Did anyone get more than $30K in merit aid at private college?

[Anonymous]

This is the mentality that gets people into excessive debt. Not everyone takes out loans. My kids won't.

I had some loans and it didn't get me into "excessive debt". I paid them off within 5 years and even went to graduate school during that time. I was prudent and only had 15K of debt. It has not ruined my life. I would say that if you keep the debt to a reasonable amount and you don't spend like a drunken sailor, you can do it. Apply and see what happens.

[Anonymous]

You must have SAT/ACT scores before anyone can help you here. Be aware that your child needs HIGH scores to achieve HIGH merit. In state state school is always the cheapest option. What is your home state?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are capped at 25k, look at IS options. What is your IS option?

If you read my original post, I said we're looking at in state options. Need some OOS options, that's all.

Is the total cost of attendance at in state options under 25K? It seems like after room and board, books, and fees the total cost of attendance at some in state schools gets closer to 30K or more per year

[Anonymous]

I think OP is gone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op, you ask a very reasonable question. With the same uw GPA and 710 math as a STEM major, DD got 1/2 OOS tuition at a flagship public and 1/3 off at a STEM focused private. Those were 2 very good (money) results out of 10. We would never have been able to anticipate the end results, so I'd advise to apply widely. Just make sure DC has financial safeties from which to choose. A problem your DC will have is Theatre is such a competitive major, students are lucky to get into the major at all.

Hmmm. Thank you. Good to know. DS is thinking of coming up with something different than a straight theater major to differentiate himself. But it's good to know there may be some OOS options. The problem for us is our budget is capped at $25K per year, so 1/3 off a private is not going to be enough. sigh.

Why is your budget capped at 25K per year? Will your child take out loans to move the 25K max? Will you get any FA?

Not eligible for FA. Won't take out loans or let our kids take out loans. So our kids go in-state or OOS with merit aid. Just trying to find OOS options, should there be any, for DC#2.

Everyone takes out loans...I still have 60K! That's the reality of being a millennial.

This is the mentality that gets people into excessive debt. Not everyone takes out loans. My kids won't.

Good for you that you've saved 300K for your kids Ivy League degrees? Or you've saved 200K for in state tuition? Most people can't do that. If you want to go to Harvard, then it's rich kid, poor kid or loans.

[Anonymous]

Expand your search to include Midwest SLACs. They offer more merit aid and are often cheaper to start with. Read the book Colleges that Change Lives.

A boy has an advantage at SLACs, and especially one interested in humanities/arts. Much will depend on his scores. Have him take practice SAT and ACT tests to see what is better for him. You will want to focus on schools that give generous merit aid and at which his scores would place him above the 75th percentile for the school.

Take great care with essays, demonstrate interest in the school. If your DS interviews reasonably well, definitely make sure he interviews.

That said, $30k is a big ask. If a SLAC is desired, I would strongly consider allowing him to take Stafford loans for college. The borrowing limits are very reasonable, even for an English major. You could work full-time at Starbucks and still not have trouble paying off a $20k Stafford loan.

My DS with similar GPA, 7 AP classes, good (but not great extracurriculars), very good essays & recs, SAT CR= 760, M= 580 got $20k-$25k merit offers from Kalamazoo, Denison, Ohio Wesleyan, Juniata, Clark, and Lawrence. The only one that topped $25k was Earlham with $30k. I have no idea whether any of these schools have good theater programs.

[Anonymous]

McGill should be about 25k for US students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Expand your search to include Midwest SLACs. They offer more merit aid and are often cheaper to start with. Read the book Colleges that Change Lives.

A boy has an advantage at SLACs, and especially one interested in humanities/arts. Much will depend on his scores. Have him take practice SAT and ACT tests to see what is better for him. You will want to focus on schools that give generous merit aid and at which his scores would place him above the 75th percentile for the school.

Take great care with essays, demonstrate interest in the school. If your DS interviews reasonably well, definitely make sure he interviews.

That said, $30k is a big ask. If a SLAC is desired, I would strongly consider allowing him to take Stafford loans for college. The borrowing limits are very reasonable, even for an English major. You could work full-time at Starbucks and still not have trouble paying off a $20k Stafford loan.

My DS with similar GPA, 7 AP classes, good (but not great extracurriculars), very good essays & recs, SAT CR= 760, M= 580 got $20k-$25k merit offers from Kalamazoo, Denison, Ohio Wesleyan, Juniata, Clark, and Lawrence. The only one that topped $25k was Earlham with $30k. I have no idea whether any of these schools have good theater programs.

+1

Consider Muhlenberg, which has a good theater program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McGill should be about 25k for US students.

