<p>My D's finaid package includes about 2.5 K of work-study and about the same amount of "summer savings expectations". For her freshman year she will have National Merit Scholarship which will take care of her work-study (looks like she won't need to work her freshman year!) and slightly diminish those summer savings expectations.</p>
<p>It is somewhat unlikely DD will really be working this summer at all. She didn't have time to look for a summer job in advance and national news say it's not a good year (actually, worst in decades :() for job-seeking teens; also, I really want her to "recharge her batteries" this summer - she needs it badly. At first, we assumed that we, the parents will need just to cover her "summer savings expectations" for her; then, we have read somewhere in Princeton's FA policy that in case the student fails to have sufficient summer savings amount, the FA office might "forgive" it - substitute it partly with a grant and partly with a loan. Or, in some cases, just with the grant. ;) </p>
<p>So, the question number one: when and how will we find out for sure how much we, the parents will have to pay if DD won't meet her "summer expectations"?</p>
<p>Now, yesterday DD was surprized with one more nice local scholarship for 1K this year. The Princeton's FA policy says that first outside scholarships substitute or diminish work-study (which is already covered by NMS), then the "summer savings expectations"; and after that it can go for the purchase of computer ... </p>
<p>So, my next question: if the student won't work during the summer at all - will FA office "forgive" (partially or in full) all her "expectations" or just those wich are not covered by her outside scholarships? In other words, could it be possible to use her new-found scholarship on computer? And, if so, when and how can we find out about it?</p>
<p>I was told by the fin aid office that if I were somehow unable to fulfill all of the summer savings expectation, they would "forgive" half the amount and the other half would be loans. I'm not sure about using the scholarship on the computer vs the summer savings expectation.</p>
<p>However, she should at least try looking for part-time work or take up tutoring or something, so long as she tries to save up a bit...? The fin aid offices might be even more accomodating if there's evidence that she -tried- to save.</p>
<p>I think that if you just don't work they won't be as forgiving-- the policy is mostly to allow students on financial aid to take jobs with groups such as project 55, which basically only pay living expenses for the summer. As long as she is doing something productive, I'm pretty sure that they are flexible, but sitting at home by the pool doesn't seem as worthy of money. It looks like she's mostly taken care of for this year though, so it shouldn't be a problem to have a summer off. Also, since she doesn't have workstudy this year, she can work part time during the school year and make up some of the money.</p>
<p>Hello, according to the Princeton finaid website:</p>
<p>"Outside awards are used first to reduce the student earnings portion of the aid package — the campus job and summer savings expectations. Funds left over can be put toward the cost of a personal computer, and any remaining awards will be applied to Princeton grants." Your daughter should get a packet in the mail about SCI computers, and the pricing plans will include one that lets you use "leftover" outside scholarship money. I don't think it's possible for the scholarship to "skip" the summer savings expectations so that it can be applied to the computer.</p>
<p>As for summers... last year when I studied in Beijing for the summer, I obviously couldn't work. So, during fall semester I went to the financial aid office and filled out a Summer Savings Replacement form explaining what I did over the summer and why I couldn't make the Summer Savings Expectation. 1/2 of my expectation was covered by a Princeton grant, the other half I asked to be turned into work-study.</p>