<p>So…heard today that Fordham is holding the Ailey packages til Friday. Another week of waiting.</p>
<p>I’m guessing these are the need-based aid awards because I’ve heard of a few other Ailey kids getting their awards, but they are not looking for financial aid. In my eternal optimist way, I might say that maybe this is because they want to have as much money as possible to offer these kids? Yeah. I may be delusional from the waiting They usually have an incoming class of 25 or so in this program, 600 applied, 200 are asked to audition and a very small group is admitted (you have to get in to Fordham first, then get through the 6hr Ailey audition). It was beyond thrilling for her to get an audition, nevermind be admitted! </p>
<p>So there can’t be too many packages in that group. Maybe this IS a good sign?</p>
<p>We will go to the regional admitted eve on Wednesday. And keep all fingers, toes, etc crossed for great news on Friday. I promised her that if we find out on Friday that her award is big enough, I will figure out a way to get her to the Spring admitted day in NYC on Saturday.</p>
<p>It’s going to be a long week. </p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Thanks for the update!</p>
<p>. …glad this worked out. I have been a lurker on this thread. D is a dancer also but is only interested in minoring. The competition is so fierce for those few spots at the college level. We have been blown away with the news of all the rejections that some of her dancer friends have received. I say with three acceptances she is far ahead of some others we know. Ailey is big deal. All of her friends whom she met at summer intensives who either auditioned or applied did not make the cut. Either way UMASS is a great school. My D was accepted for engineering , we are in state, but there are no opportunities to minor. (Would have been nice financially) </p>
<p>You are in Mass? Yes, UMass is a great school. We went out there last week and were very impressed by the honors college. I think your D can take dance classes there (in fact at the other 4 schools in the consortium without being a dance major. We are so proud of this girl…hard to get into these elite programs, and not be able to consider them because of poor financial aid packages. So our fingers are super crossed for this. Yes, Ailey is a BIG deal!! Thanks for the note. :)</p>
<p>@moregrayhair…it is my understanding that classes are reserved for the majors only…maybe it is worth a phone call tomorrow. She did get that J &A Adams Scholarship (I know about the fee vs tuition thing). She has her choices narrowed down to Binghamton, Penn State and now maybe UMASS. We are trying to go the no debt route which is why we eliminated schools like Syracuse. They doubled my EFC!!! (That is one of the reasons why I have been following this thread too!) </p>
<p>I would clarify that…might be that some are only avail to majors. All good choices. No debt is the way to go…!!</p>
<p>Well…now I need advise about writing an appeal letter. :)</p>
<p>We got our financial aid package Fordham/Ailey - and it was MUCH better than expected. In fact, it’s much closer than any other dance program (except for UMass). The gap between our EFC and COA is $12K. Never thought I’d be excited about that! We still cannot borrow that much - so the first step to get that lower is to file an appeal - we were told to write an email explaining things - and it would be reviewed by the committee. Then we have to turn over every single stone we can, looking for money. 
Still waiting on local scholarships…</p>
<p>But to have this within the realm of possibility? It’s too exciting to even say too loudly, less we jinx it. Especially since it’s her dream program / school. </p>
<p>Still pursuing UMass and will sit down and look at the hard numbers and talk about the student debt of both places. Going out there next week too - the stress has gotten to her - she has a bad cold this week. Can’t say I blame her - this feels much like being run over (again and again and again) by a truck. </p>
<p>I will need to read about appeal letters now…maybe tomorrow morning!</p>
<p>Does the aid package already include loans, Moregrayhair? I know it’s a great program, oh how I know it is, but with a son in his mid 20s in the performing arts, I can tell you that at this point about the only thing going for him is that he has no loans on his head. As it is, he lives hand to mouth, and so many of his peers are in default on student loans with no possible way of paying them. The poor starving artist stereo type is alive, though not always so well around here. </p>
<p>For artist, these lean years are just about inevitable, and family back up can be crucial if these performers are going to take the opportunities to audition and perform. It’s really been rough even with the family home within commuting distance from NYC. He is a “success” in that he does have his own place ot live in Manhattan, and pretty much covers his expenses, barely, though, yeah, I’ve given him handouts, treats, buy him things. I don’t know how much longer he can go this way. It’s hard to keep any kind of outside job and audition and then it’s drop the other job and run if you get a gig which often doesn’t last long. it’s a constant cycle of trying to get a job. </p>
<p>On the other hand, why hot enjoy those 4 years and have ball since it’s gonna be so tough thereafter. But honestly, the chances of an artist being able to pay back student loans without parental help…not good. They may even need their back covered for a bit to get on their feet. </p>
<p>@cptofthehouse - I hear you. I really do. And we are truly tempering our excitement (although, of course, she is elated as this is the closest of any of these programs). I think she’s just so excited to (almost, nearly) have a CHOICE - after all this work. I know she’d love this. But we are proceeding cautiously. We’d need to get that gap down. She is working this summer - 2 jobs. I will be working too (we are both in education). We will look under every rock we can before the May 1st decision day.</p>
<p>Yes, the package includes about $21K in student loans - over 4 years. Loans at UMass are similar (a bit less). Very nice scholarship/grant combination. We were really surprised as we have had nothing but bad news from these other programs. We heard that she will be getting a nice donation from a grandparent, too.</p>
