Early admission question

<p>I know early admissions at NYU is binding. But how can you say you will go there without knowing your financial aid packet? If your financial aid package is not enough can you back out?</p>

<p>Financial aid offer info comes with or shortly after ED admission notification. If the aid is not enough you can decline the offer.</p>

<p>Will that contain info about merit scholarships or just need based aid? Does applying ED increase your chance of merit aid or hurt it?</p>

<p>thanks</p>

<p>I don’t think NYU gives out any merit aid</p>

<p>I’m pretty sure the only type of aid NYU gives is merit-based, and the amount you get is based on a desirability basis. There are a few specific NYU-based scholarships that are exemptions from this though, and are only awarded to students who demonstrate a lot of need.</p>

<p>OK now I am totally confused. I would love to attend NYU but of course my FAFSA came out with a ridiculous EFC even though I have two brothers in school and my mom lost her job. I have 4.3 GPA, 32 ACT, leadership positions, varsity athlete, EC’s and community service. I want to double major in journalism and anthropology but I need some merit aid to go to NYU. Other schools seem so much clearer about merit scholarships. Any insight or advice would be appreciated. I have been told applying ED helps with merit aid and I have been told it hurts because they figure they already have you. I live in San Diego so I dont have any contacts or no anyone that has attended NYU</p>

<p>thanks in advance</p>

<p>NYU uses FAFSA but mostly they will look at CSS profile. If your family has home equity and non-retirement assets then you won’t be seeing much in merit aid. If you have money in your name they will also look at that.They are known to be very stingy.
ED does not help you with aid, it will help with admission since they know you want to attend and they tend to accept higher %. If you really need money then look at a school that is “below” you. These schools will throw money at you because they want a higher caliber student. My daughter had the same ACT’s as you, great EC’s, etc and she got $1000 from NYU. She got big merit scholarships from schools that were ranked lower. She is attending NYU and she is fortunate that we had put money aside for her education and she is an only child. frankly I have not heard that much about NYU’s journalism program. Do the UC’s have any good journalism programs? </p>

<p>If I were you I would apply RD to NYU and see what other offers you get from other schools and if NYU ends up giving you enough money. Even if NYU gives you $30000 you still need to come up with $35000 plus travel expenses. It is extremely expensive.</p>

<p>Thanks cschauf1. CAL has a great journalism program but I would never get accepted there. In addition there is very limited merit aid in the state of California. Thank you for all your information. I feel that I am a great fit for NYU but I dont think I will receive enough money to justify going there.</p>

<p>If your EFC is above the cost of NYU, you do not qualify for financial aid. The only $ you could get is merit aid. NYU gives very, very little real merit aid. Some get it as part of the Martin Luther King scholarship–but that is for the tippy top of the class. Other than that their are talent merit awards for film, art, music and theatre. Those awards are determined by each department based on top auditions or portfolios. They are only given to RD students as an enticement to come.</p>

<p>If you have financial need, NYU may increase the amount of money they give to you if they really want you to come. They do this by giving more “merit” based scholarships–but in essence it is still financial aid, since you must have need to qualify.</p>

<p>Also, If you think ED increases your chance at NYU, statistically that is not what the numbers show. Look up the common data set for 2012.</p>

<p>If you need to consider the cost of other schools and are not 100% committed to paying full tuition at NYU, I would only apply RD.</p>

<p>Thanks for the input. My GPA is 4.3 ACT 32 good leadership positions, great letters of rec, varsity athlete, many EC’s and community service hours so I think I have a chance to get in. Hopefully I can figure out how to make it work financially</p>