<p>So I was accepted to Cornell for the fall of 2012! My family makes around 42k a year, so we are a low income family. Will I have to pay for housing or will Cornell cover tuition AND housing? I read somewhere that tuition will be covered, but it does not mention housing.</p>
<p>It is my understanding that housing and tuition will be covered but they will tell you on March 29th! Congrats!</p>
<p>On their website they have it broken down like this:
Estimated Cost to Attend - Family Contribution = Financial need.
Basically, it costs like 60k to attend Cornell which includes housing. Based on your family’s income, the contribution that Cornell would expect your family to make should be pretty much 0. Therefore, they pay everything! I tested out their financial calculator with my family’s stats. We make around 100k and it estimated that I would only have to pay 9k of their cost to attend. Hope that gives you an idea…</p>
<p>Thanks! I’ve tried the calculator too but I read on here that someone’s family made 110k a year and Cornell claims that they will be capped at 3k and really the students financial aid package said they have to pay 30k. I got really nervous and such but I hope I will be covered!</p>
<p>@shootforthestarz I’m not sure how you got such a low EFC. My family’s income is less than yours (by about $20,000), and their calculator shows a ~$15,000 EFC, which is fairly outside of our comfort zone. </p>
<p>I’m hoping I’ll get slightly better figures when I get the official aid package, but I’m surprised we’re expected to contribute this much.</p>
<p>I know some ivies have this policy of no-loans. Does Cornell share this policy as well?</p>
<p>@besjbo
just from looking at my family’s income it does look like we make a good amount but there are a lot of other stats they look at. I don’t wanna go to deep in my family’s financial situation but it’s not great. The special circumstances part is probably what changes your aid package the most.
Let’s just hope we all get the aid we need to attend, because it’s super expensive!</p>
<p>Last year my S1 was accepted to Cornell. Although he chose not to attend, they did give a very generous financial aid offer. Our family income was $98K, we had about $8k in savings, $90K equity in our home, and $15K in other real estate (a lot that we own). Our EFC was just over $11K. </p>
<p>The cost of attendance covered tuition, room & board, spending, travel, and books. </p>
<p>This year, my S2 has been accepted and I am expecting an even better offer as we will have 2 kids in college. Hope that helps.</p>
<p>That does help thank you! We have a lot less than that, as I mentioned earlier and I was afraid that cost would keep me from going anywhere. My sister is in community college so that is not nearly as expensive but I hope it works out for me. Thank you!!!</p>
<p>@LovelyVivian
I just read somewhere on Cornell’s website that if your family’s total income and assets are under 75k then you will have no loan debt when you graduate. Sounds like they cover it all. But you might have to do the work-study program. And it helps to show you have siblings in college. :)</p>
<p>Where will parents stay? Will cornell still pay our plane ticket even if we want to hang out in itaca for a few days? anyone know the answer to these questions?</p>
<p>Parents have to find their own lodgings. My dad will get a hotel near Cornell. I don’t think I can stay for more days because the school is buying my airplane ticket and therefore they decide the return date.</p>
<p>Don’t expect to be going for free, even at low income. I’m a freshman at Cornell now in engineering, and even though cornell gave me the best financial aid of any of my schools, my package covered about 50k for this year (I’m also low income). Still though, Cornell seems to do well in helping those who need it. Congrats on your acceptance btw</p>
<p>Oh man:/ how much do you pay a year?^</p>
<p>if you didn’t receive your fin aid pkg yet, you will soon. However, in the meanwhile, go to the Cornell website and find and complete the fin aid estimator. This should give you a better idea of your situation than asking strangers who don’t have all your financial data - and who are students themselves.</p>
<p>Yea I tried the calculator already I just want to hear more testimonials</p>
<p>@west… do you have to do work study?? as in does the school make you because of all of the expenses they cover?</p>
<p>Ok…so everyone, I am currently applying for Cornell, not sure if it will take me but can you guys tell me more about the financial aid?</p>
<p>The first thing you need to do is to have a serious talk with your parents and see how much they are willing to contribute towards your education. Next thing you need is to have them fill out Cornell’s online financial aid calculator [Financial</a> Aid Calculator | Financial Aid](<a href=“http://www.finaid.cornell.edu/cost-attend/financial-aid-estimator]Financial”>Financial Aid Calculator | Financial Aid) which is usually very accurate if filled out correctly. The package you get will be basically what you get if accepted to Cornell. There are appeals, however they are generally only successful if there was a significant change to your family’s income/financial situation. </p>
<p>If your parents’ combined income is under $60,000 and their total assets, including primary home equity, is under $100,000, you receive a full ride i.e a financial aid package that covers the entire cost of attendance.</p>