Our daughter got acceptance offer for both Dartmouth and Cornell. Due to Corona virus , our financial situation has changed dramatically from not needing or qualifying for financial aid to desperately needing financial aid based on the current situation. Looking for feedback from anyone who has been or is going through the situation, as to things to do to maximize the chance of getting financial aid.
Contact each financial aid office for direction. They may or may not let you submit FAFSA and CSS Profile now.
Good luck.
Also, remember that there are tens of thousands or more in the same financial situation as you…uncertain income for 2020.
But yes, reach out to the colleges…and ask.
I’m not sure how colleges will be able to provide financial support to all the many many families who are finding their finances have taken a huge hit. And this includes colleges with large endowments.
Agree with the above…colleges are inundated with requests from their current students who need more aid, including ones who have never applied for aid before. I just heard an elite LAC admissions person discussing this.
Most colleges won’t be able to accommodate all requests, and it will take awhile to work thru all of them…but schools will likely prioritize current students because they want those students to stay on track for graduation. It’s definitely a tricky needle to thread.
When you contact the financial aid people, understand what they need from you and file the forms/give them the documentation ASAP. Also clarify if the FA package is not final before the deposit date what you should do, if you can have an extension, is the deposit refundable, etc.
“there are tens of thousands or more in the same financial situation”
Definitely more.
I do not know what universities are going to do as a result of the coronavirus’s economic impact. Certainly this is a common problem. At least Dartmouth and Cornell have the endowment to have some options, and to offer options to their students.
Good luck with this. Let us know how this turns out.
Similar boat here and we just received the Email from the college president explaining how much the endowment is down … it felt like it was sent to soften the blow when the request for more FA is denied. We knew long before COVID that we would need to file “change in circumstances form” … timing just bad.
That’s a great point, jetmathmama. I wouldn’t expect special circumstances request for more aid to get much traction now.