@izzybug
Congrats on your early write! At just about any college, the college first credits you with merit aid. Then they look at what you have left to pay. If it is more than they determine you can afford, then they will give you financial aid. However, sometimes the merit aid reduces your expenses below what they think you can afford, so then you wouldn’t get any financial aid.
Note that STRIDE and Zollman scholarship recipients, in addition to their tuition scholarships, have reduced loan expectations as well as their paid research positions.
https://www.smith.edu/admission-aid/financial-aid/first-year/merit
as much as i want to be happy about my early write, i’m still anxious about my FA. my attendance is highly contingent on that and i’ve heard mixed stories about smith’s FA :-(. only time will tell…
We are a bit anxious about the money too. My D didn’t receive a shirt yet. Any other Early Writes not receive a shirt? We are in Chicago.
For those anxious about FA, the Smith NPC turned out to be pretty accurate wrt our FA package. According to Collegedata, Smith meets 100% of need and that is what is reflected in the NPC.
No shirt here yet, but we’re in Alaska and so can always count on a couple or three extra days to receive anything.
@dfbdfb it took us an extra day or two beyond the east coasters to get the Early Write. Hopefully tshirt will arrive soon!
I got my shirt today (I’m in the south)
Okay, I spoke too soon above—despite being in Alaska, D17 got her t-shirt today (the mail just arrived much, much later in the afternoon than usual).
Shirt arrived. 
@smcirish my D is waiting and it is one of her top choices. We are from the burbs as well. Congrats to your D!
Has anyone received a STRIDE notification yet? I got my early write and was wondering if I still had a chance at getting a STRIDE
I think they’ll come out next week (usually a few days before RD decisions are posted, based on what I’ve seen here on CC.
@Nanosour Note that Smith meets 100% of DEMONSTRATED need. That is what they determine your need to be. It may not be the same as what you think you can pay. The NPC should give you a very good idea of what to expect – unless you have significant assets or capital gains. In you do have these, you might well get less than the NPC indicates as it doesn’t capture these items very well.
All said, Smith financial aid is amongst the best in the country.
“All said, Smith financial aid is amongst the best in the country.”
I’m happy with that. And believe they do a good job of leveling the playing field wrt to family spending. In other words, they don’t lavish aid on families that decide to spend income on luxury lifestyle in lieu of saving and funding college.
Poly Sci major, got a shirt and an early write referencing my Common App essay
@exlibris97 @Nanosour i’m going to hope that’s the case and they’re very generous with me, as i am low-income/a pell grant recipient!
@abundantbananas I suspect you will be very pleased with your financial aid award. And feel free to discuss your award with the financial aid office if you have any questions. Smith uses its own methodology for determining need but they will meet your full demonstrated need and you won’t be loaded up with loans.
@Nanosour Like most highly selective universities, Smith uses the CSS Profile. That serves to flush out those who might be protecting their “lifestyle”. I’d say that’s very rare in any event, at least as far as need-based FA is concerned.
Do they send financial aid info by mail or is it only through the portal?
D accepted ED I. The financial aid offer was in the mailing that arrived a couple of days after the Congratulations message on the portal.