<p>I really appreciate your point of view - it’s so hard to explain these kids to someone who doesn’t have one. They are so passionate, so determined, and so love their craft and have worked soooo hard for so long. We have been talking about the reality of life after college (she plans on double majoring) and the competition out there. This program would give her an edge, being in NYC - but we also understand that there are absolutely no guarantees. She loves to put herself out there - I mean - she didn’t flinch when auditioning for these amazing programs - and got in to 4 out of 5. She’s a tough kid - but smart too. </p>
<p>I get the dream. 21k in loans amounts to a little over $225 in payments. Not bad really. Its the same amount you would spend on a decent used car every month. If you are willing to work summers for her and she is ready, willing and able to do the same, I say go for it!!! It’s Ailey!!! In the end she will have a lot more opportunities in her field. If you are in education I am assuming you will have a pension upon retirement so funding a retirement plan fully is not something you have to worry about. Umass is a great program but its not Ailey. I have stated before that my D is a dancer. Its her passion! She chose not to major in it because she realizes that although a star at her studio the competition is fierce out there. She knows all these girls that were turned down by Ailey. She was shocked. Your daughter must be so talented. Live the dream! </p>
<p>Thank you, @Twinmoom2014. We are thinking of doing some sort of crowdfunding thing to raise money to get her there. She has a very big fan base within our local community - and this is a big, big deal in our small town. We are appealing for more financial aid, and looking around at what we can sell. We have had a HUGE yard sale each spring to pay for her summer intensives </p>
<p>We need to really sit down and look at things - but BOY, this is more than we had dreamt from them. </p>
<p>It’s all very exciting. She’s trying not to jump in the air and scream. :)</p>
<p>I, too, get that dream, though I’m now in the stage where it’s a tough go and some bubbles may need to be burst. Yes, I’d want to at least give my kid those dreams for those years, because after that it’s completely up to the fates and the work she puts in. At least here, you have some choice and could be the last thing that can be handed to her and bought in this sort of thing. If it’s close, doable, I’d do it and go out on the limb a bit. </p>
<p>But just know what you are likely getting into. It’s not the $200 a month loan that is so much the issue but if you have to borrow more yourself and if you are even so eligible. If you don’t meet PLUS requirements and get turned down, your DD can get about $4K more in her direct loans at half the interest rate you would pay through PLUS. But some things may be worth the price. And, yes, I’ve lived it and still living it. YOu do try to juice the joy as the sour part of it has to be swallowed as well. Let us know how it goes, and PM if you are coming to NY. Lunch will be on me.</p>
<p>How much in total do you have to come up with ? is it s 12K gap not including your EFC (which would make it 18)
or is ti at total of 12K including your EFC? </p>
<p>It is a very big deal indeed… WOW!
See if you can negotiate with Fordham. Anything will help.
Congratulations to your daughter. This is REALLY impressive.</p>
<p>Sybbie, it’s a gap of $12K over EFC. So OP has to pay EFC and the an additional $12K. That’s $18K this first year, but still better than the $25-35K that the initial school were funding with PLUS. Don’t know how whether Fordham stuck in the Direct Loans and workstudy either. If they did, then those are not options to use towards the $18K gap. It’s a tough go. I paid less than that gap each year at a SUNY, so son is loan free and he’s still having a tough time 4 years out from school in terms of making ends meet.</p>
<p>Yup. @cptofthehouse is right. $12K over the EFT of $5880. We were “gapped” by other BFA programs to the tuneof $25-$44K (latest one from Hartt) - which put every single one of them out of the question. Period.</p>
<p>So this gap seems like it’s for sure a stretch, but maybe doable. We are appealing the award (Fordham told us since our gap is close, to for sure do that) so if we can even get that shaved off a bit - every bit helps. </p>
<p>Those numbers already include the student loans (not maxed out either, but at about $5K a year). We do know that if we get turned down for a Parent Loan, she will qualify for more loans (we’ve learned so much from these boards!) - but that is the last resort as we really like the idea that she could walk away from Fordham after 4yrs with a BFA (she wants to double major, of course) and possible loans around $20K (loans at UMass are actually more as they are maxed). We’ve already begun to put out feelers to her “fans” (she has a pretty big following in this little town) and have already been gotten promises of assistance. Grandparents have told us they will donate. One friend of the family has committed to a surprising big one, too - she’s a great kid that has worked very, very hard and people know that. The benefit of her dance is that many people have seen her perform and want to see her succeed. And having a kid that is this involved in dance (and us working in education) has meant that we’ve had to be VERY inventive when it comes to funding the classes and the summer programs. We have MUCH work to do.</p>
<p>I really didn’t think that this program would be within her reach. </p>
<p>We will leave no rock un-turned! </p>
<p>Please consider whether/if tuition increases year to year and whether her fans will continue to donate for numerous years (hopefully grandparents are a different matter!). Best. </p>
<p>One of the challenges that may arise is that monies paid on her behalf (gifts) will have to be included on the FAFSA. this could possibly raise your EFC resulting in your getting less aid next year </p>
<p>If she is on financial aid, make sure grandparents donate to you, not to her. She needs to report any such donation to her or to the school on her next year’s financial aid. You don’t. ALso when filling out FAFSA make sure she does not have any assets sitting there as they will go 20% directly to EFC If she has money, get a joint account with her with your name and ssn first since the money sitting there would go under parental asset protection and then only hit up 5.6%. She also should be working, like now. Ask dance studio for a job weekends, after school, summer. She should be able to come up with $5K or so by September is she gets moving now. Forget a lot of the high school stuff, it’s onward now Another $500 in student loans, a garage sale or something for another $500, Ebay sell stuff for example, and EFC is met, and now Mom needs to come up with the $12K gap. Yes, talk to Fordham and see if anything can be done for a few thousand more. it’ll be tight. </p>