<p>Just got my preliminary package. Really dissapointed.</p>
<p>6150 in scholarship
3500 Fed Direct Sub Stafford Loan
2000 Fed Direct Unsub Stafford Loan
2500 work study</p>
<p>So $14,150. And my EFC according to FAFSA is about 22k. </p>
<p>I just got my 2010 forms and my new EFC is 15k, so I am hoping for more grants and scholarships. As of right now, I cannot afford Brandeis</p>
<p>Full ride :D</p>
<p>^Really don’t think that’s what the OP was looking for.</p>
<p>I’m in your boat, SoulReaver. Too bad, I liked Brandeis :</p>
<p>So sorry --SoulReaver and rebeccar–do you know what colleges you will be going to? Who gave you better packages.</p>
<p>going–what were your stats? And EFC?</p>
<p>Still waiting to hear back from Boston College, Tufts, and Northwestern. If I don’t get in or don’t get good financial aid packages from them, I’ll probably settle for University of Pittsburgh…I have only received two financial aid packages so far: Brandeis and Drexel.</p>
<p>If I get into Cornell, I’m pretty sure I’ll go. Instate tuition is fairly reasonable (well, better than 55-60k). If not, then probably Binghamton. </p>
<p>Good luck SoulReaver and everyone else waiting to hear!</p>
<p>Depending on what other competitive schools give you in aid, you can bargain down your tuition at brandeis . If another school gives you a deal you can afford, ask brandeis to match it, they are more flexible then you think, you just need to play your cards right. I wouldn’t rule them out yet, just wait and see what your options are at other schools. Plus this package is per semester i assume, which means it’s about 30k a year, not bad really, but good luck! If they’re offering you that estimate as the first offer that is a good sign. Hope it works out!</p>
<p>No, thats not per semester. I added up each semester. Its 7k per semester, 14k for the year…</p>
<p>So sorry about everyone that didn’t get very good financial aid 
Brandeis wasn’t really my first choice, so it was not that great to hear a ‘‘no’’ from the college of my dreams…</p>
<p>Anyways, for whoever asked: My stats aren’t great at all. What got me accepted was definitely my interest for the school and what I knew about it. I lived in Waltham for a summer and one of my good friends goes to Deis, so I visited a couple times and met some people.</p>
<p>ACT: 30
TOEFL: 117/120
7 AP classes
GPA: 4.00</p>
<p>I don’t know my EFC, really. I’m from South American and I got the Wien Scholarship…</p>
<p>Well, after emailing the FA office and fax some documents, my updated package is much better.</p>
<p>Total:</p>
<p>19,420 scholarship
3,500 Direct Sub Stafford Loan
2,000 Direct Unsub Stafford Loan
2,500 Work Study</p>
<p>Brandeis is def’ in the running again</p>
<p>Soul --Congratulations on the updated pkg.! </p>
<p>Curious as to what you said in your email to Brandeis that got them to reconsider. My D got in with an excellent pkg, but may not go–still waiting to hear from 5 other schools. I wonder if she doesn’t go whether or not her scholarship will then be available for other students for this coming year or if they save it for the following year. It could be a bonus for rising freshman.</p>
<p>Well, my revised package was due to an update in my 2010 tax forms, with a reduction in my parents’ AGI. </p>
<p>If you would like them to revise the package, I would ask them nicely. Say that your daughter would love to go, but is financially unable and would like to know if her financial aid package could be reconsidered. </p>
<p>It may not work, but it’s worth a shot</p>
<p>how do you access financial aid packages…online? or was it in the acceptance folder</p>
<p>Financial aid packages come in the mail. Mine came a few weeks after my acceptance letter.</p>
<p>My financial package was… interesting; FAFSA EFC of $6000, was given total $10,000 of aid, of which only $2,500 was a grant. </p>
<p>This makes me wonder how they “interpreted” my FAFSA/CSS to go from $6000 EFC to a $45,000 EFC.</p>
<p>Ask them to review your package. Something’s wrong…unless your family has major assets.</p>
<p>Haha, I probably will ask for a review if every other college I applied to offers me a similar package. We have no assets (rent an apt.) and I’m still expected to fork up as much money as an upper-middle class family is.</p>
<p>We’re in somewhat similar situation to other posters who were agast at the financial aid packages.
Happily DS has wonderful (other) offers & options.</p>
<p>Brandeis is a lovely school, but it’s hard to feel good about the FA staff at the moment. Those who got a full ride should count their blessings- it is a good place to go to university.</p>
<p>Reading this makes me VERY scared to go to Brandeis next year. While I don’t need aid this year, I will need it my senior year, and I am very disapointed that a school that marketed itself (to me at least) as a diverse school with lots of aid is giving such awful packages to people who need them. Unfortunately, I’m bound to Brandeis, but if this behavior continues, I might be forced to transfer.</p>
<p>FWIW, Brandeis gave me excellent financial aid. I can graduate without any debt.</p>