very generous financial aid? The older kids got enough aid that we are paying about 11,000 each. So we are hoping to find less competitive schools that might have that kind of money to give.
She is not at all prestige driven; the only thing she cares about as of now is being in a city. It could be a small city, but definitely not a small town or the middle of nowhere. Thanks for any suggestions to think about.
Yes we have need. Last year we got an SAI of about $22,000. But aid offers from colleges were all different. One was lower, a few were about that, and a bunch were higher. So we are looking for colleges that can afford to be that generous ($22,000 for one child or $11,000 each when two children are in college).
Our in-state publics cost more than this when accounting for room and board.
And of course community college is an option. But just thought I’d reach out and see if there are colleges known to be very generous with aid besides the T-20 schools.
You’re looking for free tuition plus some subsidy of the cost of living at school. Even less selective schools that are generous with fin aid and merit aid are probably not going to come down to 11K/yr for her, living at school. Look carefully at schools within commuting distance for her, that will offer nearly free tuition for her. Your local 4 yr public will probably do that, and less selective liberal arts colleges might offer her free or nearly free tuition.
As an aside, I note a high test score would probably help.
Anyway, some LACs can be quite generous, and particularly outside New England you may find it easier to get admissions and the aid you need with that sort of GPA–which I agree is quite good, and could qualify for merit offers in fact which might stack with need.
I have not done a lot of due diligence on this list, but I’d be keeping in mind names like Beloit, Kalamazoo, DePauw, Ursinus, Centre, Juniata, Lawrence, Wabash, Washington, Ohio Wesleyan, Allegheny, Earlham, Hendrix, Gettysburg . . . and since this is a daughter, Agnes Scott.
Edit: Shoot, just saw the bit about not being in a small town, so some of those would not work. I guess part of the question is how small is too small? And is being in the suburbs of a bigger city OK?
But off that list, Kalamazoo is in a decent-sized city of the same name. If close to a big city count, Agnes Scott, Ursinus, Ohio Wesleyan, Hendrix . . . .
The hardest thing with such a low limit on costs is that the more urban the higher the rents on off campus and costs of things like groceries, transportation. I had kids at 3 schools, one in upstate NY, one in a DC suburb and one in MS. They all paid between 800-1000 a month rent for a 1 year lease. Either they went Greek (which was more expensive) or needed off campus because they went to large schools that only guaranteed first year housing.
So I would look at schools that you can live on campus for 4 years. Plus whatever aid you need. Maybe an honors program at a smaller school where you will get merit aid and access to things like staying in the honors dorm all 4 years
You also need to know costs to get them to and from school. For my kid 1,000 miles away, their airfair is 1500-1700 whenever they come home. If you kid is planning on seeing HS friends regularly using an airplane isn’t effective