<p>3 times, in 2 different forms of communication I notified the school about my change address, was assured it was changed, and later realized mail was being sent to my old place. This has to do with the fact that I think the school trying to tell me they still needed a document for financial aid never got through to me (no phone calls received).</p>
<p>About 4 different times I call FA to see if they got the faxed document once I realize its missing. I received a no 3 times (though I know it was sent, got a transmit confirmation). 4th time it was a yes but wrong document.... so finally we get a hold of the person who does our taxes who scanned and faxed it.</p>
<p>So then (a week before classes) I get my package. Its 2k lower than last year, while tuition/board went up 2k. My parents EFC was near 3k even though their financial situation hasn't changed at all.</p>
<p>I also had to take a summer "class" (aka internship which I had to pay 6k to do even though the school had no role in me getting it and it was unpaid). I could have done it during the summer (cheaper) or taken an extra semester. But it was 60 hrs/credit so as a transfer fitting it into a regular semester was not feasible. </p>
<p>Last semester there was a big story about this girl who decided to go to the school even though she was like 20k+ short and knew she had not idea how she would pay. They were going to kick her out for not paying, but her and her friends made a big production, and somehow the school found money for her and declined to comment......</p>
<p>Sorry for the long explanation/rant. I'm just really annoyed and nervous. I originally went to this school because the 9k in loans I had to take out was really reasonable but I thought it would remain relatively the same. There is about a 14k (in addition to about the 9k I will take out in loans) gap. I would have never accepted. I mean I guess I should have thought this could happen.. I'm going to have to go into a considerable amount of debt for grad school and don't want private loans.</p>
<p>Is there a way to try and appeal? What should I say? Can I call or go in person? I was going to visit my family for a week before classes and really didn't want to have to stay and talk to FA people.</p>
<p>In the long run 2k is not a lot of money - do you have a job on campus that can help out with that? Perhaps you could make an appointment to sit down and talk to FA when you return to school after a visit home. Prior to sitting down with them, take the time to write out your financial situation, cost by cost. Perhaps there’s a cost that has not been accounted for in your situation. </p>
<p>It seems to me that after your parents pay for all their essential costs i.e. mortgage, car, food, retirement, taxes, health care and living, the rest seems like fair game to colleges. I’m not necessarily opposed to that as long as it’s a similar ratio for all which from my discussions with most parents it seems to be unless someone is hiding assets.</p>
<p>Also, you may be able to find a job next summer that can help you with the extra costs.</p>
<p>Take the break before the next semester - it will serve you well. Good luck!</p>
<p>Well I interned full time this summer, along with taking a 4 credit class and working 15/hrs a week. During the school year I also work 15 hrs/week and have always worked full time before this summer and I’m in my senior year. Because of the extra summer costs and increased tuition/decreased aid its more than 2k…</p>
<p>And my parents don’t have money to even pay bills on time, they’re in a ridiculous amount of debt and aren’t even able to afford health insurance. I pay for everything on my own.</p>
<p>Did you also do an address change with your post office with a forwarding address? The Postal Service DOES forward mail and they do it in a very timely fashion. If you had done this, you WOULD have received your mail from the school. Sorry to be rough…but this is true.</p>
<p>Contact the school. From other posts on this forum, it sounds like you transferred to Ithaca College. Ithaca does not guarantee to meet full need of its students. If the school doesn’t guarantee to meet full need, they are under no obligation to award you additional money. There are schools that don’t meet full need that award more aid to incoming students than to the same students as returning students. Also, many schools increase the amount they expect the STUDENT to contribute each year.</p>
<p>Ithaca doesn’t have any control over your parent’s EFC - they’re a FAFSA school. Do you mean this is higher than it was last year? If so, print and check your SAR on fafsa.gov. Make any corrections necessaary and notify Ithaca if you found errors so they can repackage you quickly. I have heard many horror stories of Ithaca’s aid…particularly for lower income families. A change in EFC may not help much, but it will get you closer.</p>
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<p>So this means $23K in loans for one year? I agree that it’s too much, even if you can find a cosigner. Time for plan B…are you from NY? Do any of the SUNY’s offer your major? Are you a sophomore or a junior?</p>
<p>Is the 3000 EFC the EFC you got when you filed FAFSA? Is it different from last year? If the family financial situation has not changed then double check that you did not make some sort of error on FAFSA. Take into account that other things are taken into account when calculating the EFC - for instance any income or assets you have will impact the EFC and the number of students in college.</p>
<p>Though if you have a $14k gap on top of $9k in loans then the $2000 you have lost in aid is not your main problem. $23k in loans for a year is much to much. How did you pay the gap last year?</p>
<p>I should have gone to the post office but honestly had no idea. It was my first apartment, and I should have known to do that but it just never dawned on me.</p>
<p>I live in really cheap apartments which subsidizes a great deal of the gap but because of a little money here and there (like the decreased 2k in aid, increased 2k in living, summer, etc) My cheap cost of living isn’t enough…</p>
<p>I already contribute at least 2k a semester on my own. They have work study as 2400 for the year and I far exceed that (though not with on campus work).</p>
<p>I did complete the fafsa and the efc was far below their estimate, but I can’t guarantee I did it absolutely correctly because my family has a business (not a very successful one) and it gets very confusing to fill out, though I’ve never had this issue before.</p>
<p>My actual estimated cost is 58k. I don’t need that and don’t expect them to give me 58k. But I would at least expect them to give me the same as they did last year, but maybe thats unrealistic for some reason.</p>
<p>Anyway I talked to my dad and the guy who does his taxes used to be a FA person so he said maybe he can help with some insight…</p>