<p>This article in the Phoenix might be of interest:</p>
<p>Thanks so much for posting this article. As the parent of a senior who is applying to Swarthmore, Wesleyan and Hamilton, I found it alternately disturbing and reassuring. That a student with an estranged father with Alzheimers disease would be denied sufficient financial aid to attend Swarthmore disabuses me of the notion that is so popular that Swat awards financial aid very freely. Despite Swarthmore’s gargantuan endowment, it seems that less-endowed Wesleyan, for one, takes the family personal situation into much fuller account. I know this from personal experience. I am sorry that this student had to interrupt her Swarthmore education in midstream, but your article is an indictment of our entire financial aid system, massive tuition increases at the elite schools and the way institutions leverage their endowments.</p>
<p>Just my experience - Sadly, we all but ruled out Swarthmore after meeting with the financial aid officer. She was unpleasant and basically said, “If you can’t pay, don’t apply.” My daughter was in tears after we left.</p>
<p>I actually wrote a very long email (which, of course, I did not send) expressing my frustration and disappointment at the lack of useful information and the way it was delivered.</p>
<p>That being said, this was the only Swat person who was like this, but I don’t think that the financial aid office is very supportive of “regular” middle-class kids, especially children of divorce with problematic estranged parents.</p>
<p>The visit prompted me to go forward and sever the parental rights of my D’s bio dad, and have her legally adopted by her step-dad.</p>
<p>I think it was unfortunate, but it seemed necessary.</p>
<p>Don’t assume you have the whole story when you read a newspaper article…especially one so negative.</p>
<p>Appears Swarthmore has provided quite a bit of financial support to middle-income families. Here are the statistics from the institutional research pages of their website: <a href=“http://www.swarthmore.edu/Documents/administration/ir/FAStats.pdf[/url]”>http://www.swarthmore.edu/Documents/administration/ir/FAStats.pdf</a></p>
<p>School would probably want to hear about a bad experience student or parent had with any staff member. Especially since you found it out of character. Why not mail your note to the head of financial aid?</p>
<p>Wish you all happy times when April comes.</p>
<p>I was actually talking with the head of financial aid. 
</p>
<p>I think what she told me was institutional philosophy, and, in truth, I don’t disagree with it philosophically. Parents SHOULD have to pay for their children, even if those parents are divorced.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, many don’t, and my D’s bio dad is one who will not, even though he is very wealthy. </p>
<p>Sadly, that fact does not mean much at many schools, and Swarthmore is one. At other schools, there is more of a sense that you can waive the income from a non-contributing parent. At Swarthmore, that is not going to happen often, if at all.</p>
<p>So many kids are fighting this battle, and it seems pretty unfair, but I do understand the rationale. It is just horribly frustrating for kids who have, in a sense, been rejected already by a parent, and then are punished for that. I will tell you that it feels pretty awful as a parent to know that you have had a hand in causing that stress.</p>
<p>Fortunately, for my eldest daughter, we were able to go through with the adoption and sever parental rights. She is now in a different situation, where the assets of the people who are actually going to pay for college are considered, instead of adding those to the assets of two other people who have no intention of contributing, even though they are more able and morally ought to. </p>
<p>This is just another reason why divorce is really awful for kids. </p>
<p>I’ve always loved Swarthmore, and I think that most of the people there are great, but it isn’t a place to fall in love with if you have problematic finances.</p>