<p>So I'm kind of stuck between Northwestern and Carnegie Mellon in terms of aid. My calculated EFC was 0 as my mother doesn't work due to health conditions and we are currently living off of her life savings and her retirement funds. Both CMU and NU gave me around 40k in loans, grants and work-study, but I really don't want to take out loans. It would leave me with 40k to pay back after graduation and I think it's going to be too difficult.</p>
<p>I have two questions though. The federal pell grants from both universities were very different. 2200 from CMU and 5500 (the maximum) from NU. How come they're so different?</p>
<p>I also have UDel Honors, where I only have to pay 20k without loans nor work-study, but I would love to attend Northwestern. I'm asking for an appeal, but I was wondering if anyone knew how they respond to appeals. Would loans be worth it? </p>
<p>Possible reasons for NU/CMU not giving more aid: When filling out CSS/Profile, my mom said that she was willing to pay 20k a year, even though that would put a great strain on her financially (She just wants me to be able to attend college). Also, I go to a very expensive high school, and my mom's previous employer has been paying for it, and I don't want the continue to depend on that person to get through my education.</p>
<p>I have two questions though. The federal pell grants from both universities were very different. 2200 from CMU and 5500 (the maximum) from NU. How come they’re so different?</p>
<p>Those absolutely should be the same. Call CMU and find out why they didn’t give you full Pell. </p>
<p>It doesn’t look like it’s split between 2 semesters or 3 quarters since the math wouldn’t be right. </p>
<p>I hope they don’t tell you that they’ve adjusted (raised) your EFC based on a mistake…if so, then NU will reduce the Pell in their pkg. :(</p>
<p>Possible reasons for NU/CMU not giving more aid: When filling out CSS/Profile, my mom said that she was willing to pay 20k a year, even though that would put a great strain on her financially (She just wants me to be able to attend college). Also, I go to a very expensive high school, and my mom’s previous employer has been paying for it, and I don’t want the continue to depend on that person to get through my education.</p>
<p>hmm…</p>
<p>I think the bigger problem is that your mom’s assets must be large if she’s unemployed/disabled and willing to spend $80k towards college. If so, then that’s what the schools are looking at.</p>
<p>Also, my recollection is NW is a “100% need based” school and CM is not…NW may have made a mistake; also check and compare numbers on FAFSA vs. numbers on PROFILE, etc. Any major discrepencies? Have to check what “assets” were on the PROFILE form…home equity?, etc. that may be creating an EFC in the PROFILE process but not on the FAFSA…many possibilities. IF you cannot figure this out, contact NW financial aid directly and ask them for guidance and help to understand why not more significant free money if the only EFC you are aware of is “$0”…</p>
<p>I agree with lerkin, while your mother may not have much in “income”, she could have substantial assets (which may have been exempted on the fafsa) which is why you did not get any institutional aid</p>
<p>Whether a school is need-based or not, Pell has to be the same. That is federal aid and it’s an entitlement. The school has to issue the correct amount…it’s not their money.</p>
<p>However, for institutional aid…I think the problem is assets. Obviously, someone who is living off retirement/savings who will spend $80k for college must have a lot in assets.</p>
<p>can you expand on your mom’s circumstances and your situation?</p>
<p>Why would you spend down retirement savings instead of regular savings? Retirement saving are protected asset, so your mom should have spent regular savings first.</p>
<p>Also, who was planning to pay 20K for your education. Your mother or her previous employer?</p>
<p>Quite frankly I don’t understand the entire situation. If your mom was allowed to use retirement savings, then she should be retirement age. If profile EFC is so large, then the savings are very large. I assume if the savings are large, then the retirement nest is large too. Why would there be a problem then to pay 20K for college? Even if your mom is permanent unable to work, given her retirement age there should be no problem with spending 80K for college. Unless there is some kind of mistake on profile or I am misreading the situation.</p>
<p>P.S. This post is unrelated to Pell issue - you should have it resolved. The real issue here is whether or not you made some other mistake on profile and thus 20K is extraordinary or the assets are so big that there is enough for both your mother living expenses and paying for your college.</p>
<p>OP lives in South American and is an international student (from posts on other threads). How is it that she is qualified for Pell grants? She must be a US citizen?</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your responses regarding the Pell Grant! I will contact CMU.</p>
<p>I don’t want to display my whole financial situation, but my mom’s assets are really not that great. She doesn’t have actual retirement savings. She has her life savings, which will go towards her next let’s say, 20 years. Whatever she has after the 80,000/120,000 (and i really don’t want to take out loans so I might ask a close family member, or my mother’s previous employer for the other 40,000 that i’m supposed to take out in loans) is not enough to pay for rent, food, medical insurance for 20 years.</p>
<p>I’m a US permanent resident (green card) by the way.</p>
<p>Also, my mom will be moving to the US as well. Should I mention that to the universities? Of course, moving would result in more expenses.</p>
