<p>I got into the ED round! I'm an international student and I got aid but it couldn't cover what I could pay. I want to appeal for more fin-aid, like for them to review my application. Has anyone done this before and did Cornell University increase the aid? I put this in the Cornell thread but I felt more people will know more about this here. I also see Outside Scholarship of $6000 as part of the total award. But that is not from Cornell at all, its a grant from my moms employer, so why is it part of my total financial aid award? And I was going to use that to cover part of my family contribution :( . My mom doesn't want me to apply RD to other schools despite the FA because she wants me to go to Cornell so much. Do they have a certain formula they use? Cause it didn't work out for me.</p>
<p>Yes, employer awards will be considered part of the package if the school knows it is coming. Any outside scholarhships are likely to reduce aid, not your portion of the cost too. You can appeal, and should, but frankly unless there is a mistake there is not likely to be much movement. You can tell them flat out that you can’t go there without more money and turn down your ED acceptance, but then if they won’t ante up, you are out. You cannot apply RD to other schools until you are released from Cornell’s ED contract which would mean Cornell is off your list of possibilities. That is the whole idea of ED. You give up the right to compare offers in exchange for a better chance of acceptance. Frankly, most colleges give a good offer in terms of Fin aid for ED students because they do want everyone accepted to go there, so maybe you and the fin aid director can find some wiggle room on something. But they can’t, then you either have to come up with the money somehow, or decline the ED offer based on insufficient financial aid which is perfectly acceptable and covered under the ED provisions. </p>
<p>This is another example of why those who need or want aid should not apply ED.</p>
<p>*also see Outside Scholarship of $6000 as part of the total award. But that is not from Cornell at all, its a grant from my moms employer, so why is it part of my total financial aid award? And I was going to use that to cover part of my family contribution *</p>
<p>Because with that scholarship, you have less “need”. </p>
<p>A school that “meets need” doesn’t “owe” you a particular amount. It just wants to make sure “need” is met. When they add their aid to your mom’s company’s aid, then “need” is met. </p>
<p>You can try to appeal, but unless there’s been a mistake or something has been overlooked, the aid won’t change or won’t change much.</p>
<p>Ok I found out the problem. I made a mistake in filling out my form. I put $100000 assets and this is my current home not other assets. We also made random errors in filling out our expenses and missed out on important things like tithes, service charges and money paid to help relatives. My mom is also a single parent. We were in a hurry when we were filling the form because we were trying to fill it before the deadline. I know this might sound careless but we were looking for scanners to scan the documents and it took us about an hour, we also had to race through filling because the scanner operator was waiting for us. This just caused some stupid errors. I’m asked to pay $27000 but all I can honestly pay is $15000. If they don’t accept that does that mean I’m not going to college next year?</p>
<p>You can appeal FA, but you will have to be very specific. You could take out a $12,000 loan for freshman year and then be more accurate in next year’s financial aid application. Many students work part-time while in college, as well.</p>
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Tithing and money paid to help relatives is a choice, so Cornell’s knowledge of those expenses won’t increase finaid. (I am not an expert, but those who are might chime in.)</p>
<p>CTTC is correct. Cornell will not increase your aid because of this. They will expect you to use the money that you are giving to others to fund your education. Essentially, this is what you are asking; that others (parents and others who contribute to the endowment that gave you your financial aid) to fund your education.</p>
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<p>No, it does not mean that you will not be going to college, it means that you will not be attending Cornell. You must prove that your expenses are covered before you are granted a visa to come here to study.</p>
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<p>If your father is still alive, then they gave you a waiver for his income and assets. If the $27k includes his income and assets, then he is expected to pay his part.</p>
<p>Let’s simplify this:</p>
<p>(1) Yes, you can and should file an appeal. Explain that the aid offered is not sufficient to permit you to attend. (State exactly how much additional aid you need - don’t make them guess!) Submit your appeal in writing, as soon as possible, so that it can be considered as soon as the administrative staff return from Christmas break.</p>
<p>(2) With your appeal, submit a corrected financial aid form, with a written explanation of any changes.</p>
