Financial aid and withdrawing applications

<p>Fortunately for me, I was accepted to Cornell University as an ED applicant last week. I also applied as an Early Action candidate to several other schools that did not restrict their EA pool to non-EDers only. I was accepted to one of these.</p>

<p>Cornell hasn't given me a financial aid estimate yet. My understanding is that the early decision contract states that if my financial aid isn't sufficient to make Cornell affordable, I am no longer bound by my agreement.</p>

<p>That being the case, am I right in thinking that I am not obligated to withdraw/cancel that and other applications until I hear back from the Cornell financial aid people? Because otherwise I'd basically be gambling whether I'm going to college next year on whether or not Cornell wants to give me enough aid, and if they don't I would be without a university to attend.</p>

<p>Also, I'm a little concerned because I only got the final components of my finaid application in very recently, and I don't know if this will delay their decision. Has anyone received any financial aid information from Cornell yet?</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

<p>To my knowledge, you have until they offer you the financial aid package, but I recommend that you call Cornell to make sure, and also to inquire about the status of your financial aid. If you just sent in your financial aid info, that’s a real problem, considering it was due on 11/1. I received my financial aid info this past Saturday, so it was very speedy for me.</p>

<p>Honestly, I just sent in my final FA component info very recently. What I don’t understand is why they didn’t tell me if something was wrong with my FA. If you’re an American, then the FA application is pretty straightforward, but as an international, I’m not even clear what I’m supposed to send. I tried sending in one form of my parents’ income documentations. Since they didn’t tell me anything, I assumed it was okay… until 3 weeks later, I emailed them and they told me that I sent the wrong thing. The same thing happened again 3 weeks later and I’m just like… it’s hard enough being an international already, so why does Cornell have to make this so difficult? </p>

<p>My understanding too is that you don’t have to withdraw until you hear a FA decision.</p>

<p>I’m surprised they didn’t help you more. My family had a lot of trouble procuring last year’s W2 forms (though we got all the other stuff in before the deadline) and they kept emailing us asking for it.</p>