<p>Oh. I will try to remember to post when he gets his package. We did ask them to consider our (very high) medical expenses--which they said they would not--other schools did if we sent receipts showing more than 7.5 % of gross income in medical. So we'll see -- I really don't know. I think it depends on what state you are from. I know people from out of the NE area who got the $3 grand and an additional larger merit that is apparently only for certain states (definitely not mine.) I'll post when we find out.</p>
<p>Thank you, summerbreeze. I already don't like that they would not consider medical bills. A few years ago, I knew someone that was at U of Michigan. This student's father became very ill, and could not work. The mother had not worked in years, and took a part time minimal wage job. They had high medical bills. They made it possible for him to continue his education there as an OOS student.</p>
<p>No, we did not get any other grants other than the $3000 Presidential Scholarship. The other monies listed were all loans (Stafford and PLUS). I too was hoping for a NY specific scholarship, but no luck. No work/study either. </p>
<p>Also received a very nice package from Stonehill as well as Marist, but my daughter is bound and determined to go to UVM. She didn't love Stonehill for some obscure reasons. Stonehill and UVM are practically equal now financially, while Marist is less. We are visiting all three again in the next couple of weeks. I think they all have very redeeming qualities.</p>
<p>isitseptemberyet, I am sorry. I had a feeling that the package from UVM might be as it turned it out. My son applied to Marist last year. Although he picked another school, we were very impressed with Marist. My son also received a very good package from Marist too. I liked that he needed a 2.8 to keep his merit award too.</p>
<p>My daughter is a junior at UVM, we had something change recently with a family member. There was no consideration from the school, we are OOS. Don't know if it would be different if we were in state. They seem big on offering the plus loans.</p>
<p>My daughter decided against Marist and is very happy at UVM. What I picked up on at all the information sessions we went to at Marist is that they would be much easier to work with on financial matters. UVM has been very matter of fact. Maybe it has to do with the size of the university.</p>
<p>firstexp, I think it has to do with the fact that UVM is a public school, and Marist is working with private institutional funds that are not the state's tax dollars. Son's package there was one out of 5 fair packages that he received.</p>
<p>One of the downsides to Marist, IMO, is that there is only one "real" cafeteria, and a take out store that sells some fried food. It must get tiresome over 4 years.</p>
<p>summerbreeze. I got the financial aid package. I got $26,800 worth of grants. I am a OOS student.</p>
<p>adidasjed, Thanks for posting. So I guess then there is grant money for OOS students.</p>
<p>Awesome! You must be a great student. Congrats!</p>
<p>Adidasjed, Did the award show up on-line, or in the mail? Our on-line still says "ready to review".</p>
<p>Wow, the financial aid seems random. I am OOS and got $5,000 in merit money. I would think I am on the very high end of the academic qualifications. I applied with the VIP app. The lack of FA makes it impossible to attend for me - oh well.</p>
<p>Well, 2 things ... whether or not you qualified for the VIP seems (based on people we have heard from) as much based on the state you are from as your academic profile. In other words, if you are from a state they need to recruit from ,you might get a VIP, where a person with higher GPA/SAT's in a state closer to their region might not. That said, high enough academics would likely get you the VIP from any OOS state. Also, we are talking about financial aid packages, which are based on need, in combination with merit. So, if you only "need" $5000, based on FAFSA in UVM's case, and they gave you $5000 merit, no matter how good your stats, you are unlikely to get more. If you think they didn't meet your need, especially given that (based on the VIP and size of merit) you are in one of their highly desired target groups, you could always try to appeal. Don't know if it would work....but nothing to lose. Good luck! I am sure you will be very successful wherever you go.</p>
<p>I have to disagree about the VIP application based on states. My d, who doesn't know that many kids, knows at least 10 who received VIP invitations, and they're all from Massachusetts.</p>
<p>You could be right Chedva. I know people in Mass who got it and people in far away states who got it. I know people who didn't get it who had higher SATs (with high GPAs and ECs) who didn't get it. Some got it without very high SATs (I know this for a fact). Not sure what the criteria was. What I do know is, VIP or not, there are certain states that qualify for additional merits and I know people who got them. (there is an actual list of states--not sure why--maybe low draw or maybe set up by someone with connections to those states?) Either way, I guess what matters to most of us is in the end, whether the school is the right choice academically and financially for our child.</p>
<p>Agreed. I haven't figured out who gets what. D didn't get Tulane's but others in her class, with lower scores & grades, did. Another part of the process for which there is no apparent rhyme or reason!</p>
<p>i got it online and it came in the mail shortly afterwards. I entered my Student ID n etc and clicked on Review Award or something like that and it was there and it was the same thing i got in the mail a few days after.</p>
<p>My daughter applied through the VIP also and was accepted in November. I was unaware of the presidential scholarship award until just last week. I don't think merit aid was tied at all to the VIP application. Probably just a marketing tool. We knew plenty of bright kids with higher stats than my daughter who didn't receive a VIP application. Somehow she managed to get on a list-who knows what it was based on.</p>
<p>d deciding between uvm, bc and miami of ohio...she is really upset that she did not get into the honors program...she did at miami...wondering if anyone has thoughts on how to get into honors program...i am sure she will decide against uvm if she is not in honors...thanks for thoughts</p>
<p>call and express your concern. If you make sure they know she won't attend unless she is in honors, and that she was accepted honors at miami, they will probably help. Can't hurt to try!</p>
<p>smw3688: My daughter also did not get invited into Honors - she is in the top 5% of her class and good SAT's, several national awards. As a result, UVM has dropped from her top choice - not worth the price if you are not in honors in my view.</p>