<p>Yes, absolutely. Colleges have taken advantage of the rise in applications this year. You should take advantage of them where you can. Drive the hardest bargain you can. Most schools have plenty of money to give you.</p>
<p>What is frustrating for parents and students alike is that it is so hard to get clarity about FA packages & terms for the first year alone, and nearly impossible to get a feel for what happens as assets get drawn down and/or a 2nd child starts college in another 2 years. Parents and students are forced to take a worst case view regarding FA and loans, all the while hoping for the best.</p>
<p>I don't consider loans to be FA any more that I consider my mortgage to be FA. Interest deferred loans have some FA value, but not a lot in the grand scheme of things. When a school provides no need-based grant and are content to let the gap be filled with $10K in student loans, I really don't know at what point need-based grants would kick in. I have to assume that my kid will graduate with at least $40K in loans, but more probably $45K, and perhaps even more.</p>
<p>As far as truth in FinAid is concerned, I would like to see schools state what their loan limits are. IOW, how much loan do they think is reasonable to graduate with after 4 years. This doesn't need to be stated in absolute dollars, but could be relative, such as one semester's tuition per year or 1/3 COA. Colleges have shown that they are able to work together within agreed upon standards. The April notification deadline and May enrollment deadline are proof. They ought to be able to adopt uniform standards regarding the content and terms of FA packages for the first year AND BEYOND, so students can make intelligent decisions regarding where they choose to enroll and how they can go about paying for it.</p>
<p>Honestly my stomach is churning with all of this financial aid stuff, hence the name! Why in my warped little mind did I think I would only have to come up with the monies above the EFC? My son's choice school did not offer him even one penny in aid, besides the freshman loan of $3,500. He did get one small grant. But where am I to come up with the rest of the 40k they want? I make decent money, but not great money and can come up with about half of the 40k, per year, even that with some loans. I'm going to try to negociate with the school today or else we are moving down the list of other schools we can afford without tremendous loans. I am very disappointed.</p>
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Why in my warped little mind did I think I would only have to come up with the monies above the EFC?
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<p>I may be misunderstanding your post (in which case ignore me :D) but did you think the EFC was the amount of aid you would/might get? The EFC is the amount - loosely - that you would be expected to come up with. The amount above the EFC (or COA less EFC) is what your aid package would be based on.</p>
<p>I was just wondering, is it better to call the school or write a letter, or an email at this point? I have about a month until I need to make my decision, so is calling better and faster? Or is a letter more effective? ): What should I do?</p>
<p>No, I understand the EFC is the money I (family) is expected to be responsible for and that I can do with pulling from savings and some loans, it's the extra unmet need that I can't see coming up with. I'm talking about a total of 40k per year with loans and savings. If they met the EFC it would be around 25k, which is almost doable.</p>
<p>My neice is enrolled as a freshman in Clemson and is THE HAPPIEST college student ever! (we are from CT)</p>
<p>I have offers from 2 schools I like. One has provided merit scholarship, the other only academic so far. The latter school wants me to visit again but I am wondering if I should press on the question of merit scholarship $. My preference is the second school as it has a strong program. I am gonig to be a music performance major. Ideas?</p>
<p>In direct reply to rosebud's question, there are a number of factors involved in scholarship money regarding music performance admissions.</p>
<p>For strict conservatory programs like Curtis, Colburn, Juilliard, NEC, Peabody, etc. Merit scholarships are TALENT scholarships, not academically based. Amount of $ is directedly related to your audition results in comparison to the audition pool for that year. If you are at the top, you are offered the bigger package. In the case of Colburn, all admittees are full free ride, Curtis is full tuition. At other conservatory programs, it can range from full ride to a few $ thousand. Any negotiation is within a narrow range of where you fell in your audition.</p>
<p>For other top programs, like Rice, Oberlin, Eastman, Indiana, Michigan and other conservatory level programs within a university or LAC, the talent money again is auditioned based. While school specific criteria apply, there MAY be additional merit scholarships available based on academic standing, GPA, SAT/ACT, NMF. In some cases OOS waivers may constitute part of the package. Academic scholarship criteria is usually tiered based on certain parameters, and tend to be stringently enforced, but there may be a bit of "wiggle room" at any specific school.</p>
<p>Smaller LAC, university and some state programs with strong music reputations apply similar criteria.</p>
<p>The main focus here is that talent money awards at any performance program
are auditioned based. Knowing your own ability as reflected in your audition compared to the pecking order of other accepted applicants on your particular instrument is the key.</p>
<p>Students at the top have more bargaining power, those at the bottom less.</p>
<p>An exceptional performer, particularly on an underrepresented instrument (viola, harp, bassoon, tuba, or period instrument specialty) could have
a bit more leverage ability in some of the smaller programs by the simple law of supply and demand in relationship to how much a particular school is willing to fork over for your talent and potential versus their particular needs.</p>
<p>Again, any "negotiation" must consider that offers from peer institutions are the only basis for comparison, but strength of any one particular audition pool is an unknown factor.</p>
<p>This thread was started just at the time lots of acceptances & aid packages were were being received. Has anyone had any negotiating success this year?</p>
<p>DS's top choice has not budged on need or merit aid increases, which is quite a bit worse that his offers from comparable schools. They seem indifferent whether he matriculates or not.</p>
<p>I've had success this year. When I received my financial aid package from WashU increased from $18,000 to $44,000. I didn't factor in the loans because I'm not willing to take any out (it would have brought my package up to 47,000). Basically, other than the 2 free rides I have to UF and Howard, this is my best FA package. It leaves only have $4,000 that we have to pay which I have more than enough in scholarship money. </p>
<p>Um, basically I was at WashU last weekend, made an appointment with my financial aid officer who is amazing and I told him that we really couldn't afford to pay for my schooling when I had 2 free rides. I told him some personal information that wasnt on the FAFSA and my package went up!</p>
<p>bebegrl976--</p>
<p>that is really good to hear. i'm glad everything worked out for you.</p>
<p>i'm going up to bucknell this weekend to meet with a financial aid officer and try and up my FA (currently a $10k merit scholarship, but no financial aid money). hopefully i'll have a similar result...</p>
<p>I want to try to negotiate my aid package that I received from Georgetown. They did not come close to meeting my FAFSA EFC.</p>
<p>My questions are:
1. Is it a good idea to compare this package to packages I have from Vanderbilt or University of Chicago? I am not sure what schools would qualify as comparable to Georgetown in my negotiations. I have received full rides to other schools but they are clearly not on par with Georgetown.</p>
<ol>
<li>If I can meet with my financial aid counselor in person, should I do it even though I may not have all of the knowledge about my family's financial situation? I think I know it pretty well but I am not sure I have all of the ins-and-outs mastered. I will have the opportunity to meet with the counselor soon though.</li>
</ol>
<p>Can someone please tell me how they would word or startout a negotiation letter? I need to write one to USC.</p>