Anonymous
01/19/2026 18:34
Subject: Families making $200k - $400k
Anonymous wrote:300K income and got nothing from yale.
but we saved 200k in 529 over the last 17 years. (probably contributed less than half that, most gains)
had assets but paid down mortgage a year ago, so fully paid off 2mm apartment in nyc and have about 500k in other non-retirement assets.
We'll cash flow and use 529 and be fine.
second kid in HS class of 2028
You have a 2 million dollar apartment and think you should get aid?
Anonymous
01/19/2026 18:33
Subject: Families making $200k - $400k
Anonymous wrote:There’s a lot of need-aware merit aid out there.Anonymous wrote:Merit aid looks at merit, not HHI/assets
Nope. Need based aid provides a much better optics for the college, so if a kid is eligible for any need based aid, that would be specified as such. Maybe in exceptional circumstances where e.g. a kid is eligible for $10K need based but wins Stamps scholarship it’s all merit, but those are rare cases.
Anonymous
01/19/2026 18:32
Subject: Families making $200k - $400k
300K income and got nothing from yale.
but we saved 200k in 529 over the last 17 years. (probably contributed less than half that, most gains)
had assets but paid down mortgage a year ago, so fully paid off 2mm apartment in nyc and have about 500k in other non-retirement assets.
We'll cash flow and use 529 and be fine.
second kid in HS class of 2028
but we saved 200k in 529 over the last 17 years. (probably contributed less than half that, most gains)
had assets but paid down mortgage a year ago, so fully paid off 2mm apartment in nyc and have about 500k in other non-retirement assets.
We'll cash flow and use 529 and be fine.
second kid in HS class of 2028
Anonymous
01/19/2026 18:22
Subject: Families making $200k - $400k
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:There’s a lot of need-aware merit aid out there.Anonymous wrote:Merit aid looks at merit, not HHI/assets
Only for URM and first generation
Poor white kids from places like Appalachia also would qualify. It generally is based on need these days.
Anonymous
01/19/2026 18:16
Subject: Families making $200k - $400k
Anonymous wrote:If we make $250k a year plus home is valued at 1.5 million can we expect any aid? Will they look at our stock holdings and retirement?
Most look at stock holdings but not retirement.
Anonymous
01/19/2026 18:13
Subject: Families making $200k - $400k
Anonymous wrote:If we make $250k a year plus home is valued at 1.5 million can we expect any aid? Will they look at our stock holdings and retirement?
That’s about our situation (though our house is worth less) and our son did receive aid offers from most schools. (As in, schools that were 90k would have cost us 60k.) He ended up going to school overseas where tuition is much less. No aid, though.
Anonymous
01/19/2026 18:07
Subject: Families making $200k - $400k
If we make $250k a year plus home is valued at 1.5 million can we expect any aid? Will they look at our stock holdings and retirement?
Anonymous
01/19/2026 17:41
Subject: Families making $200k - $400k
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Would these threads be more useful if instead of sharing the amount of merit aid given, we shared what the real out of pocket cost of attendance will be for each school? Seems like we've bought into the fake listed COAs that schools publish.
+1 I think it's silly for these expensive privates to offer $$$ merit to 95%+ of their students. Just bring down the costs, and they down have to give so much merit aid.
I know, I know.. it's a psychological thing that makes people feel more special.
Totally agree. Kohls called and wants its pricing strategy back.
Anonymous
01/19/2026 16:57
Subject: Re:Families making $200k - $400k
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DC got merit aid per year - we are not in VA.
West Virginia State University $17,000
Virginia Commonwealth $15,000
George Mason University $23,000
Loyola University Chicago $34,000
Seattle University $31,000
Loyola Maryland $39,000
Hofstra University $43,000
This is fantastic. Congratulations!!
It would be if DC decided to go to one of those univ. Instead, DC is choosing oos Penn State, 0 aid.
Oos Penn State with 0 aid is tough! Penn State is a great school but yikes! We are also supporting DC who does not want to go to the school with the highest scholarship.
I know...sigh... but DC is using their inheritance money from grandparents for some of the cost. The 529 only can pay up to 3 years. I guess they've got some skin in the game, so there's that.
Penn State is the best school for them and was their first choice out of that list. But, yea, it kind of hurts me to know how much it will cost and knowing how much money we are leaving on the table from those other schools.
Anonymous
01/19/2026 16:41
Subject: Families making $200k - $400k
Our son got merit from most schools and financial aid from one. The privates all came in between 40-45. One private gave merit and almost 20 in financial aid. I suspect it is because we have another son in college. Brings it to low 30’s. It is clearly the highest ranked private SLAC that he applied to. He is torn between that school and our state flagship which will be more expensive.
Anonymous
01/19/2026 16:31
Subject: Re:Families making $200k - $400k
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DC got merit aid per year - we are not in VA.
West Virginia State University $17,000
Virginia Commonwealth $15,000
George Mason University $23,000
Loyola University Chicago $34,000
Seattle University $31,000
Loyola Maryland $39,000
Hofstra University $43,000
This is fantastic. Congratulations!!
It would be if DC decided to go to one of those univ. Instead, DC is choosing oos Penn State, 0 aid.
Oos Penn State with 0 aid is tough! Penn State is a great school but yikes! We are also supporting DC who does not want to go to the school with the highest scholarship.
Anonymous
01/19/2026 16:24
Subject: Re:Families making $200k - $400k
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DC got merit aid per year - we are not in VA.
West Virginia State University $17,000
Virginia Commonwealth $15,000
George Mason University $23,000
Loyola University Chicago $34,000
Seattle University $31,000
Loyola Maryland $39,000
Hofstra University $43,000
This is fantastic. Congratulations!!
It would be if DC decided to go to one of those univ. Instead, DC is choosing oos Penn State, 0 aid.
Anonymous
01/19/2026 16:22
Subject: Families making $200k - $400k
Anonymous wrote:Would these threads be more useful if instead of sharing the amount of merit aid given, we shared what the real out of pocket cost of attendance will be for each school? Seems like we've bought into the fake listed COAs that schools publish.
+1 I think it's silly for these expensive privates to offer $$$ merit to 95%+ of their students. Just bring down the costs, and they down have to give so much merit aid.
I know, I know.. it's a psychological thing that makes people feel more special.
Anonymous
01/19/2026 16:22
Subject: Families making $200k - $400k
Anonymous wrote:For families making $200k to $400k (of which there are a lot in the dmv. Two parents each making $150k, etc). If you have a senior going to college, what kind of merit aid are you seeing?
We were at ~$280k for 2024 (the tax year colleges review for current HS seniors). DS has strong-ish stats like so many others (4.0 w, 1400 (not submitted except to safeties), deep ec's including 4 years volunteer, robotics, debate, and varsity athlete- not playing in college).
We received $20k merit from two T50 private universities, $40k from two SLACs, and $70k/yr from a target liberal arts school where we expressed extreme interest. $1.3m house w/$950k mortgage and virtually all savings in retirement funds.
What merit aid are others in this income range seeing?
That sounds reasonable. Sounds like you need to make some lifestyle changes.
Anonymous
01/19/2026 16:20
Subject: Re:Families making $200k - $400k
Anonymous wrote:DC got merit aid per year - we are not in VA.
West Virginia State University $17,000
Virginia Commonwealth $15,000
George Mason University $23,000
Loyola University Chicago $34,000
Seattle University $31,000
Loyola Maryland $39,000
Hofstra University $43,000
This is fantastic. Congratulations!!