<p>CONGRATULATIONS to all your kids who are accepted to UD!</p>
<p>I started this thread last year and figured I'd do it again now.</p>
<p>My DD is a UD sophomore and I am happy to answer any questions. There are other UD parents here, too, and I'm sure they will chime in.</p>
<p>My son was just accepted at UD and can’t decide between UD and Penn State. He has visited both campuses twice and likes them both. I know you can’t compare both, but what would you say the pros and cons of UD are? My son is undecided on a major, so we can’t compare the specific programs, but we can compareare how each school helps/advise the undecided to become decided. Any info you can share would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Does anyone know how outside scholarships would alter financial aid package? My son received a $10000 scholarship and loans of $5500. No work study. Do you know if they can apply or add work study? Thanks!!</p>
<p>I’ll jump in here. One of the things I’ve most appreciated as a parent is the ease of dealing with departments and employees throughout the University. She is finishing her sophomore year and both she and we have had only excellent interactions with the professionals at UD. I love the fact that the campus is so well cared for, it seems large yet small at the same time, in terms of people to meet. She has had excellent, excellent advising and not a single problem in registering for classes. We really couldn’t be happier. Good luck and best wishes with whatever decision you make.</p>
<p>
If you email and ask politely, they will always add work study. My D doesn’t have real need, but we have asked for work study both years and she got it both years. AND a job in her major which looks great on her resume (they have her listed as an employee on the departmental website which is a huge ego boost). She’s had the same job for two years, so the people in the department know her and the chairman has been one of her recommenders.</p>
<p>So, just ask and I bet you will receive! In the fall, they will send a list of potential jobs, but the student is then responsible for applying or finding a different job. The job isn’t handed to anyone, so my advice would be to have a polished resume in hand when starting school so that when the work study or other jobs are posted, your child can be at the front of the line with a resume and ready to interview.</p>
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>My D applied with Accounting as first choice and Education second and got in for Education. We have already applied to change to “undecided”. A posting on another site said that shouldn’t be hard. Is that right? I hope so. Also, any idea how many people don’t get first choice and then try to switch second year? U Del keeps lots of stats so it is probably available somewhere. I read that even if you get to the minimum gpa of 3.2, it’s still doesn’t mean you get into Accounting given the competition. She did get accepted to Vermont in Accounting so we need to decide. Thanks.</p>
<p>My S received his acceptance on line ( Blue Hen Updated), but the major he wants Engineering, is not there. Looks like major is Physics. Will he be able to change? Has been accepted into other Engineering programs, but UD is first choice</p>
<p>@mgbregman: I’ve never been to Penn State but I’ve heard great things about it. Here’s what I would consider (from what I know about the two schools and from friends):</p>
<p>Watching sports. PSU is the Nittany Lions. Can’t compete with that. But the UD football games were great (lower division, but they made it to the championship game during my DD’s freshman year). DD’s also been to UD hockey and men’s basketball. The women’s b-ball is top rated.</p>
<p>Size of campus. PSU is huge. UD is half the size, I believe. UD is beautiful, but I hear that Happy Valley is too.</p>
<p>Location of campus. For us, PSU is a huge drive, no real options. UD is so easy to get to, lots of options for public transportation (even has Amtrak walkable from main part of campus).</p>
<p>Advisement. My DD has had a great experience with her advisors (from undecided to her actual major). My friend, whose DS picked PSU over UD last year, said that PSU also had a great program for undecideds.</p>
<p>I would go to both accepted student days and see how your DS feels. My DD wouldn’t even consider applying to PSU (way too big) and absolutely loves UD.</p>
<p>We know happy students at both schools.</p>
<p>I’m glad zoosermom jumped in re: scholarships (just as I knew she would!). She knows more about this than I do.</p>
<p>I would call admissions with the questions about getting in as a particular major. My DD went in undecided so that’s where we have experience.</p>
<p>My D went in as undecided. At UD they call it University Studies I think to avoid any stigma or feelings of being adrift amongst all the students who have chosen majors. When you arrive for orientation you are assigned to University Studies and attend those sessions. Later you will meet with an advisor who will remain with you until you choose a specific major. He or she will have you fill out a questionaire relating to your interests to try and help you narrow down areas you may be interested in majoring in or exploring. Then you can choose classes that fulfil general University requirements as well as apply to one or more of those potential majors.</p>
<p>I have a question about merit aid. I can’t find anywhere that says it’s renewable for all four years and what the requirements are. Can I assume it’s for all four years?</p>
<p>I can answer my own question: Log into the portal, click on the scholarship and it says renewable for four years. Now I can stop worrying.</p>
<p>Linymom, It looks like Delaware doesn’t give much need-based aid. I have another child starting college next year so my EFC will be cut in half for Delaware. Will Delaware give us any need-based aid to offset this or can I only expect the same Merit aid as the first year? I know Villanova will increase their need aid to allow for the lower EFC. I’m concerned that Delaware may not do that.</p>
<p>I don’t know about need-based aid. We didn’t get any. I’m hoping that a second child in college will make a difference as my DS will be a college freshman when DD is a senior.</p>
<p>Zoosermom can provide input on merit aid (we didn’t get this either).</p>
<p>We had two kids in college together this year and last year. We make over $200,000 a year and my D got need-based money from Delaware. I think it was $6,000 but I can’t swear to that because I don’t have the paperwork in front of me, but if that figure isn’t exact it is very darn close. We were also shameless in asking for work study. Which she wasn’t awarded but did get when we asked.</p>
<p>No current questions but wanted to thank LINYMOM for starting this thread and wave to zm!!</p>
<p>Del has been at/near the top of my D’s list since our first visit, and with the great merit offer and honors acceptance it will be tough to knock it.</p>
<p>zoosermom: Thanks for that info. I will take whenever we can get senior year. It’s going to an expensive year!</p>
<p>jackie: UD was at the top of my DD’s list as soon as we stepped on campus for the first time junior year. I have to say that she has grown so much in so many ways in the past year and half there. It is the perfect academic fit for her. She has also studied abroad already (winter session, earlier this year). Best of luck to your DD, with honors and merit aid, that’s awesome.</p>
<p>Thanks Linymom and Zoosermom for the help. Zoosermom, did you get need based aid right from the start or did it get added or increase as the years went on?</p>
<p>
She got it right away because we had two in college. This is the last year for that, so I know the cost will go up. But I’m grateful anyway, because I think UD was more generous to us than we expected. And, like LINYMOM’s D, my daughter has grown and learned more in these two years than we could ever have imagined. I’m sure that would be true of any college experience, but my D has a very unique (weird, strange, slightly freakish) academic interest and she has found several of the top experts in the field at UD who have embraced and mentored her.</p>
<p>@zoosermom: another question about scholarship or need based aid. We are oos, and my daughter did not get a scholarship, and we didn’t get any need based aid this year. She really wants to go to UDel, and I could probably swing it the first year, but the next year I will have 2 in college. Is your D oos? do they offer need based aid to oos students? how close to your efc did they come? did they only offer loans, or did they offer grants? Can a 2nd year student be considered for merit scholarship if they do great the first year?</p>
<p>thanks!</p>
<p>I have similar questions… my daughter was accepted (OOS)- no scholarship, no need based aid. I will have 2 in college next year so was somewhat surprised to receive nothing (did not expect scholarship, but thought there would be need based aid)! We have received the financial aid package from only one other school so far and that included need based money in addition to a merit scholarship. Is it tough to get aid from UDel?</p>