<p>Pomona is my #1 choice and I'd go there if I got accepted to every school on my "list"... sooo... I'm thinking of applying ED.</p>
<p>My problem is that ED doesn't allow you to compare financial offers... you have to go no matter what the offer (you can appeal of course).</p>
<p>Given that Pomona is known for its huge endowment per student and really good financial packages... should I apply ED anyway and just hope that I'll be able to afford it?</p>
<p>I'm low middle-class... but not poor enough to be considered for No EFC, etc.</p>
<p>THANKS TO ALL WHO REPLY!! I really appreciate it! :)</p>
<p>Congrats on setting your sights high! Pomona, like many schools, meets 100% of a student's "need" with aid and loans. Unfortunately, a school's determination of need may vary from a family's definition. If your parents aren't willing to part with a significant amount of their disposable income, then you may be left with unmet needs. On the other hand, Pomona is probably better than most schools about this, given their premier endowment (ranked 5th among US schools in endowment per student, behind HYP and Grinnell <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_US_colleges_and_universities_by_endowment)%5B/url%5D">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_US_colleges_and_universities_by_endowment)</a>, so they can certainly afford to provide the aid.</p>
<p>Having said that, Pomona does not provide "merit" aid, so you won't get more than you otherwise might given your particular family financial situation, no matter how brilliant a student you are.</p>
<p>I've become a bit obsessive lately in my college research (not necessarily a bad thing), so I'd already read that article and knew about Pomona offering need-based aid but not merit aid.</p>
<p>I'm mainly concerned about my EFC and the amount of "need" that will be met with student loans. I'm not sure if my career will help me pay off loans quickly (because I'm not sure of my career!), and I also don't want my mom to have to pay a LOT of money. I know you can't tell me what I should do without having our entire financial situation laid out in front of you, but I was wondering if you perhaps knew of any great FA packages given to middle-class students...? </p>
<p>Also, Pomona's site said that they tweak the calculations like those used on the College Board EFC Calculator and this "is usually to the student's benefit" (paraphrasing). </p>
<p>Basically everybody who I know on financial aid said that Pomona was either their best offer (unless they got merit-based aid from another school), or was comparable to one or two others. I got the same amount from Brown, Dartmouth, and Pomona - obviously it might be stressful to put all your eggs in one basket...were you planning on applying anywhere that offers merit-based aid?</p>
<p>I'm smack dab in the middle of middle class, and I'm only paying about 14,000 (out of 46,000) a year to go hear I believe. We even asked for a little bit more once I got in (for complicated reasons) and they gave me several thousand more.</p>
<p>If your EFC is reasonable to you, I really wouldn't worry too much about your financial package.</p>
<p>Also, if for some strange reason your needs weren't met, I think you would be allowed to opt out of ED for financial reasons.</p>
<p>Wow, is that true?? I didn't know that. All I've ever heard is "don't apply ED if you can't afford it"... Well that's good!</p>
<p>I will be applying to at least 2 schools that offer merit aid (Rice and UT) also.</p>
<p>As for EFC, I'm really not sure if I find it reasonable, because I can't yet calculate what it will be. I have a kind-of-unique family situation... my parents are divorced (ya, that's not unique) and my dad won't contribute... and he's been unemployed for quite awhile and THIS is the yr he decides he's going back to work and to work above the table. UGH. </p>
<p>I really have some ill feelings towards the whole FA process, because they say they'll meet all of your need if you are dirt poor, but they demand that I contact my crack-addict of a dad (yes, it's true) and ask him to fill out some forms and send them... it's not there problem. Well first of all, I want to have as little contact with him as possible, and secondly, if he does send them his forms, my mom will just have to pay for the two of them b/c he won't contribute.</p>
<p>Sigh. Plus, I haven't even seen that on the list of appeals for lower FA. All I've seen is: Sudden Loss of Job, Sudden Death, Sudden Divorce... etc. Haven't seen "Dad is an Alcoholic Drug Addict Who Won't Contribute No Matter How Much This Expensive College Wants Him To" anywhere on the list.</p>
<p>And honestly, I'm not wallowing in self-pity... I just am so confused on how to handle this. grr. >:(</p>
