You’re excited about applying to college, but the four year price tag is 100% overwhelming. How are you supposed to find a list of schools that are a great fit for what you’re looking for AND that you can afford? It’s a tall order, for sure, but it is possible!
Let’s start your research with a set of schools where you have a good shot of getting the financial aid package that you need to make college a reality. To give you a headstart, we’ve created one spot where you can access multiple helpful lists. Curious which schools offer no-loan financial aid packages? Got it. Want to know which colleges meet 100% of need for students who identify as undocumented/DACA? Yep, we cover that too.
You will also learn about organizations like QuestBridge and Posse Foundation that offer full scholarships to their partner colleges and universities. And you’ll learn about programs with combinations of letters like RSP and WUE that can save you a ton of money depending on where you live in the U.S.
So start with the first tab on the doc and work your way through. You’ve got this!
SCHOOLS THAT MEET FULL NEED WITH NO LOANS
These schools have eliminated loans from their financial aid packages. Some of the schools eliminated loans for all students, and for others, family income needs to fall beneath a certain threshold, so it's important to check on the policy on each campus that you are interested in.
Want to check out this list of schools? Go here.
SCHOOLS THAT MEET FULL NEED WITH LOANS
These schools guarantee to meet full need when providing financial aid packages, but these aid packages may include loans along with grants, work study, etc. In other words, you will have to pay some of this money back so you'll want to be careful to carefully manage your debt.
Want to check out this list of schools? Go here.
SCHOOLS THAT MEET 100% NEED FOR UNDOCUMENTED/DACA STUDENTS
This is a list of institutions that meet 100% of demonstrated need for students who identify as undocumented/DACA. Colleges are added to this list each year, so it's a good idea to check in with admissions and financial aid officers at schools that you are interested in (if the information on their website isn't 100% clear). These packages may, or may not include loans, depending on the institution.
Want to check out this list of schools? Go here.
PROGRAMS & ORGANIZATIONS
STATE PROGRAMS THAT REDUCE TUITION COSTS
Many states have programs that allow residents to attend university in another state, without having to pay out-of-state tuition. These are some of the larger programs. There may be other options available in your home state.
Want to check out this list of schools? Go here.
QUESTBRIDGE NATIONAL COLLEGE MATCH
The Questbridge National College Match is a college admission and scholarship process through which high-achieving, low-income students can be admitted early with full four-year scholarships to QuestBridge college partners. Finalists typically come from households earning less than $65,000 annually for a typical family of four and have minimal assets. Academically, students are usually in the top 5-10% of their high school class.
You’ll also need to write a series of essays for your Questbridge application, more on that here.
Juniors are able to apply to the Questbridge College Prep Scholars Program. Here’s a guide on how to apply.
Want to check out this list of schools? Go here.
POSSE FOUNDATION
Posse offers four years of tuition and mandatory fees to first-year undergraduate students at partner institutions. Students need to be nominated to the program by a high school or CBO counselor.
Want to check out this list of schools? Go here.
SCHOLARMATCHER HONOR ROLL
The ScholarMatch College Honor Roll is a list of 375ish institutions which offer the most supportive environments for students whose families earn less than $50,000 per year. These institutions provide excellent resources, support, and outcomes for low-income and first-generation youth.
Want to check out this list of schools? Go here.
BEST SCHOOLS FOR SOCIAL MOBILITY
These schools are ranked on a social mobility index measuring the extent to which a school educates more economically disadvantaged students at lower tuition rates and graduates them into good paying jobs. Tuition, economic background of the student body, graduation score, early career net salaries, and endowment were used as metrics.
Want to check out this list of schools? Go here.
BEST SCHOOLS FOR ECONOMIC DIVERSITY
This helps to give a sense of how many students from low-income households attend a particular school. This table shows the percentage of undergraduates receiving federal Pell Grants. Students from households that earn less than $50,000 annually typically qualify for Pell, but the larger award amounts are given to students with family incomes of less than $20,000.
Want to check out this list of schools? Go here.
BEST SCHOOLS OVERALL (Based on contribution to the greater good)
Washington Monthly's rankings of schools based on three equally weighted portions: social mobility, research, and community and national service. These criteria can (sometimes) indicate a school’s mission being closely aligned to the needs and perspectives of FGLI students.
Want to check out this list of schools? Go here.
Special thanks to Erika for gathering these resources and contibuting to this blog post.
Erika (she/her) is a first-generation college graduate and fierce advocate for access and equity in higher education. After earning a BA in English from UC Santa Barbara and spending some time in the world of advertising, Erika earned a Certificate in College Admissions and Career Planning from UC Berkeley and built deep experience in the world of college counseling. Her educator roles included working as a college counselor in the Bay Area, running her own independent educational consulting business for 15 years, and serving as a member of the admissions team at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. With a strong commitment to social justice, Erika seeks out ways to make an impact in her community, including through roles as Board Member of the San Francisco Education Fund and Congregation Emanu-El. When she’s not obsessively thinking about her work as the Matchlighters Scholars Program Director, Erika is hiking new trails, kayaking blue waters and raising two feminist teenage daughters.
