What are the best Ivy League Colleges?

Best financial aid for non-ivy league colleges?

• what are some of the best financial aid schools that are NOT ivy-league or even semi-ivy-league something the average person could get into without having to worry about how much ...show more

• Answer:

  If finances are a concern, then you need to apply to some good public colleges in your home state. These will have the lowest overall price tag for you, and can act as a financial backup in case the financial aid at other colleges doesn't turn out as you'd need it to. In addition, the public unis tend to have very strong computer science programs. In addition, you also want to apply to some colleges, public *and* private, where your stats are on the high side for the school. If your SATs and/or GPA are high for a school, that can increase your chances of getting some merit aid - aid based on grades - at that school. It's unlikely that you'd get much aid at a public college that's outside your home state. That's something to keep in mind re: your choice of colleges. Be careful about taking on too much in student loans. When you get into a school, they'll send you a financial aid award letter. Look at that letter carefully. Keep in mind that grants and scholarships, you don't have to pay back; but loans, you do. And you do not want to graduate from college holding excessive student loan debt. For example, if you got into a public school in your home state, the sticker price might be $15k per year. You get a grant for $5k. The amount you'd have to take out in loans is $10k. You get into a private university. The sticker price is $40k per year. You get a scholarship for $15k, and get all excited. Don't be. You'd have to take out $25k in loans every year. That's not okay. You'd graduate with $100k in debt. That's impossible to manage. The public school, even with lower scholarships, is a lot cheaper, and IMO, a far better financial choice.