<p>I would either call or write admissions offices and let them know about your unique situation. Remember, at most schools (and especially the ones you're looking at) it is a group of caring people figuring out your financial aid, not a machine. I think and hope that they will be understanding of your situation.</p>
<p>Thank you... I really hope that you're right! The FA system can feel very cold and uncaring. I know that FA offices get taken advantage of alot... that's why they always want proof (i.e. if you say you can't locate one of your parents, they usually want records from a hired P.I. or something similar)... but I can't really prove a lot of this... I guess I could send them his crackpipe or something, pahahaha! Actually, I've never seen it, but I'm pretty dang sure he has one.</p>
<p>Anyway, thanks for giving me some hope that I'll be able to afford a place as wonderful as Pomona! :) :) :) I appreciate it!</p>
<p>Almost all grants and work-study, and with an income not much higher than the cost of attendance, you'd get a really good deal from FA (next to nothing)</p>
<p>I'm actually a lower middle class student, and my FA package was absolutely great!!! I only have to pay $6,000 my freshman yr (i didn't count the loans.)</p>
<p>i did pomona ED and they are AMAZiNG with financial aid. don't let college costs come in the way with applying early. i'm lower class so I basically have a full ride... i can't wait 'til next year.. :]</p>
<p>Can anyone give what their family incomes are compared to their aid offer? I am also really interested in going to Pomona and I want to know if I will be able to afford it. Both my parents work, and combined make around 80,000/year.</p>
<p>Will it matter for my aid that 1. I'm 1st generation college student and 2. Both my parents are over 50 and my mother suffers from MS, meaning she might not be able to work in the future?</p>
<p>To the people looking at Pomona for next year, especially those with low incomes, I STRONGLY recommend applying through Questbridge's College Match, a completely free, online, early decision program that allows students who aspire to go to some of the nations best colleges and are in the low to middle income range to receive a FULL ride to one of their partner colleges (Pomona, Rice, CMC, Amherst, Stanford, etc). A student first applies to QB (their very long application opens in mid-August) and if selected a finalist can opt-in to the actual College Match program. Finalist rank QB's partner schools they'd be interested in attending (you can rank only one if you want) and QB's partner colleges submit a list of finalists they're prepared to offer a full ride. If there's a match, you get your entire college education funded. Remember, the College Match program is ED and binding if there's a match and you can't apply ED or EA to any other school if you decide to opt-in. If you don't become a finalist or if you're not matched with a school, you may apply ED II or regular decision. Go to <a href="http://www.questbridge.com%5B/url%5D">www.questbridge.com</a> for more info and take a look at this CB thread <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=308653%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=308653</a>.</p>
<p>I was 1 of 12 who won a Pomona College Match last year (I start school this fall) and the scholarship covers tuition, room, board, freshman deposit, insurance, books, and even travel. There's no parent contributions or loans but students are expected to contribute a little to their education through summer work and work study.</p>
<p>I sincerely didn't mean to hijack this thread but this is a great opportunity for students interested in Pomona and/or any of QB's other partner colleges. When I visited Pomona in April, I didn't meet anyone unhappy about their financial aid so even if don't participate or win QB's College Match, chances are that if you get into Pomona, they'll find a way to make it affordable for you.</p>
<p>If anyone has any questions private message me and I'll try to answer them the best I can. :D</p>
<p>I noticed that in another post you said that once your mother stops work the income will drop down to $20,000. My mother has made about that much for a very long time. Pomona College completely funded my education for the first two years, and for these next two years, I have to take out a $4,000 loan. That is a drop in the bucket. However, I've heard a rumor that for recent incoming classes, low-income students get all four years paid for! If that is true, I envy you all. To sum up, Pomona College financial aid beats everyone else. :) I'm happy with it. They even use financial aid to send you abroad!</p>
<p>That's actually an amazing thing that nobody brings up^ If you want to do your study abroad anywhere (and some schools are REALLY expensive) all you have to pay is what you normally pay to go to Pomona, and they set you up!</p>