<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>So far I've essentially narrowed my choices down to two schools, Northwestern and Johns Hopkins, except there's a substantial difference between the amount of aid each school offered.</p>
<p>My top choice is Northwestern but its total package is roughly $15K less than Johns Hopkins'. How can I approach appealing Northwestern's package? Would it be advisable to mention Johns Hopkins' offered aid?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>You can show Northwestern the package from JHU. Tell NU that they are your top choice but you wonder if NU can match the award.</p>
<p>Is your aid at JHU need based or merit? If it is merit, NU probably won’t dicker as they give need based only (with a teeny number of exceptions). JHU gives merit awards.</p>
<p>I wasn’t awarded any merit scholarships from JHU; I only received need-based grants and loans.</p>
<p>If my EFC, calculated from the FAFSA, is substantially lower than what NU determined it to be, should I comment on that? What else can I do specifically to try and get more financial aid?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>JHU and NU both use the CSS Profile and their OWN formulas to determine awarding of need based aid. They don’t give two hoots about the FAFSA EFC when it comes to determining need based awards using THEIR institutional money. The Profile looks much more I depth at your finances. It includes things like primary home equity, and opinion-custodial parent income and assets, which the FAFSA doesn’t include at all.</p>
<p>I personally do t think that it will matter at all what your FAFSA EFC is. In many cases, that is lower than what these private universities deeper,one families should be contributing.</p>
<p>Are your parents divorced? Are either self employed or do they own a business? Do you own real estate other than your primary residence? These all can affect how your family contribution at Profile schools can differ from FAFSA calculations.</p>
<p>We filled out the CSS Profile with 2012’s Tax Returns while the FAFSA was filled out with 2013’s and there were some substantial differences between the two. </p>
<p>What about talking to Northwestern though? What can I do in the appeal process?</p>
<p>Did you update your Profile? You should have! Either through IDOC, or by some process defined by the college. Even so…when you completed the FAFSA, the schools HAD your 2013 information.</p>
<p>Re: your discussion with NU. Contact them. Tell them that NU is your top choice, but you received a much more favorable financial aid offer from JHU. Ask if NU would be willing to reconsider your financial aid award. Mention also that your Profile was done using 2012 figures and you would like to know how to provide the 2013 income figures to them. </p>
<p>Be prepared to send a copy of your JHU award to NU, as well as supporting information documenting the significant reduction in income from 2012 to 2013 (that is what will matter).</p>
<p>ETA…did you ever run the Net Price Calculator for NU? If not…do so NOW. See what that comes up with for an estimated net cost. It may just be that this IS what NU determined your family “could” pay based on the data you submitted.</p>