<p>"Caltech has a generous aid formula" NOT. Their EFC calculation was even more ridiculously high than FAFSA. I've just gotta shake my head in disbelief and say I told you so.</p>
<p>I'm glad you've taken the time to formulate a rational, thoughtful post.</p>
<p>Seriously, it really quite bites that there isn't more aid, but there's not a whole lot that can be done about it. Caltech's priorities are about where they need to be.</p>
<p>Stop complaining that Caltech isn't tossing more money at you, it's kinda rude.</p>
<p>I agree, it sucks. I also agree that I'll probably not be happy with the news I may need to know in April too... but that's no excuse for getting rude about it.</p>
<p>I mean, what purpose does that serve and what course of action do you think needs to be implemented to solve this problem?</p>
<p>give the poor guy a break. I don't think he's being rude. You don't know his personal situation, and even if you do, he has every right to complain. Money is more than a big deal for a lot of people</p>
<p>No I don't know his personal situation. I do know that it seems a bit rude to me to complain that more money isn't being offered to you.</p>
<p>Yes, the system isn't perfect. No, it can't be. This is the cold truth and it truely sucks.</p>
<p>I think it's much more productive than to do something about it than it is to gripe on forums about it. I'm sure his situation is not near optimal, but it's what you've got to roll with. I'm in the custody of my single-mother, no chance of axline that I know of, and also looking at a rediculously high EFC. (That's what you get for buying a house for $10,000 and ending up with a $500,000 house... which, we need to live on.) So, we're going to roll with whatever number we get and see what we can do.</p>
<p>It's not optimal for me either, but I'm not going to say the system is broken, I'm sure the money is going to people who need it even more than I might.</p>
<p>So can anyone think of a good way to solve the problem? I think that might be more productive. :)</p>
<p>Everyone needs to blow off steam and just let our their frustrations sometimes, if not on cc, where else might one do it?</p>
<p>Everyone needs to blow off steam, but I've seen posts for the past few weeks...</p>
<p>That's an awful lot of steam. But hey, maybe I'm just being a jerk...</p>
<p>I agree with djcapelis. My first reaction upon I read colorado's orginal post was that it seemed people become less mature as they get older. Everyone needs to blow off steam every once and a while, but a forum is not the place to do it. There are so many ways to blow off steam that don't involve being rude to the people who take the time on this forum to answer questions. (Ben and Galen in particular has been very patient answering all of the many fin-aid questions.)</p>
<p>Eh. Colorado's remarks are, in my view, over the top, although it's stopped bothering me (habituation, I suppose). It's a bit of a pity for his son that the person representing him in this process is frequently impolite. That can be a disadvantage.</p>
<p>Anyway, as I explained to Colorado earlier, Caltech will, with counseling, find a way to move on regardless of the fate of Colorado's son. But as long as we're going to be blunt about financial matters (and the OP certainly set that tone) it seems like he expects someone here to chase after him and apologize, and to beg his son to come here. We don't do that, so it isn't going to happen. Sorry, Colorado.</p>
<p>We do want all the admitted students to attend, and Caltech's policy that we will do our best to make sure nobody is prevented from coming because of money. Everyone can expect the same respectful treatment from the Financial Aid office. </p>
<p>Beyond that, being rude on this board or elsewhere won't help any case, since that would be unfair to everyone else.</p>
<p>So Colorado (or, <em>gasp</em> perhaps with luck even his son!) can choose a school. He might also benefit from knowing that nobody on this board appears to be interested in his loud dissatisfaction.</p>
<p>The only rude people are the ones making a personal attact on me, especially Ben Golub and his followers. Since you opened the door (again), I am obliged to respond this time. Being the recipient of a full-ride scholarshiip, you have no clue as to the real burden the $160k+ Caltech expects us to pay puts on our family. This is for just one child, dude...I've got more. I'm thinking you should have backed off some of those math classes and taken in a some more humanities. You'll find out soon enough in the real world what you lack as an individual. </p>
<p>I will express my discontent whenever I like. Whether it's against a system or a particular entity. Right now, I'd like to dispel the myth that Caltech is such a great bargain. It's a repsectable school, some of it's students notwithstanding, for a theoretical, hard-science education but it's no more a bargain for the middle class than the ivies, Stanford or MIT.</p>
