<p>Hey! I like all the mailings! They make me feel loved, and that maroon book they sent is beautiful. It doesn’t cost all that much to send them, and it’s not like the money they save would increase your individual aid package. They’d probably give out the same amount of aid to everyone, because they are currently a part of a system that does the most for their public appeal while reducing costs as much as possible (technically meeting 100% demonstrated need while screwing some people over). Eh, what can you do?</p>
<p>I thought I was getting a 0 EFC, but they’re making my mom pay 2k. What can you do? It’s just money I’ll have to borrow, and they won’t have to pay.</p>
<p>Yes, I never had a chance to visit due to the distance, so the mailings really helped me. They answered some questions and helped me ask some good ones for the interview.</p>
<p>If they use the FAFSA EFC, then it will be tough here…</p>
<p>Someone (Collegeboard, the government?) should really set up a system that ascertains that universities are abiding by their promises and really providing 100% total need, instead of setting arbitrary standards and abiding by those nonsense standards. I think that Chicago is abusing this.</p>
<p>Then again, I personally can’t complain. After parents’ contribution and working for the last 3 years here 10-15 hours a week during the school year and summer, I will be only 2-5k in debt.</p>
<p>@ Phuriku That’s pretty good. I’m going to be in debt for at least 6k. Unless I can find a sugar daddy to bail me out, and that’s pretty unlikely.</p>
<p>As a high school student, 6k seems like a lot. However, especially with incredibly low interest rates on Stafford loans (3.2% starting 2011-12), this will be really easy to pay back. Probably within a year, but if you want to stretch it, you could probably pay it back within 5 years at total interest of less than $1k. So in the end, it’s a pretty damn good deal. I am very glad that Chicago takes care of the middle class and below.</p>
<p>Middle class is anything between $40k and $65k/year by my definition. The median US household income is about $50k (which is considered on the poor side here, when by definition, this should be the figure around which middle class should be defined.) $65-$110k/year is upper middle class, and anything above is fairly wealthy. I know that people who gain this amount of money often think they are not very wealthy, but if your house gains more than twice as much as the median household income, I think any such arguments can be fairly discarded (depending on what the living costs are in your area, of course).</p>
<p>^Living costs in my area = among the highest in the nation. Stupid NY taxes. :mad: $65-110k is barely enough to get by. </p>
<p>And it’s good to see UChi takes into account negative home equity, which my family does have. Would it be possible to send them a fax update about some new expenses my family has incurred that do not show up on the returns? We sent $10,000 to family in Haiti after the earthquake and now support 2 grandmas and 4 aunts with their children. That counts for something, right?</p>
<p>the scarves are just a nice gesture from the psac…and the rest of the mailings really should have cost that much. Still I would have liked better aid though…:|</p>
<p>We applied EA and were initially happy with the small aid grant and scholarships, which at that point made the out of pocket expense 35K but then the new sticker price put us back in the same place. We will have to pay 45K out of pocket. That is not doable. They do not take COA into account. If they are, they are using guidelines from 25 years ago. Middle class definition of 50K in NYC living just above poverty. Let’s not forget that many people have taken pay cuts, lost jobs and have not had a pay raise in the past two years, while the cost of food, fuel and transportation have increased. My husband is working two jobs to make up for the lost income and income tax killed us for the second job. Although the second job is only part-time and only based on when he is needed, we are not guaranteed the income but for fin aid purposes it counts as fixed income. So how are we supposed to afford 59K in tuition that in four years might be 70K? I don’t see pay raises keeping up in the next few years.</p>
<p>It’s a shame, my D really loves this school but I cannot justify the expense.</p>
<p>I think their goal is to increase applications and enrollment; and this justifies the extra costs of the mailings. Not only will it bolster the reputation of the University but will also create a better experience for us, since more quality student will apply and attend.</p>
<p>Why does Chicago’s total cost have to be about $4,000 more than other privates? This coupled with their mediocre financial aid makes for a bad combination.</p>