<p>Soccer_guy--- If prior to the divorce your other parent provided you with an upper class
lifestyle and continues to make such an income I would think that such parent's assets would count towards assets available for your schooling. Even if you have no contact with such parent you know who he or she is. It is not as if you never met the person. Otherwise, I would think that parents could divorce, the student could live with the nonworking parent, have no contact with the other parent, and suddenly be eligible for a free ride. It doesn't work like that.</p>
<p>$12,000 in debt for 4 years of college? Wow that's excellent. I graduated in 1982 with $8,000 in debt...and took 10 years to repay it. I remember the amount $86.88 per month. Truly this is incredible if that's all you need to borrow for an Ivy League education. It's amazing.</p>
<p>"But by all means, if you think there are schools who will absolve you of the self-help component, you are free to transfer out. I know Princeton, pretty much the richest school in the country, requires $2300 of self-help funding during the academic year and another $1000 over the summer. So under your circumstances you would be $13,200 in the hole at Princeton."</p>
<p>Actually, Princeton's grant for a family with EFC of 0, covers tuition, room, board, and partially books and personal expenses. From experience, the grant gives you $800 to spend on books and supplies (for some this is enough). Your optional campus and summer jobs are simply there if you want additional spending money (travel, more books?). It is pretty much a free ride if you have EFC of 0. </p>
<p>Edit: To add on, the grant also covers health insurance and residential college fees.</p>
<p>My kids are 0 EFC and one will graduate with more than $12k debt from State schools (the other won't as long as she keeps her scholarships). They are grateful for the grant aid they receive and they both work during the school year and during the summer break to help support themselves and keep the debt at a minimum. Having to pay all those pesky taxes on the taxable parts of scholarships and grants is no fun either - but it is better than what you would have to pay without the financial aid.</p>
<p>
[quote]
It is pretty much a free ride if you have EFC of 0.
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</p>
<p>Well, then Old Nassau should advertise as much on their website.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Colleges typically include a self-help component in their aid packages, made up of a student loan to be repaid and a campus job amount to be earned during the school year. Because our no loan policy replaces student loans with grants, Princeton's remaining self-help package is one of the lowest among our peer institutions. Freshmen entering in the fall of 2008 earn the $2,275 term-time job amount by working only 7.5 hours per week.</p>
<p>We have a low summer savings expectation of $1,000 for entering freshmen. Partial grants are available to replace the summer earnings requirement for students who are unable to save the expected amount.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Princeton</a> University | What's Great About Princeton's Financial Aid</p>
<p>Besides, it's not like the OP can transfer to Princeton anyways. Princeton doesn't educate transfers.</p>
<p>Well it seems to be the same system here because those with an efc of 0 and in HEOP/EOP pay almost nothing with everything covered (room, board, health insurance, food plan). Additionally, they get 750 every year to spend on what you wish (or maybe per semester, forget which). Only thing not covered are books, which they give you 350 to spend.</p>
<p>Soccer guy:</p>
<p>Has it occurred to you that Cornell has made the representation it has, based on the fact of every student being expected to contribute some level of their education? Cornell has calculated that once you have contributed your small share, your debt would be $0. The fact you send money back home is honorable, but not something that is part of the equation.</p>
<p>You must have known your OP would have these kind of replies. My perspective is that of one of those so called "rich bastards," which evidently I am one, as my son's EFC is $53,000. Not because we make tons of money ($135K), but because we chose to save. We went without many things to make sure the money would be there.</p>
<p>So, is your glass half full or half empty? Do you want to complain about the perceived deception you experience and have to pay $3,000 per year?</p>
<p>Or, do you want to focus on the fact that you will get the same education as my son, for $49,000 less per year? And, you get that discount because somewhere along the way, people in your family made decisions that created difficult financial circumstances for you.</p>
<p>In some respects, college tuition is not too much unlike our health insurance system. Because many people make decisions that have negative financial ramifications (going uninsured), others who have made different financial decisions are asked to pay more. Why? So the system can provide benefits for those who made these detrimental financial decisions.</p>
<p>Do I resent that system? Not at all. It is why America is so great. What I do resent is when people fail to realize that this system is giving them an amazing benefit for almost nothing, whether it be health coverage or education, and instead of being thankful, they complain about the small amount they are asked to pay.</p>
<p>As you have spun your comments, you are trying to deflect the criticism of your original post. You say your OP wasn't a complaint. I call BS. If not a complaint, then some very clever sniveling.</p>
