Colleges Meeting the Most Financial Need

Financial aid is going to play a HUGE part in my college decision. Could anyone suggest colleges that meet most (or even all) demonstrated financial need? Would be a big help!

Certainly, many colleges offer generous financial aid packages, bringing down the cost of attendance for students with demonstrated need. While this list isn't exhaustive, it should give you a good starting point.

Firstly, all schools in the Ivy League (such as Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Columbia etc.) are known for their commitment to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need. Notably, at Harvard, families who earn less than $85,000 per year pay nothing towards the cost of attendance. Families who earn between $85,000 and $150,000 per year will pay between 0 and 10% of their annual income.

Near the Ivy League in terms of generosity are Stanford and MIT, which are also known for providing extensive financial aid packages.

Liberal arts colleges like Amherst, Williams, and Pomona are also committed to meeting full demonstrated need. Vanderbilt, a research university, is known for its financial aid packages and is a "need-blind" school meaning it does not consider an applicant's financial situation in its admissions decisions.

Public universities traditionally do not have the endowments to meet full need, but UNC Chapel Hill and UVA are exceptions and have committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated need for in-state and out-of-state students.

Between these schools, there's a good mix of academic offerings, locations, and campus cultures. Keep in mind though that "meeting need" doesn't mean all aid will be in grants; some part of it might be in work-study or loans.

Always use the schools' net price calculators to get a better idea of what your family might actually pay, and remember to apply as early as possible once financial aid applications open.