Financial Aid Guru

You might be able to get some local scholarships for your freshman year. Ask at your high school about applying for these.

BUT…and it’s a big BUT…these are almost always not renewable and are for smaller amounts. It’s way too late to apply for outside scholarships with significant dollars attached to them…that are renewable for four years.

So…even IF you get enough to pay for this year…what will you do for years 2, 3, and 4.

Most of those outside scholarships are for entering freshman only.

Your story seems to have some holes. Your parents and you agreed to an ED application to Penn. when your acceptance and your insufficient financial aid package arrived, you all agreed you should accept the offer of admission,mand withdraw all your other applications…despite the financial question.

Are you just looking for a little more money to ease the burden…or is this school not affordable for your family?

If it’s unaffordable, contact Penn, explain that you are not able to afford their school, and need to withdraw your acceptance to them.

You can either apply to your instate public university (is that affordable?). Or you can take a gap year,mand apply again for admission in 2017…choosing schools that are more affordable,mand NOT applying ED so you can compare net costs.