<p>So this is what’s going to be given to me, I was thinking of posting this in financial aid but since it’s specific to Brown I thought it would be appropriate to post this here.</p>
<p>How much Brown costs: $62,502.00</p>
<p>How much I will be receiving:
-$52,557.00-Brown Grant
-$4,595.00 Federal Pell Grant (It’s actually $5,595.00, I filled out the fafsa and that’s how much the fafsa said they would probably give me, the 4,595.00 is Brown’s estimate.)
-$2,750.00 Work-Study
All adds up to: $59,902.00</p>
<p>Student Contribution(Brown’s Student Summer Earnings Expectation):$2600</p>
<p>I have the Rhode Island State scholarship which awards $700, as well as the College Crusade Scholarship which will give me $5000 and they also underestimated my pell grant. I checked out the website and from what I understand I have to pay the $2600, but can I remove the work-study portion with the scholarship money? I’m still going to do work study but I want to get the maximum amount of money possible and it would be nice to have extra money in my pocket.</p>
<p>Link to the Understanding My Financial Aid page: [Understanding</a> My Financial Aid | Financial Aid](<a href=“http://www.brown.edu/about/administration/financial-aid/understanding-my-financial-aid]Understanding”>http://www.brown.edu/about/administration/financial-aid/understanding-my-financial-aid)</p>
<p>Oh congrats on your acceptance, Providence kid, I posted in your thread when you were wondering if you had a chance–excellent to see it worked out for you.</p>
<p>First Brown will let you know what money can be applied from your scholarships when you report them per the page you linked. According to that page the funds can be used to reduce summer earnings and work/study. Read the Outside Scholarships section because it is a little bit contradictory from earlier mention of summer earnings. You can designate what you would like reduced when you report the earnings, I suggest you designate summer earnings first, then work study.</p>
<p>You don’t exactly pay the $2,600. First all the grants will be applied to your tuition, room and board and fees. Any shortfall you pay, any excess is put into your bursar account. You buy your books and pay other expenses from that. So the money is sort of paid to yourself for your expenses. If you reduce your costs, you keep any excess money for other expenses. You can reduce costs by cheapest meal plan, buy used books, refurbished computer (Dell outlet store has good deals), lower transportation costs.</p>
<p>My daughter never worked any summer except the first one by choice. She got research grants from Brown for the other summers and she got grants to add a summer class too. She used the money for expenses for summer, she wasn’t short during the year because she reduced her expenses below the allowance.</p>
<p>Work study is just that award under a federal program. If your work study is reduced, it is just work. But there are many great jobs to be had on campus. Start slow, you need to use your freshman year to adjust, so try not to work the first semester if you can.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about the under Pell money. Brown probably gave you university money instead. It will be adjusted when you get the final award. You can’t get more than the costs of 62,502.</p>
<p>I hope all this was clear and complete enough.</p>
<p>Thank you so much, your post certainly is very helpful. I was a bit confused when it said that it could be applied to Summer earnings but then one couldn’t use grants to lower family contribution which summer earnings was under. </p>
<p>As for where to designate the money, I didn’t know that I could do that. I’ll take your advice and designate it towards the summer earnings first and then the work-study. Although I will most likely work, even if everything is already covered. I like to have some money around and 8-10 hours a week is practically nothing to me after 20+ hour weeks at Mcdonalds.</p>
<p>Oh, and I have another question while you’re here. How are expenses for Room and Board split up? It says $12,000 but what does that include and how can I cut some of those items down?</p>
<p>The only way to cut those costs first/second year is to take the least cost dining option. Meal plans are pricy at all colleges. But you may not want to short yourself that first semester. I’m not up to date on the meal plan options. The dining halls are very social and part of Brown experience. They are giving you money for it so don’t begrudge it too much.
[Brown</a> Dining - Pick the Right Plan for You](<a href=“http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Food_Services/mealplans/pick.php]Brown”>http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Food_Services/mealplans/pick.php)</p>
<p>There are some very interesting jobs on campus working for professors. But if you want to think about money the call center in the development office pays well if you have skills for that. You call alumni for donations. Also the Brown Dining Hall is always hiring and students are supervisors too–you may get more pay. I think you get a free meal before or after your shift, and you get free drinks even when you are not working.</p>
<p>For a first-year student, you’ll be paying the same “room” fee as everyone else, and “board” will just depend on your meal plan. I would highly suggest the flex plan, and either 460 or 330 depending on whether or not you plan to eat breakfast in the dining hall. 330 works well if you’re the kind of person who’s fine with a bowl of cereal or some yogurt for breakfast (can make it for yourself in your room with just a mini fridge).</p>
<p>In terms of work-study, BuDS (Brown Dining Services) is by far the biggest employer on campus. I’m a bit biased because I work for them, but I’ve loved having the job as supplementary money, and you can work between 8 and 20 hours a week, anytime from 6am to 2:30am. As BrownParent says, you can earn more as a supervisor or unit manager (there’s room for advancement), and you can get free meals for the shifts you work.</p>
<p>I was told that Brown also offers heallthcare in some cases, my healthcare ended recently and if I can get covered for free then that would be great.</p>
<p>I don’t know specifically about how it’d work out with your aid, but Brown provides health insurance to students who want to sign up for it. I believe it’s $2000 a year.</p>
<p>Thanks! I’m going to do a bit more research then check in with my counselor. He’ll be able to help me out.</p>