Financial Aid...UGH

<p>We NEED the financial aid.
In order for me to attend the school, my parents would need to take loans and use payment plans.
my older brothers take up most of the money, so it's not like we have much.
Every single essay contest I win brings in a measly 100 dollars.
Even THAT is important to me.
100 out of 41,700...</p>

<p>Hotchkiss...others are just saying they know; they are in the same boat. Ask me about loans ($$$$) and payment plans. For many schools, loans are part of the FA package (maybe still for NMH?....when my older son attended, we had to take a large loan every year, as only a portion of the aid was a grant).
Still, $42,000 is a huge amount of money, and most certainly you should apply for aid and hopefully, get it, if your EFC shows your situation warrants it.</p>

<p>Hi it's me :]
I have another question~
On the NMH website it says that if you are accepted, you can still apply for financial aid the next year and hope you get it, even if you don't get as much.
On my acceptance, it says we cannot REapply for financial aid.
Can someone explain that to me?
:]
thank youuu</p>

<p>I think you are going to have to ask NMH that question, as that wasn't part of the contract that I saw. It may mean that you cannot reapply for FA this year. However, I will tell you that if you don't get FA the first year, it is highly unlikely that you will get aid in future years -- don't count on a penny. When I talked with the NMH FA office, she said that when they make a financial aid award for a kid, they budget that amount for all four years. They do not add kids into that budget, nor increase aid for kids, unless there are very special circumstances (loss of job, death, etc).</p>

<p>What you need is a review of this year's fa award -- and it sounds like you might not be able to ask for that. You need to call and ask. If you don't get any FA this year, then you parents need to decide if they can/want to send you -- keeping in mind that you are unlikely to be granted any aid in future years.</p>

<p>NMH-duh: Much better name! </p>

<p>The FA director at NMH is a very direct person. You or your folks should call her and tell them what is going on. She will tell you straight up what she can and cannot do for you. </p>

<p>At NMH families accepted without FA cannot reapply for FA the following year. The reasoning is that they do not want families who cannot afford 2, 3 or 4 years they will be at NMH to scrape together enough to attend for one year, hoping that NMH will give them money in the remaining year(s). They do not want to be in the position of inviting someone into the NMH community and then making them leave a year later because they cannot pay. So that is why they tell you that, barring a change in circumstances, they will not offer an existing student FA if they did not receive FA the year before. They will, however, consider a meaningful change in circumstances. One, for example, would be another sibling who will be starting college at full tuition.</p>

<p>also -- if your FA application was not an accurate reflection of your circumstances this year and they agree to review it with correct/completed/updated info then you might get enough FA to attend this year (and future years).</p>

<p>Laxtaxi is correct -- the FA person is your best source for the information. Just call her up and talk with her.</p>

<p>I'm not going.
My parents said that it's just too much.</p>

<p>I just really hate how they get me all pumped up about this whole "boarding school" thing for 2 years, I lost some of my friends, a LOT of sleep, and my grades dropped. I studied for the SSATs for 1 year, got a 97%, and spent probably around 500 dollars on SSAT prep classes that lasted from 5 pm-11 pm 3 times a week on the weekdays. Boarding school was the "bane of my existence" for two years.</p>

<p>They KNEW what they were getting themselves into, even without the financial aid. My mom was the one who SUGGESTED boarding school, and "dont worry about the money, just worry about getting accepted."</p>

<p>I know this happens sometimes, but I cant help but think that it was a major waste of time, money, and a disappointment.</p>

<p>So Literateur, I guess my non-existent financial aid's gonna go to someone else who really needs it.</p>

<p>NMH_duh,</p>

<p>Speechless. </p>

<p>What comes to mind is a lesson that you might draw from this. Parents are not perfect. It seems like we know what we're doing and have a plan, but the reality is we're just imperfect humans who bump along, reacting to one stimulus after another. Our kids are not born with owner's manuals.** We get better with time and experience, but of course our kids don't wait to benefit from that experience - they continue to grow up and carry the bruises of our mistakes. </p>

