The thought or reality of having multiple children in college at the same time can be a very daunting one. Now imagine having those multiple children being in the same graduating year! Our Estrela team has worked with many sets of twins...and even some triplets over the years. Another fun fact: 3 of our team members at Estrela have multiples themselves (2 sets of triplets and a set of twins)!
Families with multiple children enrolled in college simultaneously have quite a bit to consider when it comes to the college search process, especially when it comes to financing. A recent change in legislation and the formula used to calculate financial need has added even more stress. This new calculation does not provide for a division or break in the family's estimated contribution toward college when having multiple students in college at the same time. Previously, a family’s estimated family contribution (EFC, now called the SAI), would be divided by the number of students in college. Now that figure is actually multiplied by the number of college students in your household. We have done a little investigating to help families like you (and like us!) to find ways to make double or triple the tuition much more affordable.
First, if you have multiple students going to the same college - we recommend looking for a “sibling scholarship.” Typically, this will be listed on their website as an automatic award but, if not, you should certainly ask. These are typically in the range of $1,000-$4,000...and every little bit helps! Some colleges that proudly support a sibling scholarship or grant are Gonzaga University (use a percentage discount system), Johnson & Wales University, Randolph-Macon College, Baldwin Wallace University, Quinnipiac University, St. Anselm College, George Washington University, and Otterbein University, to name a few.
There are also schools and programs that have specified scholarships for twins and triplets (and maybe even quadruplets and beyond!). Wilson College in Pennsylvania, for example, offers 45% off tuition for multiples enrolling together. Lake Erie College in Ohio offers a 50% off per twin, basically giving you a BOGO deal! Northeastern Oklahoma A&M waives the cost of housing for each multiple if they are both enrolled.
More specific to major and program, Eastern Michigan University offers an endowed scholarship for twins pursuing education, and the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University has a scholarship that is very partial to twins pursuing accounting. Again, it never hurts to ask an admission department if they have any type of established scholarships for multiples.
If you're a family with multiples there is a strong chance you've heard of the annual Twins Days Festival held in Twinsburg, OH each summer. The organization that sponsors this event offers several scholarships for multiples. Check out the list of awards here.
We also encourage you to check “Mothers of Multiples” or family of multiples support groups to see if they offer scholarships. Many local, regional, and state-wide multiples organizations have sponsored scholarships as they aim to make life easier and more affordable for fellow families with multiples. This page lists some national foundations with scholarship listings for twins and triplets. Also, using search engines like GoingMerry, FastWeb, or Peterson’s will help you filter out some additional scholarships that are available at the national level. We know that these sometimes feel like long shots, but you will never know if you don’t try and apply! Last but not least, simply doing a quick Google search will pull up a long list of scholarships for multiples.
Our hope is that legislation changes to help assist families that are working hard to put multiple siblings (whether in the same grade, or in different grades). Never be afraid to communicate with admissions offices and financial aid offices if you have major concerns or barriers to being able to afford college for your students. We are here to help you navigate this and advocate for siblings and multiples right alongside you!