<p>I was accepted in to CAS early decision, but for my financial aid package, it said that I only qualified for government loans. I really need the aid, and only recently did I realize that for some things on my report for financial aid were a little misrepresented (like my family actually has 7 dependents instead of 3), because my dad has to support my grand parents on both sides as well (but back then i didn't realize that grandparents counted as dependents). At this point, I'm working to refile my report in april, but I'm not sure if there's anything that I can do to help my chances of getting aid. $60,000 + is a lot of money and with other living expenses will impose a great financial burden on my family- but i'm very inexperienced with the aid process and just unsure of how to fully convey to the fin aid office my need . Any advice fellow CCers?</p>
<p>The FA office needs accurate information with detailed supportive documents to give aid.
You need to fax/fedex a corrected CSS profile (cross out the wrong info and write the correct info next to it), detailed supportive documents, explanation of special circumstances,… to the FA office now (not in April).
You could jeopardize your aid if your info seems inconsistent and suspicious. Without concrete evidence, it’s hard to convince the FA office that your dad supports your grand parents. Elderly people receive social security benefits and social aid from the state and federal goverments.</p>
<p>I think we have supporting paperwork showing that my dad has been supporting my grandparents. My grandparents aren’t american citizens so they don’t receive social security benefits. Is there anything else that I can mention/highlight in the profile?</p>
<p>You may want to provide SS numbers of the people that receive help from your parents so that the FA can verify that they don’t receive goverment aids. Non US citizen can receive government social reliefs (not social security benefits from work).
You may need to make a corrected Penn FA Supplement too.
You need to ask your parents review detailed info about their assets, debts, mortgage, paid taxes,…</p>
<p>Financial can be a little annoying to work with but definitely can be very accommodating, especially to errors like this. As long as you can support your claims, adding SS numbers would be a help, they should be able to revise your package and send you a new one in a few weeks. I had to appeal mine several times but they accommodated it every time.</p>
<p>Just bumping one of the financial aid threads for a general question on this:</p>
<p>Penn states they are “need-blind” in determining admissions but if that is the case, why do they ask for all your financials before decision time? In addition to the application, we have to submit the FASFA, CSS Profile, 2012/ 2013 Tax Forms, W2’s, Penn Financial supplement by Feb. 15th, which is before March decision obviously. I’m having trouble thinking this won’t affect decisions since it is due before the decision.</p>
<p>I was accepted early decision and I didn’t send in all of my forms until after my decision came out. So when Penn says that they are “need-blind,” they really are. The reason that they ask for all of those documents beforehand is so that they can give you a financial aid package along with your decision. They will still accept documents after Feb. 15th.</p>
<p>^ Indeed, the financial aid people–who are in the Student Financial Services office and NOT the Admissions Office–have to put together financial aid packages concurrently with the Admissions Office making admissions decisions. Applicants admitted during the regular decision round get about a month to accept or decline their offers of admission, and they need to have the financial aid awards in hand to be able to make THEIR decisions (including time to, if necessary, appeal their financial aid awards). I suspect that SFS is advised of which applicants will be admitted at some point prior to the release of decisions, and then must quickly make decisions about FA packages for those students seeking FA. Working under a relatively tight deadline, they need to have all of the necessary financial data BEFORE admissions decisions are released. But taking Penn (and other need-blind schools) at its word, admissions decisions are NOT based on the financial need of the individual applicants for whom the admissions process is need-blind (i.e., citizens and permanent residents of the US, Canada, and Mexico).</p>