<p>A wedding costs next to nothing -- it is the reception that is expensive, and a reception is a party. Sorry, but I don't think that such expenses should be taken into account when determining financial aid awards. </p>
<p>"Isn't the point of financial aid to make college affordable for everyone based on their financial situation?"</p>
<p>The purpose of financial aid is to make higher education affordable to families with limited resources -- not to prevent families from having to make sometimes difficult choices about the resources they do have. The notion that financial aid profiles should be adjusted to take wedding expenses into account is absurd.</p>
<p>Obviously we have differing opinions on this topic. I tried to use a personal example to illustrate my point which is families have financial strains which are not illustrated by your taxes. If there were a subjective aspect to Financial Aid profiles then those students could get the money they needed for that year while the situations sorted themselves out. </p>
<p>I think it is wonderful Harvard is assisting more middle class families and realizing we too need monetary support to make college affordable.</p>
<p>If a wedding creates a financial strain on an extended family, you need to have a smaller wedding.</p>
<p>I'm with claremarie. I'd like to go to Europe, or perhaps quit my job and go back to school to get a teaching credential. However, I have kids to educate so those discretionary financial decisions will be deferred until I don't have dependents. </p>
<p>My hope is that with their ND educations, the kids will have career success and be able to pay for their own weddings! ;)</p>