<p>If the OP is only short $10,000, he can use the $5000 in rental income to pay for half of his shortfall. Perhaps he and his parents could split the difference for the rest.</p>
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<p>But that clearly didn’t stop you, did it? Or any of the others who have now jumped on the bandwagon!</p>
<p>Cornell offers financial aid to international students. If you don’t like that, then don’t donate to Cornell. Simple.</p>
<p>Clearly, Cornell wants the OP as a student - she’s been offered a very generous aid package. The OP, not unreasonably, wants to explain to Cornell that, much as she appreciates the offer, it’s not enough. Since Cornell wants the OP to attend, and the OP wants to attend, she is hoping that the two of them may be able to find some middle ground that will make her attendance possible.</p>
<p>The OP’s statement that she can’t afford to attend without additional financial assistance isn’t an expression of entitlement. It’s a statement of fact. If you want to answer her questions, that’s great. If you don’t, that’s fine also. But there’s no reason to attack her. She’s a teenager, and a guest on this forum (and, if she’s able to attend Cornell, a guest in this country, as well). There’s no excuse for bullying her.</p>
<p>If you don’t like financial aid policies, or internationals, or “brats,” then feel free to start your own thread. And I and others, if we choose, can feel free to ignore it.</p>
<p>If you want to know where the OP is from, do a bit of research. She has overcome obstacles most of us can’t imagine in order to be admitted to Cornell . . . and deserves a shot, if she can possibly find a way to attend. If you disagree, please be gracious enough to keep that to yourself.</p>
<p>Thank you dodgersmom, you said everything I was about to say. Please don’t be offended you guys, I don’t engage in any black market scheme. I just can’t afford Cornell and I really want to attend. I’m grateful for this financial aid already but I can’t afford my EFC. I would probably blame my mom for the inaccuracies but she was so busy and I don’t blame her anymore because she’s a single parent working her ass off.</p>
<p>Where is your gratitude for what you did receive? Where is your understanding that you are not entitled to attend Cornell? Where is your respect for the other people who can’t make it work, either? That’s my issue with you. A lot of people have single parent families, don’t own multiple homes and have overcome staggering obstacles. You undoubtedly have the stats to go to many places. It is not for nothing that schools like Cornell are called “lottery ticket schools.”</p>
<p>Just be aware, Lelyke that you HAVE to be able to afford Cornell or whatever US college to be able to attend. When you go for your student visa, I believe you have to show that you have the money sitting there to pay your costs. Your Cornell award will take care of a great deal of that, but you have to show the remainder. You can’t just come to the US and hope that you can come up with some more money somehow, an option US students have. Not a wise chance to take anyways, but you can’t do that. So bear that in mind Also be aware that Cornell does subscribe to the ED list, so your name will be circulated to a colleges as accepted ED and you will be flushed from consideration from those schools when they check that list, so if you truly cannot afford to go to Cornell , you had better get the situation resolved soon and request to be released from your ED contract. You are not permitted to compare financial aid packages at the end of the process when you apply ED in exchange for extra consideration, and Cornell openly says they give extra consideration for admission to ED candidates and an early answer. If you can’t afford to go, you had better get your release and start looking at other options now. Every year there are students who get into trouble by not moving on their ED options and just hoping ofr the best. You don’t want to be one of them.</p>
<p>Dodgersmom, I don’t care if the student is international or not. It also doesn’t bother me a bit that s/he is looking to see if there are other options. S/he has every right to appeal the aid as anyone does and is perfectly line asking for advice about the best way to do it. Some of us want to make sure that the student also understands that there is a time constraint in getting this resolved as an ED candidate. There are a lot of attempt to game the ED process trying to run out the clock to get other offers to compare, and hoping to thus bargain. This year seems to have quite a few of those kind of posts. Hopefully Cornell was clear in the time period that the OP has and what the obligations international students have in terms of getting their visas so there are no bad surprised for the OP.</p>
<p>Great post dodgersmom. Perhaps we can all try to educate all these 17/18 year olds to the ways of the adult financial world and not make fun of or castigate them. Even in the US, K-12 doesn’t do a great job of financial education and even when it tries, the realities of how much college costs, how much it costs to feed, house and otherwise support ones self often doesn’t sink in until it’s actually experienced.</p>
<p>dogersmom, I did do a bit of research and I see the OP was advised to apply to schools they could afford as well as potential financial reaches like Cornell. Now, I see “I guess I won’t be going to college”… like paying just $15k per year for Cornell was the ONLY option. Again, ED was fully explained to the OP in other threads as was the potential for not as much aid as was needed. </p>
<p>I could care less who and how Cornell give out money. My concern isn’t even asking for more if the OP feels it’s needed. What bothers me is the notion that she deserves to attend Cornell and it’s “not fair” that they ask her to pay 1/2 the cost! Many very smart kids go to less costly schools all the time - it’s not unfair nor the end of the world. The OP needs to take the advise given in many other threads and do what all but the very wealthiest have to do - consider various college options then pick one you and your family can afford or take loans for. That’s how it works in reality land.</p>
<p>Now, as for whether it makes sense to ask for more $$$ ? Well, I certainly think Cornell should make the aid decision based on accurate information, so if the original application had incorrect info, then, yes, the OP should correct it and ask it to be reviewed. However, what he/she really needs to do NOW is deal with realistic alternatives ASAP in case Cornell does not add to the aid.</p>
<p>btw, although “tithes” sounds like a wonderful thing - why would any college (except maybe BYU) deduct tithes from EFC? You want to pay to some organization by choice rather than use that money on your education? Hey, great … just don’t expect someone else to cover it for you. Families make choices all the time - it’s called priorities. Is education at Cornell more important than tithes? Each family gets to decide THAT for themselves!</p>
<p>Sorry this tithe ish happened before my mom knew I was going to get into Cornell, I think this year my education will be a priority. P.S. I live in Africa, and when we bought the house it wasn’t expensive at all, but with time the value increased. I called Cornell and they said I will get notified before 18th. So thank you guys so much for the advice and criticisms as well, it really helped.</p>
<p>Lelyke, you are obviously very, very bright and accomplished. I sincerely wish you well and hope things work out. It’s just that sometimes it’s nice to be appreciative and respectful and to show it when you really do mean it.</p>
<p>Contact Cornell. Find out what you need to do to correct your Profile. Find out if they will give you an extension on the ED commitment date. Find out what other supporting documents you need to provide (e.g. You will need to provide documentation of the balance in your mom’s bank accounts as of the date of the initial filing of the Profile…when we had to do this…it was a headache). Remember, Cornell does have a deadline for that ED commitment…or not.</p>
<p>And lastly, have an affordable plan B in place.</p>