<p>Washington University in St. Louis is my dream school and my parents agreed that they would love to see me go there. However, they are having a very hard time dealing with the financial ramifications (full price $300,000 for 4 years). I have heard some people say they have written Wash U about their situation and asked for more financial aid and received it, so I am thinking of trying this. I absolutely do not want to go to Wash U of my parents will be stuck home suffering because of it.</p>
<p>Some background: my dad lost his job several years ago, placing pressure on my mom to keep hers of I go to Wash U. They are nearing retirement and have a lot saved up which is why we don't qualify for need-based aid. We didn't even fill out the FAFSA because my parents ran the numbers and knew we would not qualify (even the financial aid person at Wash U basically said there was no hope for us in our situation). Also, I missed the application for merit scholarships (I applied to 15 schools and it was a very stressful process) so I'm a little worried that will make them less likely to want to give me any money.</p>
<p>So is this a waste of time? And if not what should I say? If I don't find a way to help my parents out I will either not be able to take my opportunity to go to this amazing school or my parents will let me go but have to sacrifice a lot on their part.</p>
<p>You can request a gap year and work/save for some of the expenses, and also apply to the merit awards and make the deadlines for financial aid. Talk to Wash U and ask whether you can take this gap year and be permitted to apply for financial aid and merit awards the second time around, as some schools may have rules about that. Though you won’t come close to the amounts the school costs, if you can even pay 10% through savings, work and loans, it could take the edge of the cost for your parents.</p>
<p>I skeptical with just writing and ask when your parents have a lot saved up and have been determined in the past to have no chance at financial aid. I am not going to tell you not to try but normally you have to have a reason or previously overlooked factor or a change in your financial situation for the school to offer more aid.</p>
<p>BTW, I don’t think $300k number is correct, that would be over $70k a year, still I understand that $200k+ is a daunting number. What are you other choices?</p>
<p>Well my dad calculated 300,000 because the price is currently 60k a year and they prices rise quite a bit each year. My other choices are my instate schools, ASU or U of A. They are huge bureaucracies and I know I won’t fit in as well as I will at Wash U.</p>
<p>No you don’t. There is no possible way you can know that. </p>
<p>If your family can afford the “$300,000” then you’re not going to get aid from the school. You can take out loans ($5500 first year, $6500 second, $7500 third and fourth) plus take on a job to defray the costs to your parents. However, the school isn’t going to give you aid if you don’t need it. But you could always go ahead and try.</p>
<p>Another important factor is where do you think you are in terms of stat (GPA+SAT+ECs) compared to the rest of the students? Did you apply with average stat and mark that you don’t need financial aid. WashU is a need-aware school and they might not be amendable to give you any aid if you did not ask for aid to begin with.</p>
<p>I’m confused by the title of your post - “Asking for more money”. That would imply that WashU has awarded you some financial aid and you are talking about an appeal for an increase. Then in your post you indicate that you didn’t even apply, so which is it?</p>
<p>If, in fact, you didn’t even apply for financial aid that makes it highly unlikely that WashU would even consider an appeal for money at this late stage in the game unless there was some RECENT (like, something that happened after the FA application deadline) drastic change in your family’s financial situation - like loss of a job or some financially devastating medical situation.</p>
<p>I don’t mean to pile on you but why didn’t you apply for scholarship? Didn’t you know that the cost will be $50k+ to begin with? Gap year suggestion is a possibility but you need to ask them whether you can apply as a gap year student. Or apply to other schools that give a lot of merit aid next year. If you don’t want to do gap year, then it will probably come down to whether you and your family are willing to pay most of the amount at WashU. You applied to 15 schools and all you have for choices are ASU and UofA?</p>
<p>You must apply for most of the scholarships at Wash U. If you did not apply for financial aid, and you did not apply for scholarships when you submitted your application for admission or by the deadline, which was January 17, it is highly unlikely that you are going to receive either of these at this late stage of the game</p>
<p>If you want to take out Stafford loans you absolutely must fill out the FAFSA. Does not matter what your family income is or EFC but you can’t get Stafford loans without the completed FAFSA every year. </p>
<p>If your parents savings is in dedicated retirement accts,like 401k or Ira, then only the money that they put in the past year will count. However if they have their money elsewhere, then it probably will be looked at.</p>
<p>I am unclear why you didn’t file a FAFSA being that it is the only way you can be considered for a federal loan?</p>
<p>You probably realize now, it probably would have been better to apply to fewer schools & more scholarships. At least scholarships don’t charge money for you to apply!</p>
<p>I agree that you may be best served by taking a gap year, if you aren’t really satisfied with your more affordable choices.</p>
<p>And tell your parents to put their money in a retirement acct! ;)</p>
<p>Not really. My older son was accepted at WUSTL 3 years ago, higher stats than you, and they offered zero in scholarship money. Our experience is they were tight with a buck. And while we have a decent income, we are not what you would consider upper middle class.</p>
<p>Too late. Call and beg and see what they say, but its too late. Deposits are due in like 3 days… Unless you’re open to taking a year off and saving up money. </p>
<p>Also, what the poster said earlier was correct. Wash U is need-aware, so it will be complicated to then request aid if you indicated you didn’t need any on your application.</p>
<p>At this point no one on this board will likely be able to help you, you should simply call and ask the financial aid office what to do, and if there’s anything you can do in the 3 days left…</p>
<p>One way of looking at this is that your folks agreed to finance your education and whether any of us likes it or not, we are expected to support our offspring through their undergraduate degree. Some/many of us on this site do not have that much coin lying around to pay full freight for our children and your parents apparently do and agreed somewhere before now to pay. I am therefore uncertain why in the 11th hour you are feeling guilty for having your parents finance what is their responsibility. I would, nevertheless, check with the university and ask that if no merit aid is possible now, will it be for next year. There are many scholarships available to students once they are in their chosen university and if your grades are any indication, you may be able to still help out in subsequent years. As a mother, I am a bit miffed with your parents that they seem to be unaware of the angst you are experiencing over this and that you are seeking our advice, instead of feeling like you can talk to them and get this straightened out. If my son were doing this and I found out, I would be simply beside myself. By this point everything should be in order, you should be happily plunking down your deposit, and getting ready to wear your Decision Day tee shirt.</p>
<p>Although quite good, I don’t think your stats would have gotten you any merit from WashU.</p>
<p>The NMF scholarship from WashU puts a tiny dent into the cost…better than nothing, but not much at all…2000 a year.</p>
<p>*I’m a national merit finalist, 2270 sat, 32 act, I could have gotten a scholarship possibly.
*</p>
<p>there are many schools other than Arizona and ASU that would have given you huge merit. Did you not apply to them?</p>
<p>BTW…I don’t agree that you know that you wouldn’t fit in at ASU or Arizona. I think you’re just assuming that WashU is a better fit because it’s a top private.</p>
<p>Unless your parents can pay the $300k for you to go to WashU without jeopardizing anything, the expectation to go there really wasn’t a good idea.</p>
<p>If Bama gave him the NMF scholarship, then he should consider accepting. Bama is very different from ASU and Arizona. Bama has a very good honors college and offers amazing courses.</p>