<p>Last year my D couldn't attend AU because the FA wasn't enough =:-(
Soooo disappointing to not be able to go to your first choice.</p>
<p>But congrats to all for being accepted, and being offered a scholarship speaks highly of your performance.</p>
<p>Hindsight - I wish I had taken seriously the college-board statistics for average percent of need met ----in the Case of AU it's listed 48%<br>
This was our FA package bracket around 45% but as a single parent the GAP on top of the EFC was impossible.</p>
<p>We made a small dent appealing the FA. So if your close to what you need, talk to the FA office, but don't count on it. </p>
<p>Our pain was our expectations which were unrealistic. Got so caught up into just trying to be accepted, figured the FA would take care of itself...hoping sometimes students beat the average (% need met that is).</p>
<p>Many of the grants and scholarships listed above are quite good packages for AU. Try to work out some creative financing if you can. D attends a school with 100% need met. They do exist.</p>
<p>I'm so confused. Is their more aid comming? I didn't recieve either of the 3 scholarships, but I did recieve the $3500 loan. That less than 20% of my need. No where near the 48%. </p>
<p>Well, American University has been my dream school for the past two years. The ONE school (could only afford to pay for one) that I went to visit. I kept in constant contact with the admissions office, tried to display how much I wanted to go there, had all the forms in early etc. I for one am disappointed. $18,500 total aid package, a $15,000 scholarship and $3,500 loan. My parent's EFC is relatively high at $24,000, but I explained the extenuating circumstances and that my parents are going through the process of Chapter 13 bankruptcy (thus making it so I won't have a cosigner to even borrow the money myself).</p>
<p>Looks like my dream just went out the window.</p>
<p>Walt -- Don't give up. Call financial aid and talk to them. Even if they won't provide more aid, they may know how you can get the loans without a cosigner.</p>
<p>ahoo2u- I think I'm having the same problem as you did. 48%... they did go over for me, and I'm definitely thankful for that. </p>
<p>Looking at it, I guess 10,000 doesn't seem like a lot, but I've just been really really worrying about financial aid... And to get just all these numbers first before getting my letter/email is a little odd.</p>
<p>I also applied to some schools with 100% need met... we'll see how it turns out.</p>
<p>I heard somewhere that getting a presidential scholarship means you get into Honors, and I'm really excited about that.</p>
<p>What is the procedure with these scholarships? I got the Leadership one and frankly I really don't need the money. If I decline it will they give it to someone who needs the money? Basically, if I say no, will someone else get it or if I don't take it will no one get the money?</p>
<p>We did not apply for financial aid since EFC was too high. Financial aid office said that D could still be eligible for merit aid, even if financial aid isn't filed. There is nothing showing on our portal. Does that mean she hasn't rec'd any merit aid? Has anyone else gotten just merit aid (on-line) who, like us, did not file for finaid?</p>
<p>We also applied for financial aid and son was accepted but no mention of merit on the portal. My son has great stats so I'm hoping something will come along or bye-bye American.</p>
<p>We did not apply for financial aid, but did get merit aid. Make sure to look at the right place on the page, at first I looked at the current year.</p>
<p>I went back and made sure I checked the right place and nothing. As a matter of fact, my son's application status page still says they are reviewing applications when he has already been accepted. I'm going crazy!</p>
<p>light mom^^ was the site updated showing that your child was accepted in the school? When we check status it still shows that daughter's application is under review....Yet we rec'd the acceptance e-mail. And nothiig on the financial award page. Need to find mailman!!!</p>
<p>Significantly gapped here, too. We will await other decisions and then see where we stand. It really is the right school for my d., and we might (with a little more help) be able to go the extra mile.</p>
<p>just a word on merit aid. AU like most other schools automatically assign scholarships based on certain numerical cut-offs, as in GPAs(usually at or neat 4.0) and SATs (usually at or near 1400 on a 2-score basis). unfortunately, that is it! financial aid, of course is all-together different and NEED-based, with a combo of grants,loans, work-study. all should be showing on portals, and will come on a separate page in the AU acceptance packet. call the financial aid office if you want something answered, especially about the portal.</p>
<p>Found out that D rec'd Dean's Scholarship today (20M!) </p>
<p>Nothing was coming up on the admissions financial aid link. Called Admissions and financial aid and they were very helpful. I expalined that we were not getting financial aid, but were hoping for merit aid. This is what they advised.</p>
<p>If you know you are accepted, go to the financial aid screen. On the right hand side there is an ID#. That is your official ID number for admitted students. Use that ID # to make a "My american account." Follow the steps to create this account for accepted students and then you will see a link for something like "personal info". Go to it and scroll down. You will (hopefully) see a link to "accept my financial aid package." That's where it showed her merit aid. Good luck!</p>