What Top 30 colleges give most aid to 250k families...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First your kid has to get in and it appears this is your first go around with this. It's not what you think and be prepared to a) not get in and b) to not get the money you think you will

No, my kid doesn't need to first get in. Schools we can't afford can be ruled out immediately, without getting in first.

Run the net price calculator from Princeton and see where it lands you. If that number looks acceptable, proceed to other schools. If Princeton isn't giving you what you want, then assume other schools will be even less generous.

[Anonymous]

I am the PP who provided the first response that actually answered or at least spoke to the question. Of the Ivy League, Princeton is known for being most generous. Everyone always gets all uppity about the Ivy League. Keep in mind that they provide NO merit aid and NO athletic scholarships. They do, however, provide financial aid to a higher income threshold. You guys can argue all you want that they don't, but they do. That does not mean the OP will get aid. We do not know their circumstances. But some families making 250K will. (Ask me how I know.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First your kid has to get in and it appears this is your first go around with this. It's not what you think and be prepared to a) not get in and b) to not get the money you think you will

No, my kid doesn't need to first get in. Schools we can't afford can be ruled out immediately, without getting in first.

Run the net price calculator from Princeton and see where it lands you. If that number looks acceptable, proceed to other schools. If Princeton isn't giving you what you want, then assume other schools will be even less generous.

Yes, I ran Princeton and Harvard. Those would work for us, financially. I was surprised because I thought we were out of the financial aid brackets everywhere. I think a lot of "donut hole" people just assume that, like I did, until very recently.

Now that I realize we are actually are eligible for very substantial FA at some schools, am I wondering about other top schools. Rice, someone mentioned above, seems like a very good option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First your kid has to get in and it appears this is your first go around with this. It's not what you think and be prepared to a) not get in and b) to not get the money you think you will

No, my kid doesn't need to first get in. Schools we can't afford can be ruled out immediately, without getting in first.

Run the net price calculator from Princeton and see where it lands you. If that number looks acceptable, proceed to other schools. If Princeton isn't giving you what you want, then assume other schools will be even less generous.

Yes, I ran Princeton and Harvard. Those would work for us, financially. I was surprised because I thought we were out of the financial aid brackets everywhere. I think a lot of "donut hole" people just assume that, like I did, until very recently.

Now that I realize we are actually are eligible for very substantial FA at some schools, am I wondering about other top schools. Rice, someone mentioned above, seems like a very good option.

The very best schools are affordable. Williams and Amherst will probably end up similarly if you do the net price. It's the next tier like Northeastern or WashU that you won't be able to afford

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The first PP provided a typical response. I hate that - because it's without any context whatsoever. You have no idea how long the income has been 250K. You have no idea of their expenses (supporting elderly parents, or special needs children).

So, to answer the question, one response is the Ivy League. It's a gamble, but the schools that do not provide scholarships ("merit aid") are more generous with financial aid. They have to be. HYP do not cost $80K a year for families with $250K income. They do cost, however. They just are more likely to be in the 40-50K range.

Another response is your flagship or desired State U, if it's in the Top 30, which some are. In that case, they do not provide "the most aid" technically, but they do in the fact that you've paid for the lower in-state tuition through taxes.

There is a myth that it's super easy to save hundreds of thousands of dollars on 250K. That may or may not be the case. So many variables at play - cost of living, size of family, health expenses, age of parents, etc. For a family with low expenses and one child, it might be easy. For a family with 3+ children and higher than average health care expenses, not so much. So, to the first PP, take a hike.

NP. I would say 55-75k COA for the 250k income range. Maybe less if the family has another kid on college or significant expenses for a SN kid or other extenuating circumstances. Sticker price for these schools is 90/95k, not 80k.

We came in at 40k COA with 140k income 2 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you PP.

So all Ivy League schools are providing about 30k off sticker price? How about MIT? U of Chicago? Johns Hopkins? Obviously I can run a calculator for each school individually but I assume many people have done it already and have the ballpark answer ready.

It seems kind of lazy you want others to do your specific search for you. And that you think you won’t have to compromise on rank or cost. Sort of entitled TBH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you PP.

So all Ivy League schools are providing about 30k off sticker price? How about MIT? U of Chicago? Johns Hopkins? Obviously I can run a calculator for each school individually but I assume many people have done it already and have the ballpark answer ready.

It seems kind of lazy you want others to do your specific search for you. And that you think you won’t have to compromise on rank or cost. Sort of entitled TBH.

Run the net price calculators.

We are not your staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you PP.

So all Ivy League schools are providing about 30k off sticker price? How about MIT? U of Chicago? Johns Hopkins? Obviously I can run a calculator for each school individually but I assume many people have done it already and have the ballpark answer ready.

It seems kind of lazy you want others to do your specific search for you. And that you think you won’t have to compromise on rank or cost. Sort of entitled TBH.

Ugh. I am just looking for leads; my kid certainly won't be applying based on rough numbers thrown out here.

