Aid

Does anyone know how GW is about aid? Is a person who got a likely letter more likely to receive aid?

Not many (if any) people on this forum know how aid is divvied up. I think if they accept you they’re willing to give you aid to cover what your Estimated Family Contribution leaves left. I think some types of aid (probably merit-based?) can go beyond that but that’s purely speculation.

For me, I’d say I was an average applicant at best. I had an EFC of maybe $10K per year, and the University offered me the rest in the form of grants, scholarships, and maxed Stafford loans.

@NHuffer‌ So need based is not based off of how much they want you? Do they always meet EFC or does it depend on how much they want you?

I’m really not sure what they do for someone they really want. I assume they offer merit aid in addition to the usual scholarships. I’m also not sure if they always meet EFC. I would assume it’s the norm but not the case 100% of the time.

Look at it this way: GW is a business and it’s better for them to have better stats. If that means offering more incentives for high-achievers then that’s what they’ll do.

@NHuffer I ask not because I am a high achiever, but because if my the rest of the cost from my EFC was covered, I would be able to go. I just don’t want to open the package and have 0 financial aid and be really bummed that they didn’t give me any aid like some schools do

Well, I’m not trying to get your hopes up or anything- especially since I don’t know how financial aid works. All I can say for certain is that in 2007 they offered a military veteran with a 3.83 high school GPA and 27 ACT score $43k in aid. I’ve seen other students on here tell about an aid package that is at least within $10k of matching their EFC.

I hope this provides some comfort.

In my son’s case, the merit scholarship covers almost exact the net cost on top of the FAFSA EFC. So I wonder if it is really merit-based.

Has everyone already gotten their aid package?

I was only notified I received the presidential scholarship but can’t seem to find the rest of the package.