Financial Aid Panic

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
1

<p>Okay so I gave my parents like 3 weeks to do the financial aid things. But they put it off and I got the CSS filled out by our financial man on Nov 1st (applying EA), and basically I don't get it done.</p>

<p>The business supplement and the 2006 tax returns are on-time, postmarked November 1st. </p>

<p>I really have no excuse for why the CSS and Chicago forms are late except it didn't seem to be filled out right and my parents never seem to be able to sit down and do this with me.</p>

<p>I'm really worried because my parents are already making it sound like I won't be able to go to UChicago because they won't want to pay for it. We're one of those families that doesn't live in a suburban development (actually we are technically in the city) but has assets set aside (rental property). Neither of them graduated from college and they really are into name-brand colleges not because they are pressuring me, but because they've only heard of a few "good schools". I asked my mom hypothetically how she would pay the tuition at Harvard (where I would not even go if I got in btw), and was like "that's different"</p>

<p>Chicago is my #1 choice, and there is not even a close second. We are not poor. But I'm afraid that my parents won't let me go here. </p>

<p>P.S. I'm not scared of loans. I don't care if I have to pay them back until the next century if it means I get to go here.</p>

2

<p>I'm confused. Did you complete the CSS form on November 1st? If so then you are probably fine? You may want to call the financial aid office and speak with them about the financial aid application. </p>

<p>About loans, I have taken out loans to pay for the half (or more) of tuition that was not covered by financial aid because I had the same thought as you that I didn't want to pass up the oppurtunity to go to school here.</p>

<p>And about your parents, I guess you could always buy a copy of the US news rankings and show them how we are a top ten school tied with an ivy league school if they are really into the name-brand issue.</p>

3

<p>Start thinking about other options. For me, Chicago was also my first choice school, but SUNY-Binghamton, my safety, could have easily been my second choice, and I see you're in-state for Bing. (Besides Chicago, Bing was the only other school where I really felt "at home"-- it's a quality school with low-key, quirky students. Two of the most intellectual people I know are alumni and loved it). I'm pretty convinced that had I gone to Bing and not Chicago, I would have been similarly happy.</p>

<p>There are also a lot of cozy liberal arts schools that may give you a more solid merit aid package. Depending on what kind of student you are, you could get money dumped on you from top schools like NYU, Rice, and WashU (my friends who were admitted to HYPSM tended to have full rides in the bag from these schools), or you could look at the Colleges that Change Lives schools for some other Chicago-esque options.</p>

4

<p>No I'm not thinking about other options. I really don't care. I'm applying to other schools but there is NO way I am turning down Chicago because of money.</p>

<p>Remember- I am not poor!</p>

<p>No I did not complete the CSS profile and both of your posts are just making me feel worse.</p>

5

<p>I'm crying right now because you are making me feel so awful.</p>

<p>Yes I have ADMISSIONS matches and safeties, but I am not choosing one school over another because of aid. </p>

<p>And basically my financial advisor guy filled out the form but left things blank and I don't want to lie about stuff but at the same time I want to do what he says. And so it took us awhile.</p>

<p>The stuff that goes in the mail is ON TIME
The online stuff is NOT
I'm sorry. I feel really bad that it is late. (tear)</p>

6

<p>Perhaps you want to contact the office financial aid and tell them about the delay:</p>

<p>Office</a> of College Aid</p>

<p>And I admire you for wanting Chicago at any price tag to you, but I think you also have to be aware of the burden that you yourself will face with loans a couple of years down the road. If you're planning to go to grad school, and if you don't want to force yourself to make a lot of money in the future, the glorious University of Chicago may not be worth it.</p>

7

<p>I don't care. don't squash my dreams. gah</p>

<p>Worst day EVER</p>

8

<p>OP: I cannot address the deadlines, but I will address the situation between you and your parents.</p>

<p>It is never a good idea to focus only on one school, for any reason. It's emotional rather than rational.</p>

<p>You wrote: "I am not choosing one school over another because of aid" and "I am not thinking about other options. I really don't care. I'm applying to other schools but there is NO way I am turning down Chicago because of money." and "I don't care"</p>

<p>I have 2 daughters - hs senior and freshman. </p>

<p>If either of them approached me with a worksheet, showing that they have crunched the numbers, and want to incur $####-worth of debt, and showed me their projected method for paying off the loans, and what their life will be like with that much debt, and how they plan to pay off the debt, live, marry, pay for their children's extra-curricular activites, save money for their children's education - then I can see they are ready to attend college. We would be able to have an adult-to-adult conversation and find a solution.</p>

<p>If either of them told me they would only consider School X - without regard to cost and said any of the things you have written here - then I would know they are behaving as children and I would behave as a parent. They are not ready for a college experience, and they would not receive a penny from us.</p>

<p>What would you say to your children if they approached you as you are approaching your parents?</p>

9

<p>katia11:</p>

<p>I was also in your situation and decided to come to Chicago anyway, despite having to take lots of money out in loans. PM me.</p>

10

<p>gee thanks mtpaper, I was really expecting loving Chicago. It just happened. </p>

<p>Ever think that maybe the things I am saying are a result of about 5 million unrelated things making me feel miserable? "I don't care"= I care way too much. Really, I'm SORRY that I say stupid things when I'm defensive and miserable.</p>

<p>Everyone seems to be taking my parents side. </p>

<p>Anyway my parents seem to be slowly grasping the fact that University of Chicago is not the same as the University of Buffalo. Which is good.</p>

<p>I'm REALLY SORRY for all the things I said.. . but I DID NOT start this thread just to receive a lecture on "exploring other options". There's several schools that I'm expecting good merit aid from. I ahve been on this site for three years now and I know how to build a balanced college list. </p>

