What are some colleges that are known to offer very generous scholarships? I want to focus on applying to those mainly because I'm sure my need for financial aid will be quite big.
There are a variety of colleges that offer generous financial aid and merit-based scholarships.
Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, for example, offer incredibly generous financial aid packages to students with financial need. Harvard and Yale commit to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial needs, with no loans. At Harvard, for instance, families who earn less than $85,000 pay nothing for their child's education. Yale follows a similar model (with $75,000).
Princeton has a 'no loan' policy, meaning that the financial aid package consists entirely of grants that do not need to be repaid. Families making below a certain income - usually less than $65,000 a year - will typically pay nothing towards tuition, room, or board.
Other schools, such as Vanderbilt, are also need-blind (they do not consider an applicant's financial situation in admissions decisions) and meet 100% of demonstrated financial need.
Looking at state schools, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill meets 100% of the demonstrated need for in-state students, and the University of Virginia commits to meeting 100% of the demonstrated need for all students.
Aside from need-based aid, many colleges offer lucrative merit-based scholarships. For instance, The University of Southern California (USC) offers half to full-tuition scholarships for high-achieving applicants. At the University of Alabama, out-of-state students with a 3.5 GPA and high test scores can receive up to full tuition scholarships.
Remember to use the net price calculators on each school's financial aid website to get a more accurate estimate of what you might pay. This will give you a better sense of the potential financial aid package you could receive from each school.
Good luck with your applications! Financial considerations are very important, and I'm glad you're taking the initiative to seek out aid-friendly institutions.
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