Don't count on it. Can't count on anything. That also means there may be some surprises. And those could be good surprises. Apply widely. We were full pay, and DD got merit aid (did not file the FAFSA) at 5 schools, anywhere from 2K to 16K per year. You can not anticipate. I do think that at full pay, the school knows the student -could- attend if admitted, money is not going to prevent it. I do not think that will necessarily mean the student will be required to pay the full amount.

You can not anticipate this. You can't. Apply widely.

Anonymous wrote:So here’s my question: DC1 is starting college this fall. He has enough merit aid we will never apply need based. DC2 is two years behind. NPC shows that we will probably get $20,000 a year for the two years the kids overlap. She is considering SLACs— midwestern and NESCAC. How much does it hurt a kid to have Some need two years, but still pay $60k/ year and be full pay the last two? Do colleges only look at year one? Or do they factor in the temporary nature of two in college?

We are in the same situation but #2 graduated this year. We filled out all the paperwork FAFSA and CSS profile. Our expected family contribution indicated we would get about 20K for the overlap years. #2 was applying to highly selective schools with no merit aid. Well, unfortunately schools have no requirement to meet the expected family contribution amount shown by FASFA. We are getting no aid for the overlap years. So the answer to your question is yes, you can qualify for different aid depending on how many kids are at school at the same time...but don't count on it.

Anonymous wrote:We used the full pay advantage by having DD apply at Northwestern Early Decision.

Regular acceptance rates are about 11%. Early decision acceptance rate is about 25%.

I am not sure but believe that when one applies early decision one is applying without knowing what if any financial/merit aid will be.

Of course this is assuming that people are too f-ing stupid to use the NPC available on every website. And, they can not matriculate if the aid award is too small.

But of course, logical argument isn't the strong point of the DCUM crew.

Sorry, ED does not demonstrate full pay, only strong interest.

We used the full pay advantage by having DD apply at Northwestern Early Decision.

Regular acceptance rates are about 11%. Early decision acceptance rate is about 25%.

I am not sure but believe that when one applies early decision one is applying without knowing what if any financial/merit aid will be.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here’s my question: DC1 is starting college this fall. He has enough merit aid we will never apply need based. DC2 is two years behind. NPC shows that we will probably get $20,000 a year for the two years the kids overlap. She is considering SLACs— midwestern and NESCAC. How much does it hurt a kid to have Some need two years, but still pay $60k/ year and be full pay the last two? Do colleges only look at year one? Or do they factor in the temporary nature of two in college?

It only “hurts” a kid at colleges that are selective (I’d say between 5%-30% acceptance rates).

Which is most of the NESCAC and many midwestern SLACs.

Anonymous wrote:So here’s my question: DC1 is starting college this fall. He has enough merit aid we will never apply need based. DC2 is two years behind. NPC shows that we will probably get $20,000 a year for the two years the kids overlap. She is considering SLACs— midwestern and NESCAC. How much does it hurt a kid to have Some need two years, but still pay $60k/ year and be full pay the last two? Do colleges only look at year one? Or do they factor in the temporary nature of two in college?

It only “hurts” a kid at colleges that are selective (I’d say between 5%-30% acceptance rates).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No matter what a university says, full pay is always an advantage.

FALSE!

Universities DO NO LIE about this. They have NO REASON TO. The list of colleges that are need blind and meet full need is a TINY PERCENTAGE. You have NO FACTS to the contrary. Capitals are used because this has been discussed here SO MANY TIMES so apparently emphasis is needed.

If this is the former admissions officer that feels so strongly about this topic, how can you be confident that what you experienced at YOUR school is what happens at ALL need blind schools. Further, if you FORMERLY worked as an admissions officer, couldn't the post-Covid environment be different than what you experienced?

Because there is ZERO EVIDENCE that they are lying. Not one testimony, not one document, nothing, despite the years of this flat-earth style conspiracy theory that goes back decades. Not pre-COVID or post-COVID. None.

/not the former admissions officer but you ignored that person also so who can convince you the earth is a sphere?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No matter what a university says, full pay is always an advantage.

FALSE!

Universities DO NO LIE about this. They have NO REASON TO. The list of colleges that are need blind and meet full need is a TINY PERCENTAGE. You have NO FACTS to the contrary. Capitals are used because this has been discussed here SO MANY TIMES so apparently emphasis is needed.

If this is the former admissions officer that feels so strongly about this topic, how can you be confident that what you experienced at YOUR school is what happens at ALL need blind schools. Further, if you FORMERLY worked as an admissions officer, couldn't the post-Covid environment be different than what you experienced?

So here’s my question: DC1 is starting college this fall. He has enough merit aid we will never apply need based. DC2 is two years behind. NPC shows that we will probably get $20,000 a year for the two years the kids overlap. She is considering SLACs— midwestern and NESCAC. How much does it hurt a kid to have Some need two years, but still pay $60k/ year and be full pay the last two? Do colleges only look at year one? Or do they factor in the temporary nature of two in college?

Anonymous wrote:No matter what a university says, full pay is always an advantage.

FALSE!

Universities DO NO LIE about this. They have NO REASON TO. The list of colleges that are need blind and meet full need is a TINY PERCENTAGE. You have NO FACTS to the contrary. Capitals are used because this has been discussed here SO MANY TIMES so apparently emphasis is needed.

No matter what a university says, full pay is always an advantage.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of references here to full pay. We are just starting the application process does being full pay really make a difference in your opinion? And if you are full pay freshman year is that assume you have to be full pay the rest of the time? Similar to K 12 private school?

I’m not sure about privates but for publics that rely on fafsa and state grant systems you can definitely apply for the first time in the kid’s second or third year. And we are pretty high income and got $500/yr from state grants, which was a nice thing.

SAme with privates. We were full pay for 2 years with the oldest kid. Now we will have two in college at the same time and will be getting some aid.

Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of references here to full pay. We are just starting the application process does being full pay really make a difference in your opinion? And if you are full pay freshman year is that assume you have to be full pay the rest of the time? Similar to K 12 private school?

I’m not sure about privates but for publics that rely on fafsa and state grant systems you can definitely apply for the first time in the kid’s second or third year. And we are pretty high income and got $500/yr from state grants, which was a nice thing.

Anonymous wrote:I see a lot of references here to full pay. We are just starting the application process does being full pay really make a difference in your opinion? And if you are full pay freshman year is that assume you have to be full pay the rest of the time? Similar to K 12 private school?

You’ll want to start your education by learning the differences between Need-blind and need-aware, and meets full need colleges vs. doesn’t meet full need. I would add that info but it is better learned elsewhere, even Wikipedia.

I see a lot of references here to full pay. We are just starting the application process does being full pay really make a difference in your opinion? And if you are full pay freshman year is that assume you have to be full pay the rest of the time? Similar to K 12 private school?