<p>It's such a shame that my financials won't work out... I know for a fact I will not be offered any need based aid, even though for my parents to pay full tuition for Harvard would require a tremendous sacrifice. And considering how I want to go to medical school, it wouldn't be financially astute either. </p>
<p>But Harvard is still a dream for me...do you guys think there is any way I could write a letter that would convince them to give me aid? Has this ever happened before? I'm getting full tuition merit scholarships from multiple Top 20 colleges...</p>
<p>If your parents expected financial contribution is the full cost of Harvard, your chances are slim to none of getting aid.</p>
<p>Harvard will not care about the fact that other colleges offered you merit aid. Harvard will care about your documented financial need. </p>
<p>The only way that you could get aid would be if there's solid information backing your need for that aid. That solid information can't be that your parents have the money that could pay your costs, but they don't want to use their money for that purpose.</p>
<p>It is nearly impossible to 'convince' Harvard to give you aid if the financials don't work out that way. They will, sometimes, give students other perks. And you can line up great on-campus jobs in advance, need-blind, as it were, by talking to the right people.</p>
<p>hoestly, if you can't afford it, DO NOT bury yourself in loans. Harvard is a great school, but so are other top 20's. there was a great CC thread about the debt that college kids rack up nowaadys...</p>
<p>Read the USNews list of "best values". The top Ivies, Caltech and MIT, for those wh must be concerned about finances, are generally more affordable than the big publics.</p>