<p>I’m thinking of applying to all Ivy League schools except for Brown and Duke. I’m also applying to Northwestern and UChicago. Which of these colleges offer financial aid for families who need it, and it DOESN’T affect the applicant’s chances?</p>
<p>Although not in the Ivy athletic league, here’s what you do for Duke:</p>
<p>Duke.edu > Admissions & Aid > Financial Aid > Undergraduate > Prospective Students</p>
<p>Rinse and Repeat with the rest of your schools.</p>
<p>California State Universities, if you are a California resident.</p>
<p>Duke is NOT an Ivy League school.</p>
<p>The best school will be one where you are accepted. The generous need based aid will do you no good if you are in the 85% plus of students who get rejected from these schools…make that 95% at most of the Ivies.</p>
<p>In addition, these schools will calculate your financial need based on the info you provide to them. All except Princeton require the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA. Princeton has its own form.</p>
<p>I certainly hope you have a sure thing in your application pile.</p>
<p>The last I read info from those school, none of them are need aware in admissions. They also guarantee to meet full need (maybe not UCh) but as they define it. They do tend to define it in their own ways, and it’s not using the FAFSA EFC, so make sure your run a NPC for each of them, to get some idea as to what each school expects your family to pay. Of the bunch, only UCh and Duke have some merit money, and it’s tough competition to get it. </p>
<p>The big issue with these schools, however, is even getting accepted as others have mentioned. With the accept rates as low as they have, it’s entirely possible to get turned down by all of them.</p>
<p>You should sit down with your parents and find out what they are willing and able to pay each year, and see how that meshes with what these school expect them to pay. If the gap is too wide, you are going to have a problem meeting the costs if you are accepted. </p>
<p>The most important schools on your list are ones you’ve yet to list. Every applicant should have a couple of choices that will be pretty much sure acceptances and affordable. Depending on what your parents are willing to pay, it could be a local state school, or an instate public university, or other options that is affordable for you. Also schools where your stats put you in the upper echelon and there are merit aids given to those in that top percentile.</p>
<p>If this student is a senior and hopes to get a significant merit award, he/she better get moving targeting those schools. Many have a December 1 admissions application deadline for scholarship consideration. Some have scholarship applications that must be submitted by that date.</p>
<p>For US undergrad students, University of Virginia meets 100% of the documented need of students for 4 years and is need-blind in admissions. </p>
<p>Except at the very richest colleges, “meeting need” does assume the student takes out federal loans, does work study jobs, and works during the summer. </p>
<p>UNC-Chapel Hill and UVa are the only two public universities that meet 100% of need for all US students.</p>