Case western reserve scholarship/financial aid

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I was accepted to case western with a 25k scholarship. I was expecting to receive need based aid on top of this but what they actually did was use the 25k as the only aid I will receive, even though the calculated parent contribution is only 11k of the 60k tuition/board. On top of the 11k parent contribution they left me with another 10k not covered by loans or anything. So I am expected to come up with 21k a year and I have no money! My parents do not support me at all. Basically, I did not even receive a scholarship, this has to be a joke. Should I write them asking why they didn't even meet my expected need? Has this happened to anyone else?</p>

<p>At this point, I really regret not applying to my state school, UW, where I'm sure I could have gone for nothing... </p>

<p>The CDS states CASE only meets 88% of Financial Need. So I am not sure where you thought case meets 100% of need. (Page 21) (<a href=“Institutional Research | Case Western Reserve University”>Institutional Research | Case Western Reserve University;

<p>If your EFC was $11k then I am not sure why you thought CASE would cover that. And yes, CASE does use loans both Student and Parent loans to meet the financial need. Unless you are independent and no longer considered a dependent, you would have the same issues of EFC at any school. So the only way you could have offset that is to get a scholarship at your state school. </p>

<p>The $25k is a generous scholarship for CASE and you only have to maintain a 2.0 GPA to keep it for four years. </p>

<p>Yes I was aware of the 88%, I thought since they were giving me this scholarship it would be added to the need based aid. Maybe that is stupid thinking, but that is how I thought it worked. It doesn’t seem like a merit scholarship to me if that’s what would have been covered anyway according to the need I have. I have been accepted to more competitive schools than case so I thought they were trying to win me over or something. I understand that if your parents have a lot of money that would be a great scholarship, but since mine don’t this scholarship means nothing to me. I will receive more money from the other schools that promise to meet 100% of aid, since Case didn’t cover the extra 10k</p>

<p>@nicksparle, I am sorry it didn’t work out for you. However, you do not seem to understand that meeting need still will take into consideration your expected family contribution, which as you indicated was $11k. So unless you are going to a school that offers you a large scholarship and loans, then that $11k (or $10 with Case) will always be your burden regardless of if your parents are willing to help out or not. There are countless posts here on CC of students who have the same problem. High EFC with parents not willing/able to meet that amount. Not sure how you could end up with that kind of EFC if your family has financial hardship, unless they have a lot of assets in rental/farmland, etc. Either way, I wish you the best with your other options.</p>

<p>I know that no school will cover the EFC, but they will cover the 10k case didnt, if they really cover 100%. And Case DID offer me a large scholarship, which is not really a scholarship at all. That is what I am trying to say…Since they offered such a large merit scholarship I thought at least my expected need would be fully covered. Also my family doesn’t have much financial hardship, they just won’t contribute anything, which I already know isn’t an excuse colleges take. Thank you for your help though</p>

<p>Well, luckily you have more competitive schools that will meet 100% of your need! Have these schools confirmed that? And are you able to then come up with the EFC of 11k? Any reason your parents refuse to pay their EFC? Congrats on having multiple choices!</p>

<p>You may still be able to apply to your state school if that is what you think is best. Call them, you might be surprised. </p>

<p>The way it works at most schools is merit aid is subtracted from your financial aid. It sucks, but that’s the way it works. It’s set by the federal government. Happened to my brother too when he was applying in '11, so he had to turn down his top choice. Ended up going to a school that gave him a HUGE scholarship so he’s graduating with almost no debt.</p>