<p>Point is this. Regardless of what decisions your parents made that put you in this financial predicament, you have an amazing future in your hands. You will have the best education in the world for what will be less than four months salary, at even the lowest positions that will be available to you.</p>
<p>If you go forward understanding how lucky you are, you will do great. If your approach is to complain, directly or indirectly, about the inequities you perceive, then life will be a long difficult road, with or without a Cornell education.</p>
<p>Best of luck. I hope you take advantage of all this opportunity represents.</p>
<p>Ladybug, the other parents refuses to pay a dime toward my education. I have 0 contact with this parent aside a call to ask for college help - a no. I told Cornell about this and simply had to fill out a form waiving the other parent's income/assets being included in calculating what I had to pay.</p>
<p>soccer_guy472 -- Why stress over such a small amount to repay. I had $8000 to pay back in 1982 and it was nothing to pay that back even then. I went to a State school with a partial tuiton scholarship as my deceased father taught there. I had to pay everything else -- living expenses, books, food, etc..... My widowed mother was not in the position to contribute anything and I was so lucky that a portion of my tuition was paid because my father taught there. My husband borrowed about the same. It was never a burden to pay my student loan. I had a college degree and a job...life was good!</p>
<p>Focus on the positive --- you were accepted into an Ivy League school that costs in excess of $50k per year. A $12,000 debt that you won't have to even begin to pay back until after you finish school should not be a deal breaker. It should be something to celebrate and you will have no problem paying back with your projected future income after you complete school.</p>
<p>Things happen in life beyond your control........be happy! Congratulations -- and I think your future will be great! You should be very proud of yourself for doing so well in high school to be accepted at Cornell! Don't worry about having to borrow to pay for a very small percentage of your college cost.</p>
<p>I see the situation as Cornell shouldering a large proportion of the costs of parenting this student, taking this burden on the basis of a statement that says that the employed, estranged parent will not pay. Many schools do not recognize this refusal to pay as a valid "need," but Cornell has. Also, the fraction of funds the student is being asked to contribute is composed of 50% health insurance fees - another parental responsibility. So, the real argument we should all be having is with the non-paying parent, not with Cornell.</p>
<p>No the real argument is that this guy is a bum who thinks working in retail is "above him" because it is filled with high school droputs. He trying to blame everything on his parents to avoid paying what could easily be earned in a simple and maybe even fun job.</p>
<p>^ agreed. He has not once said that he was willing to get a job in Ithaca, and my inference is that he would rather go into debt than get a retail job.</p>
<p>Oh, I'm not absolving the OP of blame, but he is not at the point where he recognizes his status. In fact, his attitude reminds me very much of Freddy Bartholomew in the beginning of "Captain's Courageous."</p>
<p>And yet I've already said I have a work study position. You people are relentless. I don't know why everyone on this board is so full of hate.</p>
<p>midwesterner-- I agree with you completely. I find it absurd that the employed parent need not contribute anything and that Cornell takes on the responsibility of almost full payment for soccer_guy's education.</p>
<p>It is interesting that a divorced parent who can afford to pay is absolved from responsibility and a married parent is not. Legally no parent is obligated to pay but if you are married I'm sure that you cannot simply sign a statement that ...you won't pay and your EFC doesn't consider the second parent's income.....very interesting!!. Doesn't make sense. I'm sure there are many students living in households who have married parents refuse to pay but it's still considered in the EFC calculation.</p>
<p>Debt is a very scary prospect but a debt of $12,000 for 4 years with a Cornell degree!!! That is amazing! My daughter.....not sure where she is going yet but we certainly expect she'll have more than $12,000 debt. Our EFC is high...but I don't know where I'm "expected" to get it other than a combination of parent plus loans and student loans.</p>
<p>Maybe from the perspective of a future college student who has no debt it seems like a lot but it is a gift to consider that you could have an Ivy League degree with only $12,000 in debt. </p>
<p>OP -- Obviously we don't know you and certainly don't understand the hardships you may have faced with your parents' situation...it sounds like you have had some rough years. I wish you well and hope you don't reconsider Cornell for such a small amount of student loans.</p>
<p>I just wanted to clarify the point about the divorced parent.</p>
<p>If your parents are only divorced, that isn't enough to waive your non-custodial parent's EFC obligations. You have to demonstrate a lack of contact in the form of a letter from a licensed psychologist/counselor/clergy member, or from a divorce decree limiting contact , or a restraining order etc, and also fill out a form for them to even consider reconsidering.</p>
<p>chendrix -- Thanks for clarifying it.....so there is formal documentation required from and/or about the deadbeat non-custodial parent. I think it makes sense that a third party -- counselor/clergy, etc... is required to make a statement. Otherwise there would be lots of potential for abuse.</p>
<p>man u guys are so hateful.</p>
<p>soccerguy I hope everything works out for
you in the future.</p>