<p>My parents sat me down the other day and gave me The Talk: the one that goes while they hope that I get into the school of my choice (Haverford) and that I'm able to attend, the bottom line is going to be money. We are middle-class, but money is very tight right now. I know that Haverford does not award any merit aid, and that makes me rather nervous. Although Haverford is by far my top school, I don't want to get my hopes up too high if, even if I do get in, I won't be able to afford to attend. So my question is, how generous is Haverford with their financial aid, especially to students in the middle-class?</p>
<p>What is your EFC on the FAFSA?</p>
<p>It's a little over $22000, which is much more than my family can actually afford. (They are both self-employed and nearing retirement age, which makes it even more difficult.)</p>
<p>I'm sorry to hear about the frustrating situation you're in. The prices at these top colleges have dramatically and disproportionately increased in the last 5-10 years, leaving many people behind. While about 45-50% of HC students are on financial aid, this number probably only represents a fraction of the very talented people who were accepted but whose financial needs were met. hopefully, you'll be in that group.</p>
<p>Have you tried looking at external merit scholarships, such as the Rotary or other civic and professional organizations in your area? I got a 8K/year x3 merit scholarship from Mars Inc., but that was 10 years ago and I'm not sure if they still offer it. </p>
<p>Try an internet search for available scholarships. Speak to your guidance counselor or to the financial aid office at HC to find what external scholarships students have applied to/obtained in the past and apply to those...</p>
<p>If you don't get into Hc, you can always use any won scholarships elsewhere and they always look great on resumes as well.</p>