<p>It's likely that both truths exist for your parents - they do not feel comfortable with the expense but they do wish a boarding school education for you. Similarly, your truth is valid - it is incredibly disappointing, both because you cannot go after all the emotional energy expended and because you have to confront the reality that your parents are only people. Now might be a good time to ask yourself what you would have done differently if you were in their shoes. What conversations might you have had with your child, and at what point in the process? </p>

<p>**I have a theory, though, that the placenta contains the cosmic story of the universe and an explanation of our child's place within it and instructions on how to raise him or her to meet that cosmic destiny. In 300 years they will read and wonder how we, in the 20th/early 21st century, could have been so stupid as to throw the placenta away! It will parallel how we view blood-letting, medical leeches and the like today. But I digress.</p>

<p>More news.</p>

<p>My parents saw how upset I was, and decided that they will send me, FA or not. I told them exactly what I told everyone on CC. They said they would take loans from the bank, and that I really SHOULDNT worry about the money, they didnt mean for me to.</p>

<p>And now we have made a full circle.
I have the dilemma of "Should I go?" and "is it worth it?"
But that is for me to decide.</p>

<p>Last note, I really don't deserve to have parents like mine :]
I dont appreciate them as much as I should.</p>

<p>NMH_Duh -- did you talk to NMH about a financial review?</p>

<p>Right....particularly since you indicated that all of your paperwork might not have been sent in/filled out properly. Also, if your parents feel they can pay a large portion and only need limited assistance, the school might be able to work with you. Do call; they are receptive and will answer your questions clearly and directly.</p>

<p>I believe my parents wrote an email to Ms. Emery regarding a review for financial aid. They explained our circumstances and whatnot.</p>

<p>If it doesn't work out, you could always apply next year. If indeed you do qualify for FA, it's unlikely you'll be denied again (as long as your grades and everything stay the same).</p>

<p>Yeah,
but my dad already took the loans out of the bank, so I think it's gonna happen this year :P</p>

<p>It is great that you are going -- no one wants to pay the money and coming up with the cost of a BS is hard for everyone, even those who get great FA are usually needy enough that just the cost for transportation and parents weekend is a burden (I need to pay my electric bill before they cut off service since I used that money to pay for the revisit trip!).</p>

<p>It certainly sounds like you have great parents -- don't ever forget how much they are willing to sacrifice for you. Make them proud of you at NMH!</p>

<p>Nice turnaround. Nothing wrong with telling your parents how much you appreciate them. </p>

<p>Another piece of advice. My situation with D is not dissimilar to your parents'. I too thought no way if no FA. Then when I saw what BS could do for her I decided to find a way to pay it even though we were offered no FA. </p>

<p>A couple times I slipped and made a comment to my D about the expense. She was REALLY hurt by it and I realized that it was not appropriate to tell her she can go and then make her feel guilty because of the expense and sacrifice we are making for her. I was grateful that I have a D who is willing to express such things openly and tell me I hurt her with such comments. So I keep my financial thoughts to myself. </p>

<p>Hopefully your parents are more mature than I and already know better than to make such hurtful comments. In case they display human frailties and slip once in a while, my advice is that you let them know that such comments are hurtful and take away from your joy in the gift they are giving you. With my D, we have an agreement now - my job is to make the opportunity available to her, and her job is to enjoy it and make the most of it. If we each do our job then we have lots to celebrate with one another. </p>

<p>I hope this helps.</p>

<p>laxtaxi -- I don't play the guilty card, but I am very upfront with my kids as far as expectations. I do expect them to do well academically, involve themselves in the school community and follow all the rules. I want them to know that I am not making this sacrifice so that they can "have a good time". I don't expect perfection, nor do I expect them to do their 100% all the time -- but I do want them working hard and doing well.</p>

<p>I'm with you completely, Stef.</p>

<p>Actually, my parents were trying really hard to not let me know about the problems with tuition, but it's hard not to find out when it means almost not attending :P</p>

<p>Anyway, I'm really happy about their decision,
and I'm gonna try my best-est when I get there :D</p>

<p>Congratulations, NMH-duh! Happy it is working out for you.</p>