The Princeton Review has come out with a list of 10 colleges that offer students especially generous financial aid packages.
As you look at the list below, remember—generous financial aid packages go to families who apply for them.
Parents, please—always fill out the FAFSA financial aid application every October 1st that there’s even a chance you’ll have a kid in college or trade school the following fall.
Applying is free and easy—and you never know what you might get!
(Important: do this even if you’re rich.)
According to the Princeton Review, especially generous state university financial aid packages are found at:
1. University of Virginia
Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
Sticker price (in-state): $29,983
Average need-based scholarship: $24,776
Total out-of-pocket cost: $5,207
2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Sticker price (in-state): $20,515
Average need-based scholarship: $18,410
Total out-of-pocket cost: $2,105
3. Florida State University
Location: Tallahassee, Florida
Sticker price (in-state): $16,986
Average need-based scholarship: $13,033
Total out-of-pocket cost: $3,953
4. University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Sticker price (in-state): $27,984
Average need-based scholarship: $21,665
Total out-of-pocket cost: $6,319
5. City University of New York—Hunter College
Location: Manhattan, New York
Sticker price (in-state): $21,098
Average need-based scholarship: $8,142
Total out-of-pocket cost: $12,956
According to the Princeton Review, especially generous private college and university financial aid packages are found at:
1. Vassar College
Location: Poughkeepsie, New York
Sticker price: $68,110
Average need-based scholarship: $49,190
Total out-of-pocket cost: $18,920
2. Princeton University
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
Sticker price: $65,810
Average need-based scholarship: $53,572
Total out-of-pocket cost: $12,238
3. Yale University
Location: New Haven, Connecticut
Sticker price: $72,100
Average need-based scholarship: $56,602
Total out-of-pocket cost: $15,498
4. Pomona College
Location: Pomona, California
Sticker price: $71,980
Average need-based scholarship: $55,082
Total out-of-pocket cost: $16,898
5. Vanderbilt University
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Sticker price: $68,980
Average need-based scholarship: $52,242
Total out-of-pocket cost: $16,738
Don’t let this list discourage you!
Generous financial aid packages are found at all kinds of colleges, all across the US.
“Never cross an expensive school off your list based on sticker price alone,” says Robert Franek, Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief. “Financial aid is available and can make many, many schools so affordable.”
You can read an entire CNBC article on especially generous financial aid packages here.
For more in-depth info on how to pick colleges that offer especially generous financial aid packages, see Chapter 14 (pages 153–185) of this book:
Pick out what you as an individual need to read in it using the fast-paced, 10-minute video instructions here.
You can see more than 100 reviews of this book on Amazon by going to:
(Tell your friends.)
You can see why financial advising professionals love LAUNCH, here.
You can see the top 9 questions parents are asking me about LAUNCH, here.
Read just one chapter of LAUNCH every 1–3 months while your child’s in middle school and high school, and you’ll know every viable strategy for debt-free college at exactly the right time to implement it.
And if your child’s already well past middle school? That’s OK; you can run to catch up. But the process of getting your kids through college debt-free goes more smoothly the earlier you start it—especially if you’re not planning to save up any money to pay for college.
Take a step on this right now. Get regular, inspiring help on this subject—every Monday morning.
Subscribe to my free weekly email newsletter here.
Do you have specific questions for me about debt-free college and career for your kids?
Is someone you love in the process of picking out colleges to apply to?
What are your thoughts on trying to maximize financial aid in order to reduce college costs? Comment below, or LIKE Jeannie Burlowski Author on Facebook and comment on this post there.
Who is The Princeton Review?
The Princeton Review is a college admission services company that offers test preparation services, tutoring and admissions resources, online courses, and books published by Penguin Random House. The company has more than 4,000 teachers and tutors in the United States and Canada and international franchises and offices in 21 countries.
Who is Jeannie Burlowski?
Jeannie is a full-time academic strategist, podcast host, and sought-after speaker for students ages 12–26 and their parents and grandparents. Her writing, speaking, and podcasting help parents set their kids up to graduate college debt-free and move directly into careers they excel at and love. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Huffington Post, USA Today, Parents Magazine, and US News and World Report, and on CBS News.
Jeannie also helps students apply to law, medical, business, and grad school at her website GetIntoMedSchool.com. You can follow her on Twitter @JBurlowski.