<p>Hey everyone. I'm an admitted transfer student with an upcoming deposit due and I'm faced with so many uncertainties that I still haven't decided with my (my parents') pocketbook whether Georgetown is where I should be this fall.</p>
<p>I want to be at Georgetown, but my parents can only entirely cover the first year after financial aid is applied. We can cover about a third next year if our expected contribution remains the same. HOWEVER, my sister will be a freshman in college in 14-15 when I'll be a senior. So our expected contribution should go down. I'm afraid that it won't go down enough or at all, since my sister is likely to go to a local community college on a scholarship. </p>
<p>So... My big question is: If I go to Georgetown this year, but can't afford to go next year... then what? Could I fight and claw with financial aid for an aid adjustment? My parents won't cosign on any loans, so that isn't an option. If they would then attending would be no problem. I'm just worried that I'll be up there one year and then be forced to transfer somewhere back home because I won't be able to afford it. Would Georgetown do that to me? I'm inclined to think they'd be compassionate but then they could just view me going at all as irresponsible, which I guess it could be. I don't know. Help me please!</p>
<p>When you say “after financial aid is applied,” do you mean just grants, or grants and loans? You don’t need your parents to co-sign federal student loans, which are usually what makes up the difference between EFC, grants, and cost of attendance.</p>
<p>Sorry, I was referring to grants and loans and the whole financial aid package collectively. My parents won’t sign any additional private loans, of which I’ll need roughly $15,000 for my senior year if our EFC doesn’t drop as it should. It might not at all; if my sister attends college on a scholarship I guess it’s not likely I’ll receive more aid in 14-15 (Is it? I’m asking). But I mean just the fact that, if it’s all used this year, there won’t be any college savings to report on the FASFA (other than what’s set aside for my sister) should be enough for the financial aid offer to increase next year… right?</p>
<p>The financial aid office does take into account having siblings attending college, although the exact formulas are known only to them. They are aware of the fact that even if a sibling is receiving a full scholarship, there are various other expenses incurred (transportation, housing and other living expenses, etc.) that generally aren’t covered and therefore lead to an increase in expenditures. My recommendation would be to give them a call and talk through it with one of the financial aid counselors. Best to go straight to the source: [Staff</a> Directory - Student Financial Services](<a href=“http://finaid.georgetown.edu/staff-directory/]Staff”>http://finaid.georgetown.edu/staff-directory/)</p>