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My son is at a top 40 university and they give merit based aid. There are many excellent schools that do give merit based aid. You just have to work to figure out which schools.
Some of the better schools that I know give merit based aid.
Tulane
George Washington U
USC
Northeastern
Case Western
U of Miami
U of Rochester
WPI
Brandeis
Kenyon
This is not a complete list of colleges that give merit based aid. It's just a list of schools that I know give merit based aid that are not "bottom of the barrel" schools.
University of Rochester is one of the schools that gave my daughter's friend, referenced above, some fin. aid. It was not enough to make it less than the cost of in-state tuition at the U of CO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised
Students and parents I know calculate the cost of college as follows: Tuition + books + fees + room and board. R&B means food + their portion of internet + heat + electricity etc. I realize there is insurance costs, gas, more expensive housing from campus to campus, clothing, car insurance, etc etc. But I don't sweat those calculations. For ease of understanding what I have to shell out, I simply attach a $8K R&B including food on every college around here. I figure a couple grand for books.
So for all practical purposes to benchmarking $$'s between a local private and our Flagship (UofMN) is tuition. It's currently $12K for tuition at the UofMN with ZERO scholarships (see Undergraduate tuition ). The smarter students get a few grand off or pay $9K for tuition. For every single private that's worthy it is well over $30K. Let's pick on St. Olaf See Tuition and Expenses . It's $40,700. So if a top 10% student goes to the UofMN, they pay about $12K-$3K or $9K for tuition per year. That means that St. Olaf student needs $40,700-$9,000 or $31,700 in Merit $$'s to be equal. GG says "no problem" she knows a lot of kid who get MORE than $31,700. She says it's common place. We live in the same state. I can drive down to the St. Olaf campus with a mega-phone and ask for the students who got >$31,700 in MERIT aid to step forward. I propose no one but THE most talented kids are going to raise their hands.
Let's get more specific. The #1 student (650 kids) from our HS 7 years back went to St. Olaf. She was a very talented student. She got $$'s because of her musical talents and other merit categories. She was very smart. Proof: she later went on to Vet school. I talked with her at her sister's wedding last month. She chuckled when I asked if it was common for big merit $$'s above $30K.
Sorry. I'm not buying it.
One of my daughters went to St. Olaf. The price they quote is a "comprehensive fee" that covers R&B in the dorms. If you choose to live elsewhere (hard to do there), they factor out the dorm fees. However, I agree that there are few "free rides" there. In fact, I never heard of one. My DD did get a small scholarship, but by the time she graduated, the cost of attendance had outstripped that. Granted, it was that much money we didn't have to pay. http://www.stolaf.edu/catalog/admiss...education.htmlThey list tuition at $39,560.
I think CC has its place. We have a very good CC in my county and it can be a very useful place for some people. Our CC offers many certificate programs. Certificate programs are an excellent value for people looking for real world job skills. Our CC also shares a campus with one of the state Us so it is an easy transition to state U from the CC.
University of Rochester is one of the schools that gave my daughter's friend, referenced above, some fin. aid. It was not enough to make it less than the cost of in-state tuition at the U of CO.
I didn't say that merit aid WOULD be enough to make private less than state U. I said it COULD make it less. The difference in cost is not always as large as it appears by looking at the sticker prices. However, I do not think that marginal students are often given large merit based awards. Most students I know who get merit based aid are excellent students.
My point really was that it isn't always the academic bottom of the barrel schools that offer merit based aid. If you have a top student it is often worth looking at schools that are ranked in the top 100, but outside the top 10 or so. Many of these excellent schools offer merit based aid to top students.
I didn't say that merit aid WOULD be enough to make private less than state U. I said it COULD make it less. The difference in cost is not always as large as it appears by looking at the sticker prices. However, I do not think that marginal students are often given large merit based awards. Most students I know who get merit based aid are excellent students.
My point really was that it isn't always the academic bottom of the barrel schools that offer merit based aid. If you have a top student it is often worth looking at schools that are ranked in the top 100, but outside the top 10 or so. Many of these excellent schools offer merit based aid to top students.
I quoted your post for the list. They don't come more top student than my daughter's friend.
I think CC has its place. We have a very good CC in my county and it can be a very useful place for some people. Our CC offers many certificate programs. Certificate programs are an excellent value for people looking for real world job skills. Our CC also shares a campus with one of the state Us so it is an easy transition to state U from the CC.
Our CCs here offer the 1 year certificates, 2 year certificates, 2 year degrees both AA and AS and have transfer programs to finish your 4 year at one of the state universities.
a lot of people dis CC because it's open enrollment but not everyone goes to a CC to complete a 4 year degree. CCs also offer continuing education and non credit life long learning classes.
Our CCs here offer the 1 year certificates, 2 year certificates, 2 year degrees both AA and AS and have transfer programs to finish your 4 year at one of the state universities.
a lot of people dis CC because it's open enrollment but not everyone goes to a CC to complete a 4 year degree. CCs also offer continuing education and non credit life long learning classes.
I am not a fan of CC for top students.
However, CC is important. It provides post high school education for a wide variety of different types of students. It is important for a community to have post high school education available for everyone who wants it, not just those who go on to 4 year universities. CC also provides a low cost start to students who may eventually wind up in 4 year universities.
I quoted your post for the list. They don't come more top student than my daughter's friend.
Well as I mentioned it really does depend on the state you are in. In some states the COA is much more expensive than others. CO has reasonably priced state Us compared to other states. I know that the COA at U of IL is over $30K per year.
Again, merit aid CAN bring the cost down to a cost that is similar/lower than a state U but that doesn't mean it will do so for every single student, especially those who live in states with lower priced state Us.
However, CC is important. It provides post high school education for a wide variety of different types of students. It is important for a community to have post high school education available for everyone who wants it, not just those who go on to 4 year universities. CC also provides a low cost start to students who may eventually wind up in 4 year universities.
If it weren't for a CC I would not have gotten my BS degree.
Same for my sister.
A CC is what you make of it and that goes for top students as well.
Not everyone can get scholarships and work study, etc. Many more don't than do.
1. At most of the private universities in the region, students graduate with an average of $30,000-40,000 in debt vs. $20,000-25,000 in debt at a public university.
2. CCs credits easily transfer to public universities, and they are 1/4 to 1/3 of the cost. Grants and loans are usually needed to cover tuition and fees at 4-year, public colleges.
3. Students who qualify for full Pell Grant awards don't have to take out any loans to cover tuition, fees, and books at CCs. They will get $2,000-$3,000 back in an excess funds check that will cover needed books, software, computers, etc. The money doesn't have to be paid back.
1. At most of the private universities in the region, students graduate with an average of $30,000-40,000 in debt vs. $20,000-25,000 in debt at a public university.
2. CCs credits easily transfer to public universities, and they are 1/4 to 1/3 of the cost. Grants and loans are usually needed to cover tuition and fees at 4-year, public colleges.
3. Students who qualify for full Pell Grant awards don't have to take out any loans to cover tuition, fees, and books at CCs. They will get $2,000-$3,000 back in an excess funds check that will cover needed books, software, computers, etc. The money doesn't have to be paid back.
National average for student loan debt is $27,000...why so much at the schools near you. Max you can take in fed student loans is $30,000 over 4 years
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