<p>Wow, ya’ll are so amazing! If we end up going to Smith, I’d be so honored to be in the same class as you CCers!</p>
<p>Got my STRIDE today! Yay!
Can anyone clarify on exactly how this works? So if Smith, like all other LACs, has a tuition of 50k. If I got the Stride, then I need to pay 35k or get financial aid for a part of the 35k and pay the rest? I’m really confused. Would they offer me more grant and merit scholarship on top of STRIDE?
Congrats everyone! You guys deserved it!!</p>
<p>Edit to add: I’m in CA and it came in priority mail. Hope this helps if you’re trying to gauge the time it takes to get it!</p>
<p>@spnlove:
From what I understand, any merit scholarship is considered part of your finaid…so if you DO qualify for any need-based financial aid beyond that, Smith will add to the merit scholarship you’re receiving.</p>
<p>Those of you with STRIDE/Zollman’s, highest congrats! Two things:</p>
<p>One, this is part of a package, so you certainly can get Fin Aid, as my lucky (and smart) D does. </p>
<p>Also do NOT underestimate the research portion of this package. I saw young women presenting her work, a project shared with MIT seniors…the Smithie was a Sophomore… Undergrads at other schools try VERY hard to get research in their Junior and Senior years… STRIDES are often on their third and fourth year. </p>
<p>Smith values you and this is often a step toward Fulbrights and other awards, so while the bucks today are very good, the research opps for the future is a huge plus.</p>
<p>I didn’t get a letter yesterday, and I was hoping I would because I was early write. I guess I’ll keep checking the mail for the next couple of days since it’s always possible that the post office messed up, but if not, I’m kind of disappointed 
But congrats to all who did! It sounds like an amazing opportunity.</p>
<p>Well, mail isn’t delivered on Sunday…so maybe tomorrow? All post offices are not created equal? Haha.</p>
<p>Yay! I got my Zollman offer a few days ago! 
I will definitely visit in April. Ok, I have a similar question as a previous post… my EFC is a little below $10k and so will we still be paying this every year? Like will scholarships NOT cover EFC?</p>
<p>Scholarships/financial aid will never cover EFC…unless your EFC is 0 you won’t get a free ride. EFC is what your family is expected to say, meaning that’s how much the college expects you/your family to contribute. Scholarships are part of your need-based financial aid. Cost of attendance-EFC=your financial need. So you’ll get 20k+ whatever else the college thinks you need.</p>
<p>Thanks for the clarification, uniquely! 
By the way, I just wanted to say we have very similar stats (you have the +1 of playing piano and speaking Chinese, though, I’m very jealous). Have you received a STRIDE?</p>
<p>I play mostly classical (I’m really into jazz, though) and I stopped going to Chinese school this year, so we’re probably more similar than you think! I didn’t get a STRIDE…so I’ve just been stalking my mailman/mailbox for the past few days. Sometimes he likes to come in the afternoons, though :(</p>
<p>Same - I’m really nervous about the financial aid I get now, just because I’m paying for college myself and can’t afford it if they meet only 80% of my estimated need (like the representative I talked to said they would). I love Smith, because because I didn’t get a STRIDE/any merit money I probably can’t afford to go :(</p>
<p>@ uniquely and completelydoomed-- SAME. I was really hoping for a STRIDE to take the pressure of the need-based aid… now I guess I’ll just have to wait and hope Smith is generous enough, but I’m doubtful. And for future applicants, it’s official: not all early writes get STRIDEs.</p>
<p>Yeah, the 15k would make the price tag a little closer to what instate University of California students pay. I didn’t get anything from the UCs so I’m really worried about my finaid packet. I know Smith meets 100% need-based aid, but when you don’t have much need…well it makes it that much harder to afford college. I’m sad now, because Smith was honestly my first choice…</p>
<p>I’m hoping Smith will stop doing this…I think early writes are a GREAT idea, but the fact that not all early writes get scholarships makes it a little heartbreaking. Sure, Smith wants you, but if it’s not financially plausible, well… </p>
<p>You guys are awesome. I feel like I have a support group here that understand how it’s going on.</p>
<p>I agree. It was all exciting when they sent the handwritten notes and the free shirts, but what will really make me come is the money, not a shirt. It’s sort of like, we want you… but not that much.
All that said, Smith is still my top choice, and if it makes you feel any better Uniquely, I did the net price calculator for all my schools last night using my FAFSA (yeah, I’m a litte nervous). Smith’s hypothetical offer was by far the best. Hopefully that will be close to what the real package is :)</p>
<p>Yeah, especially in this economy…I like the wooing, but the money has to back it up. Smith is still my number one, even over any UCs, but the thing is that even with the overcrowding at the UCs, I could graduate in less than three years because of all my AP/community college credits. I’m just so so so nervous, and we probably won’t get our finaid packages until next week. They’re mailed on Friday.</p>
<p>I’m so glad there are other people in the same situation as me :’) </p>
<p>Right now my counselor is advising me to go to Ohio University, where I have free tuition (and meals and housing will total something like 7k a year, so very cheap in general), but I really, really, really do not want to go. I would get such a better education at a place like Smith, so now I have to balance out finances with what school is right for me :/</p>
<p>when does smith tell us about fin aid?</p>
<p>The letters go out tomorrow so any time from Saturday on depending where you live. My d got hers the next day a couple years ago.</p>
<p>Whoo! I got into Bryn Mawr w/ merit but no finaid…so it’s likely I won’t be offered finaid at Smith
This is going to be such a hard decision…especially since Smith just sent a postcard from a current senior…</p>
<p>@completelydoomed: I saw you posted in the Bryn Mawr thread. Good news, I hope?</p>
<p>Sorry to revive a necro-thread, but it saves space…</p>
<p>An early write from Smith just arrived yesterday! No idea what will happen when the other 10 schools weigh in, but it is great news.</p>
<p>Does anyone know how many of these went out last year, and what the overlap with STRIDE was?</p>