I am looking for information if some schools are, in fact, affordable. If they aren't, I move on. I just need to know. There are likely other people in a similar situation who will find this helpful. Not sure why this upsets you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First your kid has to get in and it appears this is your first go around with this. It's not what you think and be prepared to a) not get in and b) to not get the money you think you will

No, my kid doesn't need to first get in. Schools we can't afford can be ruled out immediately, without getting in first.

Run the net price calculator from Princeton and see where it lands you. If that number looks acceptable, proceed to other schools. If Princeton isn't giving you what you want, then assume other schools will be even less generous.

Yes, I ran Princeton and Harvard. Those would work for us, financially. I was surprised because I thought we were out of the financial aid brackets everywhere. I think a lot of "donut hole" people just assume that, like I did, until very recently.

Now that I realize we are actually are eligible for very substantial FA at some schools, am I wondering about other top schools. Rice, someone mentioned above, seems like a very good option.

The very best schools are affordable. Williams and Amherst will probably end up similarly if you do the net price. It's the next tier like Northeastern or WashU that you won't be able to afford

Right. This is an impression I got and what I am wondering about. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Privates with large per student endowments. Schools with a no loan policy. Do your research.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you PP.

So all Ivy League schools are providing about 30k off sticker price? How about MIT? U of Chicago? Johns Hopkins? Obviously I can run a calculator for each school individually but I assume many people have done it already and have the ballpark answer ready.

It seems kind of lazy you want others to do your specific search for you. And that you think you won’t have to compromise on rank or cost. Sort of entitled TBH.

Run the net price calculators.

We are not your staff.

DP:

How much more work would it have been to offer an actual answer than to post what you did?

How much less work would it have been to not respond?

Why does it give you pleasure to be anonymously unpleasant to strangers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First your kid has to get in and it appears this is your first go around with this. It's not what you think and be prepared to a) not get in and b) to not get the money you think you will

No, my kid doesn't need to first get in. Schools we can't afford can be ruled out immediately, without getting in first.

Run the net price calculator from Princeton and see where it lands you. If that number looks acceptable, proceed to other schools. If Princeton isn't giving you what you want, then assume other schools will be even less generous.

Yes, I ran Princeton and Harvard. Those would work for us, financially. I was surprised because I thought we were out of the financial aid brackets everywhere. I think a lot of "donut hole" people just assume that, like I did, until very recently.

Now that I realize we are actually are eligible for very substantial FA at some schools, am I wondering about other top schools. Rice, someone mentioned above, seems like a very good option.

The very best schools are affordable. Williams and Amherst will probably end up similarly if you do the net price. It's the next tier like Northeastern or WashU that you won't be able to afford

I think you mean Northwestern. But point taken (and agreed with).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you PP.

So all Ivy League schools are providing about 30k off sticker price? How about MIT? U of Chicago? Johns Hopkins? Obviously I can run a calculator for each school individually but I assume many people have done it already and have the ballpark answer ready.

It seems kind of lazy you want others to do your specific search for you. And that you think you won’t have to compromise on rank or cost. Sort of entitled TBH.

Run the net price calculators.

We are not your staff.

DP:

How much more work would it have been to offer an actual answer than to post what you did?

How much less work would it have been to not respond?

Why does it give you pleasure to be anonymously unpleasant to strangers?

Another DP. I kind of see their point. OP posts back all disgruntled and in that time and the time of responding on this thread, she could have run NPCs for several schools. I think the original question was valid (and I responded with hard numbers), but all the follow up wanting more specific info that she could have gotten herself in similar time seemed a little presumptuous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First your kid has to get in and it appears this is your first go around with this. It's not what you think and be prepared to a) not get in and b) to not get the money you think you will

No, my kid doesn't need to first get in. Schools we can't afford can be ruled out immediately, without getting in first.

Run the net price calculator from Princeton and see where it lands you. If that number looks acceptable, proceed to other schools. If Princeton isn't giving you what you want, then assume other schools will be even less generous.

Yes, I ran Princeton and Harvard. Those would work for us, financially. I was surprised because I thought we were out of the financial aid brackets everywhere. I think a lot of "donut hole" people just assume that, like I did, until very recently.

Now that I realize we are actually are eligible for very substantial FA at some schools, am I wondering about other top schools. Rice, someone mentioned above, seems like a very good option.

The very best schools are affordable. Williams and Amherst will probably end up similarly if you do the net price. It's the next tier like Northeastern or WashU that you won't be able to afford

I think you mean Northwestern. But point taken (and agreed with).

DP. NU was about 5k more/yr than Ivies for us. I think PP may have meant neu which really would be a few tiers down from W or A. NU isn't really next tier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:... without including home equity and retirement savings?

If you make 250K stop begging for money and use your savings...

Nope. Disagree. If some kids get to go for cheaper, then they all should. Why should UMC -not wealthy- have to deplete their savings? College should not be an economic field leveler.