<p>I didn’t completely finish mine but I was wondering how everyone else faired. Generous?</p>
<p>Anyone hear yet?? Lol</p>
<p>I got my financial aid offer, and it was more than the average package (which according to the website is $28500). It’s still not a deal clincher though, because a large factor was my sister being in college at the same time as me, but by next year, she will have graduated college…It would suck to not receive enough financial aid for sophomore year and have to drop out or something.</p>
<p>How much did they leave for your family to pay? Was it close to your EFC?</p>
<p>I got 24700 a year, but it was not exactly what my family asked for, so we may have to stretch a little bit :(</p>
<p>i havent gotten a definite amount yet but the projected amount was pretty awesome. Hopefully i will get the final amount soon though.</p>
<p>I got about 35k, but that still leaves 17k for my family to pay, which is twice my FAFSA EFC.</p>
<p>Just wondering how FA works here.</p>
<p>FAFSA EFC : $4000+
Leave the gap to pay : $10,000+ </p>
<p>I think it is a fair offering and nothing special. Like to hear other CC said? Good, fair or bad.</p>
<p>Add more info for reference</p>
<p>FAFSA EFC : $4000+
Leave the gap to pay : $10,000+
Flag state U gap to pay $12,000+</p>
<p>*Gap = No loans and work study.</p>
<p>My package was:</p>
<p>$40,000 total grant</p>
<p>then they’re like oh you can make 2,000 in work study, ur expected to make 2,300 over the summer, and we believe you can prob get scholarships but if you dont we offer loans</p>
<p>so somehow i need to find that extra $12,000</p>
<p>Aid was in the ball park of what fin aid calculators came up with, so there was no shock. After filing taxes, though, and re-doing calculators, EFC would be several thousand less. Bowdoin’s student aid info refers to reducing, but not increasing, grants based on the actual financial data submitted. </p>
<p>Anyone know if Bowdoin aid is ever increased after final PROFILE, tax returns are filed?</p>
<p>Interested in royal73’s post.</p>
<p>Royal,</p>
<p>“EFC would be several thousand less. Bowdoin’s student aid info refers to reducing, but not increasing”</p>
<p>I don’t understand what you said? Can you explain? I got some but not sure?</p>
<p>What do you think my FA? is it fair based on FAFSA EFC? I don’t know CSS EFC number?</p>
<p>soccer92boy – Bowdoin uses CSS PROFILE for financial aid. Deadline for submitting it along with Early Decision II application was Jan. 1, so the financial information we provided was based on best estimates at the time. After we filed our tax returns in early Feb., we updated the information provided in the PROFILE with the final 2009 data and better estimates for 2010 (PROFILE asks for this). S got aid offer with acceptance in Feb., then we updated PROFILE and FAFSA (which is used for federal and state aid, not Bowdoin grants).</p>
<p>I just looked at Bowdoin’s web site again and it says “After May 1, Bowdoin contracts with the College Scholarship Services Imaging and Documentation Service (IDOC) to collect and image 2009 student and parent tax returns from all families who accept our offer of admission. We verify entries against comparable tax data and we adjust grant awards in cases where underestimations of income occur.”</p>
<p>So, this means if your family income for 2009 was greater than what you estimated, your grant award may be adjusted, presumably downwards. We overestimated our income. Bowdoin doesn’t say it adjusts grant awards to address overestimations of income.</p>
<p>For Bowdoin students, the FAFSA is used just for state and federal aid. It isn’t used by Bowdoin for its own grant funds.</p>
<p>I have a question when everyone heard from Bowdoin. I have not recieved a letter yet, and I am getting worried :/</p>
<p>I think they were ED applicants or received an early writey</p>
<p>It look like nobody will answer my question. Is it a fair FA?</p>
<p>Through out my researches I believed it is a fair offering. The flag state U left us a gap of $12,000+ to pay or get loans which was based on FAFSA. Comparing a coupe of private schools FA we got, it is pretty much that to attend a private school is a better choice for us if money is the only factor. So Bowdoin offering is not too bad. I have no complain at all. Just wondering my offering is final or not since we sent a filed 1040 tax return already?</p>
<p>mzactress – S was admitted ED II, so he heard in early Feb. Elsewhere, I’ve seen that Bowdoin is expected to send RD letters on 3/26, this Friday. (The ED II letters were said to be going out on a Fri., but they were mailed the day before, so maybe RD letters will go earlier also.) Hope you get good news!</p>
<p>soccer92 – I wasn’t trying to avoid answering your question, but I wasn’t sure what you meant by “fair.” It’s not a matter of an absolute number or even of whether there’s a gap I suppose. The private schools have flexibility in deciding how to allocate their own resources, so you’re not likely to get identical awards from all privates. What’s good about Bowdoin is that the awards are all grants, no loans. If there’s a gap, you can get loans if need be. In our case, though the award was lower than what the calculators came up with, it was pretty close, so I would consider that “fair.” More would be great, but I wasn’t shocked by the figure.</p>
<p>As for whether your offer is final, I think there can be changes in May, after all tax returns have been submitted to IDOC and Bowdoin can look at the actual returns. If you had already filed your tax returns when you applied for aid, I would not expect there to be a change in the award.</p>
<p>That was what I thought and I am happy with that. </p>
<p>Just wondering why state college keep losing lot of bright kids to the private school. Even the state school was sending ton of material and programs info to S but there is no financial incentive to go there. I am paying a full cost for my daughter for state U now. Where is tax money go? My kids all in public school. I am the supporter of public school but in this case I will send my kid to private school.</p>