In state private college vs out of state private college?

Question

From what I have learned is that I will get very little finical aid if i apply for pubic colleges outside my state vs the public college in my state. Does that also work the same for Private colleges?

Answer 1

Somewhat - the tuition itself is the same at private colleges whether or not you are a resident of the same state. the thing that comes into play is how much financial aid you'll receive from the state. most states will give you financial aid to go to a school in the state you live in. NY for example has TAP (tuition assistance program) that gives up to $5000 a year in grant money to NY residents who apply for financial aid for a NY school - public or private. Aside from public vs private, if you are really concerned about college costs, look to see the average financial aid package awarded for each school you are interested. some private colleges end up being cheaper to attend because they receive so many endowments from alumni that they offer a ton in scholarship money. good luck!

Answer 2

Who told you that you will get very little money by going outside of your state at a public school? It is entirely possible to get money from an out of state public school, especially if you are from a state or region that is under-representated in their current pool of students and alumni. (This is because schools would like to expand their alumni base to help recent graduates get jobs and connections. Having networking capabilities outside of the state is a plus.)

In terms of financial aid, it does not matter if you're looking at private schools in your state or out of your state. Of course, there are going to naturally be some private schools with a LOT more money that they can use to give out as scholarships than other private schools--this has more to do with prestigue rather than location.

In conclusion, the amount of $$ you get depends on a lot of factors--parent's income, what extracurriculars/sports you can do, grades, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, home state, etc.