Hey guys! I just got accepted into NYU and as expected, my financial aid package is looking very unrealistic. I know that an appeal to financial aid will most likely not result in me getting a significant amount of money, but I thought I should still give it a try.
However, I have no idea what to write in my appeal letter! Would it be better for me to email or just straight out call the financial aid office? Additionally, what would be the most ideal thing to say? Here are a few key things I was thinking of mentioning.
As of right now, cost of attendance to NYU would be $62, 824 annually. According to FAFSA, my EFC is 33,000. Would it be smart to address that discrepancy?
I have a older sibling in college and my mother is finishing up her last semester in grad school. Those are expenses my family has been paying for the last couple of years that have contributed to my parents being able to save less for my college education.
My parents had to take out over $100,000 in student loans for my mother to go to nursing school and they are still paying off that debt. It's been over 10 years and they will most likely not pay it off until another 5 years.
I have been offered admissions to Georgia Tech, a school that is at equal tier to NYU and their cost of attendance is a lot cheaper than NYU. I knew from the minute, I walked on to campus that NYU was the school I wanted to go to and I didn't get that feeling from Georgia Tech. But financially, it would make way more sense for me to attend Georgia Tech than NYU. (What would be the best way to leverage my admission from Georgia Tech?)
I would appreciate any advice! At the end of the day, NYU is way out of my parent’s budget and I would never push/harass my parents about attending this school. I know dreams change and I am excited to pursue an education at whatever school offers me the better financial package. Thank you so much, have an awesome day
I agree with what @austinmshauri says above. In addition, I don’t believe trying to leverage your admit at GT will help at all. GT is a great school and if it is affordable where NYU isn’t, then it really is the most logical option.
I won’t tell you to not try an appeal, but there is nothing in your OP that is a compelling reason for a change.
FAFSA is used to qualify for government financial aid programs…pell grants, Direct student loans, federal work study, etc. It is not used by (most) private schools to determine one’s need.
NYU uses the CSS Profile to calculate a family’s expected contribution, and then tends to not fully meet that number (except with loans).
Choose a college that is affordable for you/your family. Do not take out undergraduate loans greater than the $27k total allowable direct student loans.
What is GT’s net cost? Do you have other affordable options?
Unfortunately NYU is known for not being very generous with aid. Unless your family situation has changed since completing your financial aid documents, I don’t think your appeal will be successful.
Hopefully GT is affordable for your family. It’s a great school!
Filing FAFSA allows any undergrad to access Federal Direct Student Loans.
It looks like you filed FAFSA based on prior posts, so this $5,500 loan (freshman yr amount) is likely part of NYU’s fin aid package, which might also include institutional grants/scholarships, parent plus loans, etc. Undergrads can (generally) take out these federal loans in the following amounts, starting freshman year: $5,500/$6.5K/$7.5k/$7.5K. These loans are typically broken further down into subsidized and unsubsidized loans, see here: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans
GT is a great option and you’re able to afford it, so go there and don’t look back.
This is a great example of why it’s a good idea to run the NPC before you even visit a college. If the NPC shows it’s unaffordable, don’t hope for a miracle come acceptance time. NYU is well known for bad FA.
It is, but it occasionally does magic (another ED2 admit here on CC got a full ride and I’ve met some too) so you can’t really blame people for hoping for the aid on application either. That said, one needs to be realistic.
Also NYU’s npc calculator can be screwy and has misled a number of people. NYU’s fault, not the applicant’s, for applying in those cases.
@lovely654 Appeal. D is a freshman and appealed at the beginning of second semester. She filled out a form and addressed the expected contribution vs family income. She received a significant award. It’s one time but she will continue to appeal. Good luck.
I would go to GT if drastically more affordable. Perhaps get your masters from NYU depending on your major. You’ll have a great college experience at GT, it’s super respected and with all of the money you’ll save, you can holiday in NYC all you want.
My son was accepted to the Clive Davis school in Tisch last year. He was awarded scholarships. but the cost was still astronomical - and he’s a twin, so I had two to pay for. I wrote letters of appeal to the head of department, and to the financial office. Never heard back from the head of department, and received a stock form letter from the financial aid office reiterating that they had reviewed profile/fafsa, and this was their offer. I guess it’s worth a try for you - but our EFC was lower for each kid - and it still didn’t matter one iota. There are simply enough people in line who CAN afford it, that they don’t have to make concessions.
I may be too late in my reply (just seeing your post now). I disagree with many of the other comments posted advising you to not appeal. Unfortunately, with the COVID 19 virus, your hands may be tied, but . . . if you haven’t yet said yes to GT, then try, try, try with NYU. Write them letters, call them beg, cry, etc. Let them know you’re passionate about attending. Send them a copy of the letter from GT showing the money they offered. Make it a personal appeal. Call, email, whatever. Maybe they say no, but there’s still that chance they’ll say yes. Trying costs nothing. If you’ve already decided on GT, then embrace it, be happy and don’t look back. Wish you the best.
Anyone know the Financial Aid implications that the Undergraduate School of Professional Studies does not require the CSS Profile? Does that mean it offers a lot less institutional aid compared to the other undergraduate divisions?
