<p>I was very impressed with UConn offering me an $8,850 yearly grant as an OOS student, especially since I also came off the waiting list last week. Add that into my student loans and it's now competitive with Rutgers in terms of cost.</p>
<p>So I have until the 11th to stick with Rutgers or forfeit my deposit and come to UConn. If anyone wants to try and sell me more on the school, I'm all ears. I would be majoring in Journalism and hopefully develop an emphasis in sports.</p>
<p>What are other OOS students being offered?</p>
<p>That’s great that UConn gave that much in grant money. If it’s based on your EFC, just make sure your family situation doesn’t change that EFC, it will change the amount of grant you will receive in later years. We found that out right at the time we were depositing for a college in which the grant moneyy was the bulk of the aid. This fall I will have 2 in college. After next year one D would be in graduate school, which doesn’t qualify as having 2 children in college as she is considered “an independent student” (even though we would still be paying eveything). That in turn will raise our EFC, which would as the college financial aid person told me would “significantly reduce the grant aid”. This also means any subsidized loans and work study would be reduced. My D was devastated, she had her heart set on this college, but we couldn’t swing $47,000 a year. </p>
<p>The lesson we learned - VERIFY and DOUBLE CHECK. When you call ANYONE with financial aid questions, call with very specific questions, and then call again another day or speak to someone else, because you have to verifiy the answers you got are correct. I had called FAFSA, explained the situation and was told it wouldn’t affect our EFC, as long as 2 were in college and our economic situation didn’t increase. I then called the college’s Fin. Aid office, explained again, and was told the same thing. So, we proceeded with keeping this school in the top 3 consideration because of the answers I got. As I was filling out the deposit form, I was going through the fin. aid I caught a statement about graduate students. I made phone calls to both the college and FAFSA and got different answers this time. My D had to settle on another college reluctantly.</p>
<p>gregj135 - Great grant amount. Hope, you don’t mind me asking, what is your approx. EFC? My son was also recently accepted off the waitlist as an OOS to their pre-pharm program. Our EFC is around 30K and we rec’d $4900 in yearly grant + the loans.</p>
<p>^How long did it take from the time you got off the waitlist until you received your package?</p>
<p>In my son’s case, he got a call from admissions that he was off the waitlist 4/26 and the financial aid info updated on-line on Monday, 5/1.</p>
<p>Amazhon, I was able to find my financial aid online a week after I got off the waiting list. So it gives you about a week to factor that in.</p>
<p>Also, I don’t know what my EFC is (I didn’t fill out the FAFSA), but I have one sister who’s going to be a senior at Bennington in NH next year. So assuming UConn fills the same percentage of family need in the subsequent years, you’re right that the grant will likely be reduced. So I need to consider that.</p>
<p>Whatever decision I make, I’m just happy to see that UConn makes it a priority at their school to really support their students and keep some diversity with OOS students. Penn State gives you absolutely nothing besides marginal student loans, which even that met less than 25% of my need. That rubbed me the wrong way.</p>
<p>UCONN was very generous to us for 4 years and we were out of state.</p>
<p>^^Totally agree with the statement about Penn State. They made it very easy to say no. I heard they are having serious budget issues, so I’m not sure if this year is status quo. UConn was very generous. Still a chunck of change for an OOS. They have the highest tuition, room and board of all the public schools applied to.</p>
<p>All the packages are in and as generous as UConn is to OOS students, two other schools covered 100% of her need. UConn was truly a first choice and there was lots of excitement when she got pulled off the waitlist. But after calling to speak to the financial aid office yesterday they referred me to their website for private loan options. While that is certainly an option we had already researched on their site before calling to speak to a live person about our specific situation, the truth is the $23,000 cost per year vs. $7,000-$9,500 is a huge gap to make up every year. Especially with med school looming down the road. </p>
<p>Thank everyone for their great ideas, sharing and support. I’m so glad I discovered CC during this process.</p>