<p>Be realistic about your chances. Sometimes appeals are granted, and sometimes they are not . . . and even if your appeal is granted, it is possible that the increased aid may still not be as much as you think you need. So, while you are waiting for a response from Cornell, sit down with your mother and figure out EXACTLY how much you can pay, and HOW you are going to pay that amount. Then, when you get your response from Cornell, you will know immediately whether or not you can attend.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Dodgermom has put it in a nutshell. The other posters have all given you good info as well. Did you file an non custodial waiver for your father, or did he complete his part of the PROFILE? Unless he or you or your mother gave his financial information, it would not be available, other than any child support or other payments he has given which you and your mother must include on the form. If both parents are listed and your dad’s finances were not included, your mother got a bigger asset exclusion than she would as a single parent, Also, PROFILE does take into account home equity values as assets up to a certain mulitple of income which is set by individual school. </p>
<p>Bottom line with ED, if the financial aid is not acceptable, the school will release you from the contract and you are free to apply to other schools and compare what they may give you in aid and awards, but Cornell will be out of the picture when that is done. So do get your other applications out and make sure you have some affordable options in the mix.</p>
<p>Ok I found out the problem. I made a mistake in filling out my form. I put $100000 assets and this is my current home not other assets. We also made random errors in filling out our expenses and missed out on important things like tithes, service charges and money paid to help relatives. My mom is also a single parent. We were in a hurry when we were filling the form because we were trying to fill it before the deadline. I know this might sound careless but we were looking for scanners to scan the documents and it took us about an hour, we also had to race through filling because the scanner operator was waiting for us. This just caused some stupid errors. I’m asked to pay $27000 but all I can honestly pay is $15000. If they don’t accept that does that mean I’m not going to college next year?</p>
<p>Others can chime in here, but I think CSS Profile does have you include the value of your primary home. So, if your home is worth $100k, that does get included. On FAFSA, it wouldn’t get included, but you’re an int’l, so FAFSA isn’t used.</p>
<p>A $27k contribution from an ivy suggests a highish income. If your family consists only of your mom and you, that is also going to cause a higher contribution. </p>
<p>However, sometimes internationals’ “family contribution” seems a bit higher because the schools can’t use Stafford & Perkins loans and work-study to reduce need like they do with domestic students (which can be $8k-10k). Instead of giving the int’ls more grants, they seem to estimate a higher family contribution. </p>
<p>If Cornell won’t increase its aid by the amount that you want, your mom needs to make a decision. Either she stops giving money to relatives so that she can fund your education, or you go elsewhere. </p>
<p>you won’t get your visa unless you show funds. Will your mom be ready to show funds in the next several months? </p>
<p>Are you saying that your mom doesn’t have any savings/assets?</p>
<p>Ok. I didn’t fill out the CSS form because it is not applicable to my country, I filled out the College Board International Financial Aid form. My mom has another home in another city, but I don’t understand are we suppose to sell that because I need to go to college? I haven’t seen my dad since I was 2. His whereabouts are unknown and he has never paid child support or anything for me or my sister. So I filled out a non-custodial parent waiver form. So my dad is out of it. My moms salary is $29000 but with some allowances and the grant for both me and my sister, it shoots up to $71000. And out of these allowances about $3000 is saved. So her salary is about $32000. Please how am I supposed to pay $27000 by selling our homes or what? Its not like she chose a preference of giving money to our relatives over my education. Of coure not! The money she gives is not even so much about $700. She has about 6 million CFA ($10000) in savings and I put $30000 in the form. I also made some errors in the expenses but I don’t even know if this would make a difference. Gosh I’m just so flustered because $27000 is honestly unaffordable unless I rob a bank (just kidding) or something and its too late to start frantically applying to RD schools.</p>
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<p>The second home is an asset, that the school feels you/your family could draw upon to send you to college. In a nutshell, yes if necessary, she should sell it. If she is renting it out, then any income generated from the rental should be included on the International Financial aid form. The college will consider these monies available to send you to college.</p>
