<p>Unless you are getting a named scholarship, you just aren’t going to get more than ~$18k. I cannot speak to the need based FA, but that is very true of merit money at Ithaca.</p>
<p>S got FA letter today. Sadly, no nb aid was offered besides loans. We can get loans on our own. We will appeal but are not optimistic at this point. And S will not attend if a significant amount of $ is not offered. S would like to finish undergrad with no debt, so he said that he is not even considering taking out loans.</p>
<p>Got my appeal back today, was not offered any additional money. Very dissapointing. My parents say we can try to make it work, but I’m not sure I want to be in debt for the rest of my life.</p>
<p>worldforgetting - You are very smart to be apprehensive about taking out loans to attend IC. A friend (over 11 years graduated from college) recently told my son that student loans ‘steal your tomorrows’. We found that very enlightening. For us, borrowing money is totally unnecessary because DS has been offered scholarships at other schools and will not have to borrow a cent to attend. Seems like a no-brainer to me and DH, but DS’s heart is set at IC.</p>
<p>Well, DS decided last week not to attend IC. The cost is too high and he is adamant about not borrowing money. With IC scholarships and the GI Bill, he would have had 3 semesters paid free. But then there are 5 more semesters, and he wants to graduate debt free since he plans to go to grad school and must pay for it himself. </p>
<p>I must say that I am very disappointed because we both felt that this was the perfect learning environment for his major. </p>
<p>Good luck to everyone who decides to attend.</p>
<p>My son will not be attending Ithaca either. We were quite sad about this decision for a few weeks, but now time has given our family some distance and we realize that we would have really had a hard time affording it. My son is looking forward to attending the college he did chose and we have emotionally moved on as well…</p>
<p>Give it a few weeks and you’ll really start to get psyched about the school he will be attending…</p>
<p>Thank you to all who replied. I won’t be attending Ithaca, I will be attending the Newhouse school at Syracuse University.</p>