Cornell Financial Aid Question

<p>I found out I was accepted into Cornell at the beginning of March. However, my fat envelop packet I received in the mail had a fax number written on it requesting an additional financial aid form that I didn't send earlier. We faxed the forms right away. When we called the admissions office, they said that they would have my financial aid info ready "in a few weeks". However, the commitment deadline is May 1st for most of my colleges. I'm having a dilemma since I'm not sure whether I want to commit to Cornell if I don't have the financial aid information. What should I do?</p>

<p>I'm in the same situation. I think i'm just going to hold out until May 1st, and if i don't know, I'm going to go to the next best school I can. I talked to the financial aid office and they indicated that there was a possibility that it wouldn't come in time and I just don't want to leave the possibility that the financial aid package is too little for my family. Best Luck to you though.</p>

<p>If you are serious about attending Cornell and the financial aid is one of the key factors in your decision then either call or email the Cornell admissions office and the other college admissions office and i am sure they will give you an extention on the May 1st deadline!</p>

<p>yeah i am basically on the financial aid waiting game as well. i received a nice large envelope with one piece of paper saying "your application for financial aid is complete" yet they basically are like "but....we dont know how much we are giving you yet, so when we figure that out we will tell you"</p>

<p>not like we ARENT giving you or we are WAITING for more aid to become available. it is just....um we arent done looking yet.</p>

<p>my parents are not loving this wait. :(</p>

<p>Does anyone know if the new need-based loan initiative is going to take effect for people like us who were accepted in March 2008?</p>

<p>Their school newspaper web site says: "In the first year, 2008-09, the university will eliminate need-based loans going forward for undergraduate students from families with incomes under $60,000, and cap them annually at $3,000 for students from families with incomes between $60,000 and $120,000."</p>

<p>I'm not sure whether that means in that it starts this year for high school class of 2008 or if it starts for next year's high school class of 2009.</p>

<p>There's more information about it here:
Cornell</a> Chronicle: Sweeping new financial aid initiative</p>

<p>2008-2009 is the academic year, so it would apply to those who are entering in Fall 2008 (aka the HS senior class of 2008).</p>

<p>I still haven't received a financial aid offer. I assume it is the same for just about everyone else?</p>

<p>Ya, and it is really tough if you want to try and visit as well.</p>

<p>i'm visiting ithaca for cornell days right now...and my dad made an appointment to visit the finaid office and discuss my finaid package...</p>

<p>When we called, the people at the office seemed very friendly; setting up an appointment was easy. So i guess...if you live anywhere near ithaca, then maybe setting up an appointment would be a good idea?</p>

<p>... so... will we receive the aid package in several weeks from now?</p>

<p>yeah, several weeks....i haven't gotten mine either..
if i don't get it by next week, pretty much cornell is out from my list.</p>

<p>So this new financial aid policy begins with those freshmen entering in the fall of 2008. Will it apply to current students starting in the fall 2008, also?</p>

<p>I know my friend got her financial aid package a couple of days ago ($20k in grants or something?)</p>

<p>Unfortunately, I have yet to receive word from them</p>