<p>This may be a strange question, but here it is: When should the colleges offer you an aid package? I had always thought that when they accepted you, you would subsequently receive a letter with offered scholarships, etc., but when my daughter applied and was accepted at 3 schools, the only offers she received were when she accepted the school. Neither of the other schools ever sent anything. Did we just not wait long enough? I have another student coming up next year, and his gpa and test scores are much better (not that hers weren't good), so I want to be sure to do it right this time.</p>
<p>D last year received her aid package in March - I think March/April is pretty common for a lot of schools. That's why many college decisions are not actually made until May 1 - we all need to see the packages first, add in outside scholarships etc. to see what we can afford!!!</p>
<p>My D had gotten her offers within a couple of days to a couple of weeks after her acceptances. She actually got an National Merit Scholarship offer about three days before May 1st, and she had just selected another school. I believe that, for that offer, the school had had over 200 "first choice" designees but only awards about 12 NM scholarships, so I think she was in the second tier and was offered it after someone else turned it down.</p>
<p>So, we should look for aid packages relatively soon after acceptance letters. I found it strange that neither of the two other schools ever sent any aid package at all. She had all of her acceptance letters before December 1. We didn't actually speak to Ball State until April, when my daughter sent a letter declining admission. In the case of Murray State, we had visited the school, and visited with an admissions rep. His indication was that they would work to make the aid package enough to make the cost comparable to the in-state school she eventually chose, but we never received anything in writing at all.</p>
<p>Ok, so you're saying that you didn't receive any fin aid offers until you said "yes, I'm coming"??? </p>
<p>If you apply to schools in the fall, I really think in the majority of cases you don't get the fin aid packet until early spring, then you have until May 1 to accept admission or decline. Of course you may find out you get other scholarships, but the actual fin aid packet from the school not until spring.</p>
<p>Also most schools ask that even after you accept a fin aid packet that you report any additional scholarships you receive - they then might adjust your fin aid award. They shouldn't take away any merit $$$, but they may less loans, work study etc.</p>
<p>Does that make sense?</p>
<p>Keep in mind for students starting college in fall 2008, you can not file the FAFSA until January 1, 2008. Your FA will be based on your income and assets for the calendar year 2007.</p>
<p>With the exception of students applying ED where they are committed to attending, it is not unusual for schools not to give a FA package until spring.</p>
<p>Most schools include merit scholarships with acceptance letters (or very shortly thereafter) - but not all. If there is a merit scholarship she was expecting, but hasn't heard about, she could call or email the school and inquire about her status.</p>
<p>Need based aid generally isn't disseminated until March/April.</p>
<p>Yes, it was merit aid we were looking for. My daughter is now a sophomore in college, but my son is starting the process. I want to be a bit more informed this time - we were clueless last time! And, none of the schools she applied to sent any merit information or anything until she selected. The school she accepted sent the entire aid package at the same time, but their merit scholarship was automatic (including the amount - it's right on their website), so we knew what that would be. I wonder if she did it all too soon. Maybe if she had waited longer (I can't remember now exactly when she made her selection), we may have received offers from the other two schools.</p>
<p>Is it possible that the other two schools didn't send anything about merit scholarships (except for the automatic one) because she didn't actually get the scholarships? One of my d's schools didn't award her anything, but several others did.</p>
<p>I would have thought that, but I don't think that is the case. In fact, in our meeting with one of the schools, they indicated that they would definitely offer a package of some sort. Of course, maybe it was all loans or something. Her grades and scores weren't impeccable, but they weren't bad, either. She had a 27 ACT and 3.75 GPA...</p>
<p>This time around, the scores/grades are a bit higher...31 ACT (so far) and 4.5 cumulative GPA.</p>
<p>I think that if you within the top 25% you generally stand a chance form some merit aid at schools that offer it. My son did not receive all of his merit award information with his acceptance letter. Some came about 2-3 weeks after the acceptance letter. Financial aid award notices came around April 1. You can contact schools (admissions department) and ask if your son might be in the running for a merit award based on his qualifications (academic, art, music, leadership, etc.).</p>