Financial Aid Question

<p>I was recently admitted to Notre Dame and 100% want to go. But financially it is going to be very difficult to pay. If Notre Dame was to only look at my parents income, we probably would not receive much, if any aid. But recently we were placed in a situation where a client of my dad's was taking part in fraudulent activities, where we (and many other people) thought we were making money from investments this guy was making. In the end we lost a LOT of money that would have otherwise been used to fund my eduation. I was just wondering, with unfortunate and extreme situations like this, is Notre Dame usually generous with the aid they'd be willing to give? And are there a lot of opportunities for students to make money at ND (Work study, etc)? I'm willing to do anything (other than ROTC haha) to pay for ND, but some assistance from the school would be great. Any input would be appreciated! Thanks!</p>

<p>I’m certainly not an expert, as my son will only be an incoming freshman as well, but this is what I understand about ND financial aid: Your need is based on your family’s EFC, which was calculcated by your FAFSA as well as the CSS Profile. The amount to attend Notre Dame minus your family’s EFC is what the University considers to be your need. If the situation you describe happened before Jan 1, it would be evident in what your EFC is. If it happened since January 1, an explanation to the financial aid office might be a good idea. Your parents might have to provide them with updated information to document the change in your situation. The 100% of need that Notre Dame meets can be from grants, scholarships, loans and federal work study. A freshman student can only take out a maximum of $5500 in Federal loans. To meet the EFC, a family can take out a Federal Family Plus loan. I wish you luck. We are hoping for some financial aid as well. I hope everything works out for you and your family.</p>

<p>My daughter is currently a freshman. After submitting our FAFSA and Profile, our financial situation changed because of the economy and my husband’s business. We submitted a letter to the FA office explaining our current income and extenuating circumstances. They took this into consideration when awarding her financial aid package. You may want to speak to someone in FA first to get things moving, but I would definitely send a letter ASAP and follow up to make sure that they received it. It doesn’t hurt to try, you may be pleasantly surprised! Good luck -</p>

<p>Thank you both for the input! That definitely makes me feel a bit better about my situation. My parents faxed over a detailed explanation of what happened and documentation outlining the financial downfall we have experienced over the past few months. Unfortunately they faxed over the letter and info after the FA office was closed, so we weren’t able to check to make sure they received the information, so we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to check and see if they got everything. I was also wondering how long it generally takes Notre Dame to send their financial aid packages?</p>

<p>We received ours today, but my son was accepted EA. I think RD packages should be going out very soon though as well. I called the financial aid office and they were able to tell me the date the package was sent. Good luck!</p>

<p>My daughter received her FA package a week after her acceptance letter (she was RD).
If you’ve completed the IDOC process, they should have everything they need to calculate your award. Once you speak to the FA office and verify that they received your letter, I’m sure they’ll let you know if they need any additional information. Hopefully you’ll hear within a week or two, so then you can make a decision before the May 1st enrollment date. Don’t be afraid to call and ask questions, I’ve found everyone to be very helpful whenever I’ve called. Best of luck to you and I hope you receive good news!</p>

<p>Still haven’t received mine in Maryland.</p>