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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Long story short: we will not get any financial aid. We make too much for help but don't make enough to go full pay at a private in a way that leaves any wiggle room.

We are just starting this process, and child is an athlete that is in the midst of recruiting (only D3 at this point b/c of NCAA limits- and FTR I don't care if DC plays a sport or not but she does). I'm looking at the finances of the various schools and was shocked to learn that some of the schools she's been talking to give NO MERIT aid. DC has excellent grades, community service, ECs, and athletics.

I get she's one of many like man others . . . and I know at DC there are no athletic scholarships. But, how are people affording places like Wellesley? Their website and what I'm finding says they give ZERO aid on the basis that, essentially, "everyone there is special."

Yes, she can look elsewhere. And she is. But it is so sad to have to shut down a possibility that [b]would, honestly, be such a perfect fit for her in every way. [/b]With room and board, etc. the cost per year is nearly $80K!!!! Two years would eat up more than our 529 has in it. [b]Super bummed to have to limit her.[/b]
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That mindset will disappoint you and your daughter. There is no perfect school or dream school and your daughter is not "limited" because one school she likes doesn't offer merit. [/quote]

Her daughter is literally limited to schools that do offer merit [/quote]

And there are plenty of them!  Change the mindset and get excited about the choices you can afford.  
Many people are limited to driving a Honda, not a BMW because that's what they can afford.  If they choose to drive a BMW, they have to live with the consequences of the higher cost (loans/not enough $$ to pay for something else).  College is similar.  
Or you don't play the sport in college---you do rec sports at a school that gives you great merit.

Merit can be found.  My 26 ACT, 3.5UW gpa, only 1 AP, kid graduated from a T100 university where they got 35% of tuition, making total costs ~$40K/year.  This was at a school where kid was at 50percentile for scores/gpa.  OP could afford that, as they have ~$150-160K in their 529.

Same kid had a 65% of tuition merit offer from a T120 school making it only $25K/year because they were at 75percentile+.  I'm going to guess someone who "can get into a top SLAC" can easily find many schools with merit awards, if my kid with a 26 ACT could. Same kid also had two in-state schools that would only cost $15K/year after the merit awards.  
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