<p>Is this true that Brown requires you to pay for the 8semester tuition, even if you can graduate early? And also that Brown offers the least amount of merit aid, compared to other Ivies like Columbia, Yale, and Harvard?</p>
<p>My situation:</p>
<p>Last year, my parents’ incomes combined was around $250K. However, this was mostly because my mother was still working and my dad switched jobs (pay from new company + former company’s package). Starting October of this year, my mother will be staying at home. Our income for the next several years will be around $125K at the most. We own probably around 1/4 of our million-dollar home.</p>
<p>Will i qualify for financial aid? I know they take your last year’s income taxes and determine your financial need. Starting in 2009, our family will not be as “well off” as before. Since i start college in the fall of 2009, will i receive nothing from FAFSA and college need-based fin aid?</p>
<p>None of the Ivy League provides any merit aid. They will reassess your situation based upon the previous year's income each year and if it drastically changes they will drastically change their package to meet FAFSA's indicated estimated family contribution, usually plus or minus a few thousand depending on your specific situation.</p>
<p>Yes, you have to pay 8 semesters of tuition here even if you graduate early. We do not have a credit system; you're not paying for credits. You're paying for the Brown degree you get when you meet our requirements. Some of our peers do this differently, some do it the same.</p>
<p>Graduating early is both difficult and rare, and in many cases, not advisable.</p>
<p>I know they don't offer merit aid, but i have heard of people who receive more "need based aid" because the schools wanted that person more. My parent's friend's daughter was accepted at UPenn, and she talked to the Dean, and complained that the $15K/year aid was not enough, and they instantly gave her $5K/year more. Obviously, they cared about getting her to come, and the only special about her was because she's won a couple of national awards. So, how did that happen?</p>
<p>It doesn't work like that. Most schools have a certain amount of discretion and will attempt to give more money when they can to students whose situations my merit additional consideration because they're quite complex.</p>
<p>All of these schools do their best to make attending their school affordable if you get in. If you got in, they want you here and will work with you to keep you here, that's how it works. How much room they have to play depends entirely on your specific financial situation, the aid situation of students who have decided to commit to Brown (which can change the budget), etc etc.</p>
<p>For instance, I got nothing my first year here because of some specific details with my financial situation, but have gotten more than half of the cost of Brown each year since. When I went in after getting my admissions my first year I talked extensively to the counselors and they showed me how they worked out what kind of aid I would need over the course of four years and barring any changes, how that would look each year for me and my situation, no guarantees, but a general sense. They've done as much and more for me each year since.</p>
<p>We'll do what we can, but we can't do anything until you apply, get in, and qualify for need-based aid.</p>
<p>We won't make it easy, necessarily, but we'll ensure that it's possible.</p>
<p>And for what it's worth, in most cases at most schools, especially where a "middle" type aid package is awarded, if you go and complain it's not enough they'll come back with something to offer you. Not always, but often.</p>
<p>No one on CC can answer your question about how much money you'll get. You need to fill out one of the online financial aid calculators, using the institutional model. That will give you a good idea of whether you'll get aid. Some schools have their own financial aid calculators on their website, like Princeton. I'd complete that one, too.</p>
<p>Modest is right but I know, personally, a certain football player who got money that he wouldn't have if he had not been a football player. He was pretty clear that I shouldn't mention this to anyone too lol.</p>