<p>Here lies your problem. Your mother’s life savings are considered and asset. And for schools like Northwestern and CMU to give you 40k in loans, they have determined that your mother has enough in assets to cover this amount of money. So unless you have some really extenuating circumstances out side of “my mom needs this money for the next 20 years” or “we will be moving to the US” it is highly unlikely that you are going to win an appeal for more money. Keep in mind that your parents are first in line when it comes to paying for need based aid. </p>
<p>The school has determined that your mom has enough in assets to pay 40k. If she refuses to pay for your education, she is essentially saying let other people’s parents (which is where the money for institutional aid comes from) to pay for her child’s education.</p>
<p>It is one thing to love to attend someplace and it is something else to go to a school that you can afford. IF UDel is the affordable option, then you need to get excited about the prospect of attending. There are plenty of students who attend their “safety” school, because it is the affordable option for their family.</p>
<p>Thanks for the response, but you didn’t have to be so aggressive…</p>
<p>I just thought that universities would be more considerate about my mom’s health issues and the fact that we’ve been living off of her savings for the past few years (rent, healthcare - which is really expensive where I live, etc), and would also consider that she would need money to live for the rest of her life. I will appeal anyway, as I don’t think I’ll lose anything from not doing so.</p>
<p>Also, my mom will be moving to the US as well. Should I mention that to the universities? Of course, moving would result in more expenses.</p>
<p>The school isn’t going to care that your mom is CHOOSING to move to the US to be near you while you go to school. That is her choice…and it’s a luxury choice. </p>
<p>However, the school may make an exception that her life savings is what she has left to live on…but, it sounds like she really has a lot of money.</p>
<p>Again, your mom MUST have a lot of assets if she’s willing to part with so much to pay for college…OR…she’s counting on YOU to support her once your done with school.</p>
<p>Does your mom plan on living with you while you’re in college? Your aid pkg is likely based on you living in a shared dorm room, not a private apt for you and mom. </p>
<p>I’m curious…why would your mom’s former employer give you $40k towards college? Was your mom injured at work?</p>
<p>My mom is just trying to make a sacrifice by paying for my college. Our reasons for moving to the US are complicated, but I understand how universities would just see it as a luxury.
Paying for college, as I mentioned previously, will greatly limit her in the future. And of course she does not plan on living with me while I’m in college… Obviously, a university isn’t going to pay for “a private apt for [me] and my mom”.</p>
<p>I feel like I’ve revealed enough about my private life, so I will not continue posting on this thread. Again, thank you all so much for the help!</p>
<p>Why is it that when someone tells the truth or something that a student does not want to hear they are being mean or aggressive.</p>
<p>By all means you are free to appeal your package but you must have extenuating situations and documentation for the FA to consider your appeal and to give you more $$.</p>
<p>The school will consider you mother’s health issues to the extent that she has
unreimbursed medical expenses. It seems that your mother may have received a large settlement or some other large sum of money connected with her inability to no longer work. </p>
<p>If you know your mom’s situation, why aren’t you helping to choose a school that will not be a financial hardship on her?</p>
<p>If you know your mom’s situation, why aren’t you helping to choose a school that will not be a financial hardship on her?</p>
<p>I agree. I would never let my mom dig into her limited savings to pay for college - especially if she had no means to later re-earn that money.</p>
<p>I don’t know how cheap it is to live in your country. Rent and such may be quite low. Medical coverage may be very low there. However, that’s not the case here. Your mom’s rent/living expenses could be $25k per year and that won’t even count any medical expenses that she’ll have while here. How would those get paid (I don’t expect you to answer, just think about it.)</p>
<p>Unless your mom does have a lot of money, she could move here and soon realize that she can’t run thru her money paying high rents. At that point, she would want to “pool your expenses” and get a place to live together…otherswise go broke.</p>
<p>OP also posted this about Harvard’s summer program-- which is quite expensive. “Do you have to be in real financial need to receive financial aid? (I need it but I can do without it)”</p>
<p>OP, please realize that if someone else is paying part of your school expenses, you must report that on next year’s Profile. All financial aid students at those schools are expected to take out student loans and work. If you turn down the loans and work-study, the school may decide that you don’t need that much money. When you have need, the school FIRST awards you federal money including loans, THEN awards you their own grants.</p>
<p>“As a general rule, if you have a green card and leave the United States for more than one year, you may have difficulty reentering the country. That is because the U.S. government feels that an absence of longer than one year indicates a possible abandonment of U.S. residence. Even if you do return before one year, you may run into trouble. To avoid a full-scale inspection, return within six months.”</p>
<p>
I’m curious, too…something doesn’t seem right here.</p>