You can pick from many colleges- famous and not so. There are many factors that go into a decision to apply to a particular university or college. One of them is money. How much are willing to pay for education? It is possible to pay a bill of 30,000 a year for a worthless education or $10,000 for an excellent program.
It is necessary to apply to many colleges . One of them will give you a good deal. If you or your child has received a good financial package from one school, you can go to a comparable school (more desirable) and negotiate a better package.
Students who need financial aid should apply to many colleges. This is also an opportunity to learn about different universities. One of them can be the student is not sure about admission, others not only fit the academic profile but meet students’ financial need.
If your Expected Family Contribution is up to $5,000, it would be safe to apply to a public university or community college in your state. Two advantages — you have a chance to get state aid and stay home saving money. Over the past few years, the cost of the best public universities has gone up. Some of them can be still affordable for out of state students. Do your research before making final decision what college to attend.
However, you should not neglect a private college, where you can be in demand (if you have good grades or other desirable attributes).
If you have a low need and unlikely to get financial aid, still apply for financial aid. Some colleges, especially private ones, may want to make a deal with you. We will suggest to start saving money for college years before applying to colleges.
Looking at private colleges, keep in mind what percentage of need met by a school, if the student has something special to offer, or the school has certain requirements of a full scholarship, etc.
If you need help in completing FAFSA and understating your options, please contact us at counseling@allcollegesandcareers.com