EA. Lots of EA. And Rolling Admission. Be ready to apply to the rolling admission schools as soon as applications are "up". Usually this is in August. Apply in August. Have all HS materials IN by mid Sept.

Then consider it a fluid process. Some results come in. Some merit aid comes in. Visits are done if the school is affordable. Rejections mean another school's application gets done. Around Thanksgiving, evaluate and adjust for what instate options are needed.

A lot of schools, especially OOS publics, have merit money that is either first-come, first-served, or requires an application by a date in the fall (sometimes as early as October). This may or may not be the official EA deadline. So check on that date as well.

Run net price calculators and only apply ED if it's in your budget. But save a screenshot of the page so you have it documented.

We had a lower budget ($40k) and the only ED considered was W&M in-state.But DD decided she wasn't 100% sure she wanted to go there vs a smaller LAC.

Had lots of in-budget options with LACs ranked in the 60-80 range. A couple higher ranked, 50-60 range, were too expensive but might have come under $50k if you got the highest merit.

Apply EA wherever possible.

Anonymous wrote:I’m willing to pay $50k/yr for DD. She will not qualify for need based aid. She knows any school she’s admitted to over $50 has to give her merit.

Now, can you explain to me if she should apply EA,ED, or some other cycle?

If her 1st choice is within budget, then EA/ED usually has better admission odds at most colleges, including good regional publics.

Apply but be realistic if it’s in your budget.

Example: we chose not to apply to any higher ranked privates (Davidson, Carnegie Mellon, etc) because we knew they’d be over $60k.

Best bet is in stats publics, then oos publics with lower oos costs and higher acceptance rates (e.g, SUNY, not u Michigan) then less competitive privates, then higher ranked privates.

Only ED if you know you can afford it without merit aid.

Anonymous wrote:I’m willing to pay $50k/yr for DD. She will not qualify for need based aid. She knows any school she’s admitted to over $50 has to give her merit.

Now, can you explain to me if she should apply EA,ED, or some other cycle?

My kid had the same budget last year. From our experience it was TOUGH to get under $50k for private.
BU offered $28.5k. $60k COA
CWRU $30k, $56k
Lehigh 50% tuition, $50k

Easier time with OOS public. Good luck!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m willing to pay $50k/yr for DD. She will not qualify for need based aid. She knows any school she’s admitted to over $50 has to give her merit.

Now, can you explain to me if she should apply EA,ED, or some other cycle?

If the NPC says you can afford it you can apply ED.

If the NPC says $60k, then no. Poster said $50k

So you need about 30-40K merit from private universities. Apply EA to schools a full level below her grades and scores, ie where her SAT ACT score is at or above 75th percentile. Similar approach for publics though you’ll likely be looking for less of a discount.

Anonymous wrote:I’m willing to pay $50k/yr for DD. She will not qualify for need based aid. She knows any school she’s admitted to over $50 has to give her merit.

Now, can you explain to me if she should apply EA,ED, or some other cycle?

If the NPC says you can afford it you can apply ED.

No one can answer how she should apply…it depends on thr school and what the annual cost is.

Also regular admissions if she's alright waiting to hear back from some until the spring, coupled with some early or rolling admissions schools to know that she has affordable options.

What kinds of schools is she interested in?

Probably not ED, EA and rolling admissions are good to demonstrate interest!

I’m willing to pay $50k/yr for DD. She will not qualify for need based aid. She knows any school she’s admitted to over $50 has to give her merit.

Now, can you explain to me if she should apply EA,ED, or some other cycle?