<p>Colorado - well, it sounds like you have crossed Caltech of your child's list based on cost. Good luck with both admission and financial aid at his other schools, and good luck with the people you find when you move your posts to boards other than Caltech's, since you obviously feel hostile towards the posters here.</p>
<p>EFC calculations are bound to be pretty high for our family. However, I am far from bitter because I believe that payment of my childrens education is primarily our familys responsibility. We have rearranged our priorities in an attempt to pay for our children's education at the school of their choosing (probably contributing to a higher EFC). </p>
<p>If they were to receive some financial assistance (no matter how minimal) from some schools, we would be eternally grateful for the aid! On the other hand, if, despite our best efforts, we are financially unable to pay for Caltech-type tuitions, we know that there are other cheaperand even freealternatives available elsewhere. No institution is obligated to pay for my kids' expensive education despite the burden it may impose on my family.</p>
<p>justanothermom - my feelings exactly. Although my son could get a free ride based on merit at many places, we don't expect much in the way of need-based aid at the selective colleges. If we get some, great. But they certainly don't owe us anything.</p>
<p>Well, Colorado, I'm pleased to find out I have followers. I'm curious what other wonders you'll do today for my downtrodden self-esteem.</p>
<p>As for dispelling myths, have at it. Caltech is not the bargain basement -- that's never been part of its mission -- though it is slightly less expensive than its peers. But that's not the point. You want to work one-on-one with Nobel prize winners and get the hardest and deepest science education in the country on the cheap? Sorry; no luck for you. Sometimes, the adage "you get what you pay for" applies.</p>
<p>Oh, by the way, as you've seen from the posters on this board, most of us are the beneficiaries of merit or need-based aid, and in general we got much more than we were offered by other schools. As alleya has pointed out, there is a consensus at prefrosh weekend that for almost everyone, Caltech turns out to be cheaper than the alternatives. Anecdotal evidence of the offer you got and didn't like doesn't change the fact that, on average, Caltech is more generous than its competitors. Oh, and why don't you see what offers you get from our peer schools that you mention and see how the prices actually compare in your situation.</p>
<p>Colorada will wait and compare. Caltech less than MIT.(Texas will know actual figures) No merit or aid for us. Lots of schools would educate S for free. But Colo has other children, and if he spaced them 4 years apart, he won't gain from the double enrollments. He may not wish to spend so much on one of several children. Its up to him to know if he has other children with "special needs".</p>
<p>fin aid forms take into account if there are other children in the family and if there are "special circumstances" like a disabled child with unusual expenses. It even asks if one of the parents will be a student. They do what they can to make it fair, but the bottom line is that need-based fin aid is intended to merely to make it <em>possible</em> to attend that college, not necessarily painless.</p>
<p>Hey, btw, Colorado, how did you find out your EFC that Caltech calculated?</p>
<p>I agree, Texas. By 'special needs' I was referring to kids who love math/science and think its great fun to sit with peers who understand string theory. While they would find some others like them in good colleges, I believe caltech and mit provide most fertile ground.</p>
<p>"...how did you find out your EFC that Caltech calculated?"</p>
<p>It's in the financial aid offer under "FAMILY RESOURCES".</p>
<p>CalTech is one of the stingiest with aid when compared to Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford and others roughly in their peer group. Seems like CalTech could be a little more generous. They have a good sized endowment...and they certainly have NOT poured ANY money into the dorms from what I've seen.</p>
<p>For all that, it's still a great school and great program.</p>
<p>
[quote]
. By 'special needs' I was referring to kids who love math/science and think its great fun to sit with peers who understand string theory. While they would find some others like them in good colleges, I believe caltech and mit provide most fertile ground.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Ahh! Okay. I guess I have a "special needs child" too. I honestly don't believe that any but a small handful of schools (all expensive) could give him a critical mass of like-minded peers. If he was a notch less smart, there would be any number of reasonable and less expensive alternatives.</p>