Making college more affordable

자녀의 대학 교육을 위한 부모의 부담이 매년 높아 지고 있는 것을 우리는 잘 알고 있다. 최근에 College Board에서 발표한 통계에 따르면, 학비 상승이 소득 상승율보다 높아 지고 있어, 그 결과 Public colleges는 8연 연속, Private colleges는 6년 연속 실질 비용 부담이 늘어 남으로써, 대학 학비가 가정 경제 부담을 가중하고 있음을 알 수 있다. 따라서, 자녀의 대학 교육 비용을 해결하는 방법의 하나로 경제적 형편과 달리 학생의 성적과 재능에 따라 각 학교 재량으로 지급되는 장학금(Merit Aid)에 보다 관심을 가질 필요가 있으며, 특히 신입생들에게 장학금을 잘 주는 학교들을 소개함으로써 대학 입학을 앞둔 각 가정에 도움을 드리고자 합니다.

College costs rising faster than income & aid.
Two annual reports released by the College Board show that even after financial aid, the net cost of college has risen — and at a rate faster than inflation, the rise in household incomes, and financial aid, making college less affordable for students and families.
Published prices for tuitions, fees, room and board hit new highs in 2017-18, rising 2.8% at two-year public colleges, 3.1% for in-state students at four-year public colleges, and 3.5% at private colleges. Over the past decade, the College Board has reported that published prices have risen between 2.2% and 2.7% each year. Meanwhile, the average annual increase in median family income, when adjusted for inflation, has been just 0.3% a year. And while more than 70% of full-time students now receive grant aid to help pay for college and financial aid awards are higher than ever, it still hasn’t kept pace with this rise in college costs.
As a result, net prices have risen for eight straight years at public four-year institutions, seven years at public two-year institutions, and six years at private colleges, Money reports. The average net price after financial aid and tax benefits for 2017-18 is $8,070 at two-year public colleges, $14,940 at four-year public colleges and $26,740 at four-year private colleges, the study found.

So if you cannot afford to pay college costs with need-based financial aid, the following schools might be worth looking at, as they give merit aid out to at least 25% of their freshmen class.

Best Colleges for Merit Scholarships

Merit aid can significantly reduce college costs, especially at private colleges. "Merit aid" is a general term for grants, scholarships, and tuition discounts that a college offers to certain student applicants, based on the value they would bring to the college. The aid comes from the college's own resources, so the college is free to award it based on the criteria they choose. Merit aid isn't awarded based on your financial need, it is usually awarded based on the student’s academic achievement, or other talents such as athletic or musical ability. In some cases, the college may simply want to attract students to meet their enrollment goals.