<p>it sounds like you put in different numbers to make your self look good for admissions purposes (in the event that your need was a factor in admissions). Now that you have been admitted, Cornell expects you to pay based on what you wrote on the profile. IF the numbers were wrong, why did you not contact the financial aid office immediately when you got the decision or before the decision came out?</p>
<p>As others have said, go on ahead and appeal. But bear in mind that the assets as they are in the accounts on the day you filled out the form are what stand. The same is for US students. If you fill out FAFSA or PROFILE on a day when your accounts just happen to be flush with money that is all going out for bills the next day, then too bad. The same goes with CB Internation form. You may have to verify all of that with asset statements as of that first date you filed, be aware.</p>
<p>Yes, a second home is considered another asset. So is the first home. Those are the rules for EVERYONE. And any money given to relatives even with the most heart wrenching stories is not taken into consideration. Any primary family medical expenses that you can get receipts and documentation for, may be considerered. Those that were paid out in 2012, anyways. We all have to go by the same rules.</p>
<p>If you can’t afford Cornell, then that’s that. You will have to have a list of assets as to how you are going to pay school expenses when you go for your student visa, and they do check that pretty thoroughly so just hoping for the best is not a good option. Money is very tight for everyone an as an international student you are lucky to get an aid package. COrnell turns down most international applicants with need because they are not need blind in admissions for internationals.
Start looking for some other options if your famly cannot afford Cornell.</p>
<p>^ I did not put money to look good for admission processes, cornell is need-blind. I was as honest as possible and I said earlier I was in a rush. And I did send them an email to tell them that some things were omitted which were in the employer statement but it seems as if I wasn’t even considered. Yes she gets rent and we told them we could pay $5000 from that and also $10000 from her $29000 salary. Amounting to $15000.</p>
<p>* but I don’t understand are we suppose to sell that because I need to go to college*</p>
<p>first of all, no one “needs” to go to Cornell. You want to go there. When we want something, we need to be willing to PAY for it. </p>
<p>Yes, you are expected to sell the house (or any other asset you have) to pay for something that isn’t necessary…going to Cornell. If I want to go on a dream vacation, I’m expected to use my assets to pay for it.</p>
<p>What about colleges in your OWN country? How much would those cost?</p>
<p>It depends the most expensive ones are about $20000 ish. I think I’m just going to appeal and hope for the best, if I applied ED and they gave me FA they probably want me to attend and if I don’t get enough aid I can take a loan, borrow or something. Thanks everyone :D</p>
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<p>I’ll repeat: Figure this out AHEAD OF TIME!</p>
<p>Do not wait until you heard back from Cornell. Figure out what you can pay and exactly how you are going to pay it. Start out with the assumption that all you’re going to get from Cornell is what you’ve already been offered . . . and figure out if that’s possible. If you get additional funds from Cornell, so much the better. But, in the meantime, if you’re talking about borrowing $12k/year, figure out where and how you would get such a loan.</p>
<p>I understand that attending Cornell would be a life-changing experience for you . . . but be careful that you don’t overburden yourself (or your mother!) with unaffordable debt in order to do it.</p>
<p>Also get your loans and money in place before heading off to get your visa. That is not a Cornell or any university issue but rules and laws for all foreign students coming to the US to study.</p>
<p>My son’s friend was not able to come to the US after his school acceptance because he could not show 100% of his cost to be covered. The school did not get involved at all. It was, oh well, try again next term.</p>
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<p>The problem with this statement is that your mom does not get to decide how much money from her rental that she can afford to pay the school, the school decides how much money that your family should pay from the rental income. Why would you say that your mom can afford to pay 1/3 of her salary for college. This alone makes it look as if you have money from other sources, especially once you say that you are giving money to other family members. Cornell expects your mom to pay it to them.</p>
<p>IF your EFC is 27k, then Cornell has considered your assets (your primary home and the rental property) to be substantial enough for your mom to draw on them to send you to school.</p>
<p>^like I said earlier she only gives like $700 to my family members. And I aslo said she had allowances and benefits so yeah she can afford to pay 1/3 of her income for my college. I have a friend with about the same income who got into Princeton but is paying $11000. So yeah $27000 is much.</p>