It isn't. It is in the mid-$30Ks for U.S. students, with room and board.

[Anonymous]

Check out this program (Academic Common Market). You can go to out of state schools for in-state tuition, depending on the major.
In drama, there is Coastal Carolina, WVA and FSU.
http://home.sreb.org/acm/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McGill should be about 25k for US students.

It isn't. It is in the mid-$30Ks for U.S. students, with room and board.

That is for technical majors. Arts is 18k CAD tuition, with room and board should be about 25k USD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, DC did - $100,000 over four years but I'd rather not say where. One of the little known secrets is that College Board and ACT sell their scores. So if your child scores very high and has listed some qualities that a particular school wants (on the questions starting at the top of the tests), then schools can buy the lists and solicit. DC participated in well known leadership program during the summer so received unsolicited offers from military academies. I'm assuming that list was purchased or newspapers were just scanned. DC scored extremely well on the ACT so has been receiving "pre-application" offers of scholarships. But they are not from schools DC wants to attend. The schools either need the high ACT scores to boost their ratings on the US News & World Report or they need males or they need minorities, etc.

OP here. $100K over four years will not meet our budget at a private college. Most cost $60K or more now, even the relatively small, not very selective ones.

Oh, I am sorry.

OP, if that's the case, and you have no savings set aside, apply only where you know that school awards large merit scholarships like the one described above, resolve to have your child take on student loans OR have you child go local community college for two years and then transfer in-state if your state has such a system. California and VA have excellent programs. You pay only per unit for the course in the community college and your child can live at home. If they meet the criteria for the shift in junior year, then they can go off to an in-state university. That's the only way I see you doing four years on $60K if you won't do loans. BTW, something else you need to factor in is that more than 50% of our nation's college students are not completing college in four years anymore - it's more like five or six years. The Wash. Post did a story on this within the last year. So unless your kid is very motivated and organized, DC may not be finishing in four years. Our DC takes summer courses at his university to fill in the required courses he couldn't get into during the school years. Most schools will try to work with you after you've filed the FAFSA to find a loan, grant, work-study package that works for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a junior. We're starting the college search. We don't qualify for FA, but can't afford more than $25K per year.

He's applying in-state, but wants a few more options. (3.87 unweighted gpa, but poor PSAT math scores, probably English/theater major). He's considering East Coast schools that offer merit aid like Juniata, Ursinus, U Vermont, Allegheny, Lesley, Fairfield, Muhlenberg, Mary Washington, Saint Michael's, Clark, Washington College (MD), College of New Jersey, etc.

BUT, I'm wondering, has ANYONE with similar stats received more than $30K in merit aid at any of these or similar private colleges? Anyone received in-state price at public OOS schools?

I don't want to waste our time applying if there's no hope that merit aid awards will bring DS's cost down to around $25K.

Thanks!

Wrong approach. You need to apply and let it play out.

Worst advice EVER.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a junior. We're starting the college search. We don't qualify for FA, but can't afford more than $25K per year.

He's applying in-state, but wants a few more options. (3.87 unweighted gpa, but poor PSAT math scores, probably English/theater major). He's considering East Coast schools that offer merit aid like Juniata, Ursinus, U Vermont, Allegheny, Lesley, Fairfield, Muhlenberg, Mary Washington, Saint Michael's, Clark, Washington College (MD), College of New Jersey, etc.

BUT, I'm wondering, has ANYONE with similar stats received more than $30K in merit aid at any of these or similar private colleges? Anyone received in-state price at public OOS schools?

I don't want to waste our time applying if there's no hope that merit aid awards will bring DS's cost down to around $25K.

Thanks!

Wrong approach. You need to apply and let it play out.

Worst advice EVER.

How so?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, DC did - $100,000 over four years but I'd rather not say where. One of the little known secrets is that College Board and ACT sell their scores. So if your child scores very high and has listed some qualities that a particular school wants (on the questions starting at the top of the tests), then schools can buy the lists and solicit. DC participated in well known leadership program during the summer so received unsolicited offers from military academies. I'm assuming that list was purchased or newspapers were just scanned. DC scored extremely well on the ACT so has been receiving "pre-application" offers of scholarships. But they are not from schools DC wants to attend. The schools either need the high ACT scores to boost their ratings on the US News & World Report or they need males or they need minorities, etc.

OP here. $100K over four years will not meet our budget at a private college. Most cost $60K or more now, even the relatively small, not very selective ones.

The sad reality is that $100k over four years may not be enough to pay for your in-state public, either. For Virginia residents, the cost of attending W&M was ~$30k this year; UVA was ~$28k. Other VA schools are cheaper.