<p>Im looking for anyone with experience in appealing to Neu for some aid. I have a high EFC (36,000) and my parents are prepared to pay their share but neu offered nothing. 52,000 is too much for my family to pay.
My scores are not at the top of the heap but not too shabby, I think. I got in EA and I would really like to go there.
Any input?</p>
<p>Hi Schooler - we haven’t appealed to NEU as we’re still waiting on a decision but we have appealed on behalf of my older son to other colleges and met with success. I always feel it never hurts to ask. If you have offers from schools similar to NEU that are more competitive, that’s the way to go. We made a copy of the offer from the similar school and included it with a letter to financial aid appealing the decision. We cited some financial constraints we personally were facing at the time. </p>
<p>That said, NEU is not known for its financial aid generosity (at least that’s the word on the street where I live) so you may not get anywhere with them. We’re prepared for that if my son is accepted and have let our son know that financial aid matters. But it never hurts to ask I think. Good luck to you - let us know how you fare.</p>
<p>Thank you BTMell ! I appreciate you sharing. I do have offers from other schools. Will definitely let you know how it goes. </p>
<p>Anyone else?</p>
<p>similar situation last year for us. we tried to have FA recheck our app. to no avail. we’re paying full tuition this year and student has done very well to hopefully qualify for merit $ in the future years. unfortunately, northeastern doesn’t seem too concerned with family EFC values. good luck. we still think it’s a great school and worth the sacrifice.</p>
<p>Thanks for your input, desserts!</p>
<p>Bump…</p>
<p>Begin by saying just how excited your acceptance into the university made you, or start on a note of a similar nature. Let them know that you’re not just trying to go to a cheap school, but that you want to go to THIS school. Then bring in the fact that your family’s income will be taking an unmanageable hit if you ended up attending. Make it clear that you weren’t offered any financial aid, and ask them if they wouldn’t mind reconsidering your request for aid because you don’t want money to get in the way of your attendance. Be clear and direct in your letter, but try not to come off as rude or ungrateful. Make sure you don’t accuse them of anything (“your tuition is too high”, “you didn’t give me enough aid”), rather explain your situation to them. And ALWAYS write under the presumption that if they gave enough aid you would go to their school in a heartbeat, no matter whether it’s your top school or not.</p>
<p>As BTMell mentioned, Northeastern isn’t known for its generous financial aid packages; I think they justify that through their impressive co-op program. So I wouldn’t get your hopes up, but writing a letter to them will certainly help, even if it just means giving you a second look. They save everything they receive, so if you do end up going and apply next year they may give you some aid, or you may be put on a priority list for on-campus jobs.</p>
<p>Thanks so much sdaytime! You are very helpful. NEU is truly where I’d like to be so that letter should be easy. We will see how it goes.</p>
<p>Should the letter come from me, the student? Or, my parents?</p>
<p>Definitely you, and not your parents. They shouldn’t be involved when it comes to representing yourself to university, even if they’re the ones paying. You’ll come off as a lot more mature and responsible; you wouldn’t want to give heaps of money to someone that can’t write a letter, would you?</p>
<p>Note that if you can’t afford it with no financial aid, then you shouldn’t go. Try not to get your heart set on a school, hoping for the appeal letter to work, only to find out that it didn’t.</p>
<p>Very few students get financial aid from the school-- most pick it up as federal loans. However Northeastern is much more generous than other Boston schools on merit aid.</p>