<p>hi i'm a student interested in applying Early Decision to Wellesley. i'm absolutely in love with the school. i was wondering how readily available is the financial aid? i am aware that it holds a need-blind policy but do they give a lot for qualifying students?</p>
<p>Soshell,</p>
<p>I'm a bit confused by your question. What do you mean by "give a lot for qualifying students?" Because Wellesley's financial aid is need based and not merit based, students whose families demonstrate financial need get money. If your family needs more money, then your package is larger. The admission office does NOT draft up a list of their "best" applicants and then tells the finaid office to give them "lots of money." In fact, the two offices are completely separate (even different buildings), which is different from many schools, where you have a Dean of Admission and Financial Aid. Wellesley just has a Dean of Admission. Basically, the finaid office has no application info and the admission office has no finaid info so the admission counselors have no idea how much or how little your family makes. (I'm sure that they can make educated guesses based on some things you allude to in your application, but they have no specific numbers.) Same thing the other way around - the finaid office has no information on who the "strongest" candidates are. They just make the finaid packages based on the finaid documents your family sends.</p>
<p>All that said, Wellesley does give 100% of a family's demonstrated need, with no loan policy for certain families and a loan cap for everyone else. I'm sure you can find much more specific info on their website.</p>
<p>sorry, i should have been more clear. for "qualifying" students, i really meant the students admitted [that are seeking financial aid]. does Wellesley have a large endowment?</p>
<p>Wellesley has a HUGE endowment. If you need financial aid, it will be met though I think work study and loans are included for most if not all. If your family is borderline, as in they can pay but aren't rich, you probably won't get any aid. It occasionally bothers me when relatives talk about how much my parents have to pay for Wellesley when I could have gone to my state college for free and would actually be getting paid to do it, but then I remember that FA is for people who need it, not for people who kind of sort of might need a little bit but can do without it. </p>
<p>I've also heard that Wellesley is good about adjusting FA if your circumstances change. Everyone I've met who legitimately needed aid was very satisfied with their package. But they do expect your family to pay every bit of their EFC. And they expect you to come up with a portion as well (like $2000).</p>
<p>Wellesley's financial aid is generous and supported by an enormous endowment. They do take many factors into consideration, such as your parents' non-income assets (property, investments, etc.) and the number of siblings you have or soon will have in college, and the numbers might not end up looking the same as at other schools you apply to.</p>
<p>The new financial aid policy has eliminated student loans for families with an annual income of under $60,000, and the loan caps for families with higher incomes are still some of the best you'll find. Students in families between $60,000 and $100,000 have a loan cap of $8,600, and all other students are capped at just under $13,000. Apart from loans and your family's expected contribution, the rest is covered by work-study and grants. Work-study is very well supported on campus, and work-study students have priority for on-campus jobs. Grants come from the endowment--usually endowed scholarship funds donated by alumnae and/or their families. Student Financial Services sets aside a day each year for students to write thank-you notes to the donors who are paying for part (or all) of their education.</p>
<p>My experience with FA, especially compared to what my siblings (also in private colleges) encountered, was excellent at Wellesley.</p>
<p>quoted from Wellesley website:</p>
<p>"In effect, grant aid will cover the cost of tuition for students from families with incomes calculated below $60,000"</p>
<p>does this mean it covers all of tuition at least (since theres also housing and such)?</p>
<p>no what that means is that you will not receive any loans if your family makes less than 60,000- it does not mean you will get a full ride it grants. My family makes less than this sum but i was still given loans (very little like a 1000 a year) because of my family's saving and no debt status. Wellesley also looks at other things such as if your family owns a home, debt, and other things to calculate your need. Wellesley has a HUGE endowment and lets just say that my state school would cost more for me than Wellesley with my financial aid! I received no aid from my state school and about 80% covered by Wellesley which is amazing!</p>
<p>I'd say not to worry about it if your family makes less than $60,000. If you are from a middle to upper middle class family, applying ED may not be your best option. I applied EE this year, got in, and was unable to attend due to a lack of adequate financial aid. My family's income is slightly higher than $60,000, but we are nowhere near rich enough to afford the $50,000 price tag, even after some $15,000 in aid.</p>
<p>I'm not sure about your situation as an ED applicant, but Wellesley was the most generous school with financial aid when the acceptances came around. Wellesley gave me more than what Emory and Carnegie Mellon offered, and I fell between the between 60,000- 100,000 family income category.</p>