<p>HOWEVER, I cannot help the fact that even though I would enjoy every other school on my list, I am infatuated with a particular university. At first, I absolutely hated the University of Chicago. If you told me I was applying when I was a HS frosh I would laugh. But it just grew on me. </p>

<p>Now I'm sure some people will turn that around and go : "Surely School X can grow on you too?" You are correct. </p>

<p>But I visited, and interviewed, and read some of the course catalog, and it matches everything I want. Every other school I would give up some of my specifications. </p>

<p>And I'm sorry, but I don't know ANYTHING about finances. I'm not a business person. So I'm SORRY I'm not like your daughter who can type up worksheets. </p>

<p>P.S. I am more freaking about the delays. </p>

<p>after all, having not been admitted, I cannot exactly fight with my parents yet about where to go to college.</p>

<p>I feel even worse because even on the internet I'm generally courteous. I am just having a lousy day. . . week . . . . month. I'm behind on my other applications, which for my school are due Dec 1st. I'm retaking the SATs in Dec and maybe the ACTs. Then there's homework and ECs. And I am mad at myself for not being outgoing so I'm trying to do things with friends (I usually rarely do). Believe it or not, I'm stressed trying to have fun. And then I do not understand a WORD of thr CSS profile. And I'm afraid we're filling it out wrong. </p>

<p>So I'm SORRY. I guess I'm not as mature. </p>

<p>I just want to follow my dreams even if it means working harder. </p>

<p>Ugh I feel like everything I say can and will be used against me in a CC thread.</p>

11

<p>mtpaper. . . I read your thread again. Wow.</p>

<p>I absolutely hate myself. I'm in school right now and my eyes are welling up because of something somebody I have never met wrote on the internet.</p>

<p>Can you please not be so hard? </p>

<p>It is only November. Maybe I can figure that stuff out later.</p>

<p>I'm just worrying in advance.
Really.</p>

<p>Just remember that this is a real person on this side.
And she is very distraught about her ENTIRE LIFE right now.
And being compared to two wonderful daughters and being told by a hypothetical parent those things HURTS. </p>

<p>Can you please try to understand and try to not think of me as . . . ?</p>

<p>Obviously this is not the only thing. </p>

<p>I have not idea what I meant by "I don't care" </p>

<p>I said I am sorry.</p>

12

<p>So I am sorry. I swear I will do something like what you said mtpaper, even if I have NO idea how.</p>

<p>Please forgive me for venting on the internet for a lousy. .. week.</p>

13

<p>Ok please don't take this post as harsh because in no way do I intend it to be, but both unalove, and I have offered you advice about what you should do regarding the financial aid situation. That is you should in some way contact the financial aid office, not so much to talk about how much financial aid you will receive, but ti discuss the present situation about the CSS profile being late, and I cannot imagine they will be anything but helpful. Furthermore both phuriku and I have said that we are here and taking out loans to be here.</p>

<p>Please don't worry so much yet, it isn't worth it, the best thing you can do is to calm down and contact the financial aid office in someway and explain to them what is going on.</p>

14

<p>Oh, ok. d_leet it was mostly mtpaper that really really upset me. I suppose I could call. I'm just so nervous because I just kind of blanked on November 1st. </p>

<p>Sorry. I guess I just should worry about getting the forms in and stuff. And I think my mom just said some things that made me nervous because she was aggravated. I think I'll be fine in getting to go where I want. </p>

<p>Thank you, and I'm sorry. Again lol.</p>

15

<p>katia: I think you are missing an important theme in some of these responses. I will put it in all caps:</p>

<p>IT PROBABLY DOESN'T MATTER THAT YOUR FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION IS INCOMPLETE NOW.</p>

<p>Stop kicking yourself, getting upset, feeling guilty, etc. Make a phone call and ask what to do, then do it.</p>

16

<p>Yeah, IIRC, this happened to me last year. They'd keep asking for tax papers (even though we'd sent them in multiple times), and telling me that I needed to get them in ASAP. They didn't throw away my application, and I got in early.</p>

17

<p>ok.
take care</p>

18

<p>mtpaper -
"They are not ready for a college experience, and they would not receive a penny from us."</p>

<p>A dressage master with whom I had the honor to ride with once told me that his master said 'if the student succeeds, it is the student's success. If the student fails, it is the teachers failure.'</p>

<p>Please cut Katia a little slack; its not all her. How many of us are truly ready for children?</p>

19

<p>Ohio_Mom: I agree with you 100%. My job as a parent includes preparing my kids to be self-sufficient adults. Moving the relationship from parent-child to adult-adult. If they told me that they would only consider 1 school, I would know that I had not done my job.</p>

<p>I do have empathy for OP - that's why I went to the length I did to suggest tools for getting where she wants to go.</p>

<p>Dealing with the parents is similar to the missed deadlines - JHS' succinct answer is right for both.</p>

20

<p>Katia, take a breath, try and calm down a little. If you call the Aid Office, they will be very helpful and let you know what you need to do.</p>

<p>This is a long process, filled with ups and downs. My son applied EA last year and went through joy, despair, etc. Here's how his application year went:</p>

<p>October -Applied EA - anxious, nervous, fretting
December - Accepted - joy
December - Financial aid estimate arrives - sorrow, tears
January - Discussions with Aid Office, possible revisions to aid estimate - hope
April - Final Improved Financial Aid Estimate - pleased
April - Merit Scholaship - shock and joy
Decided to attend Michigan - full ride - practical, level-headed decision</p>

<p>My point is, it's a long ride. You need to be responsible and continue to communicate with admissions and aid office as you go. It will work out fine in the end.</p>