Harvard Financial Aid

[college5214]

<p>Ok so I didn't look at my aid as well as I should have. I will have to work to cover the $3,000 work study, but somehow also pull out $1,200 for my student contribution. I was going to call the financial aid office, but I guess harvard wants me to work during the summer as well to meet the extra cost. Is that normal or should I have asked for more? (not trying to be greedy just realistic in that I will be busy)</p>

[gibby]

<p>EVERY student that receives financial aid – and not just at Harvard, at hundreds of OTHER COLLEGES as well-- has a self-help portion which includes income from a summer job and a term-time job. That’s just the reality of financial aid. You obviously didn’t read Harvard’s website or other college’s websites before applying: Harvard: <a href=“Financial Aid Fact Sheet”>https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/how-aid-works/fact-sheet&lt;/a&gt;

Meeting the term-time work expectation</p>

<p>You may meet the entire expectation by working 10 to 12 hours per week.You may choose to borrow up to the entire expectation through a student loan that is credited directly to your term-bill account.

</p>

<p>Harvard: <a href=“Types of Aid”>https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/types-aid&lt;/a&gt;

We expect students to contribute to the cost of their education through summer and term-time employment. Student jobs are plentiful, and our aid package will include a term-time work expectation unless you have substantial outside awards.

</p>

<p>For comparison, here’s what Princeton says: <a href=“https://www.princeton.edu/admission/financialaid/whats_great/”>https://www.princeton.edu/admission/financialaid/whats_great/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

Low “self-help” requirement: Colleges typically include a self-help component in their aid packages, made up of a student loan to be repaid and a campus job amount to be earned during the school year. Because our no loan policy replaces student loans with grants, Princeton’s remaining self-help package is one of the lowest among our peer institutions. Freshmen entering in the fall of 2013 can earn the $2,900 term-time job amount by working only 9 hours per week.</p>

<p>A generous summer savings policy: We have a low summer savings expectation of $1,530 for entering freshmen. Partial grants are available to replace the summer earnings requirement for students who are unable to save the expected amount.

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<p>And over at Yale: <a href=“http://admissions.yale.edu/financial-aid-prospective-students#101”>http://admissions.yale.edu/financial-aid-prospective-students#101&lt;/a&gt;

The Self-Help Contribution is typically met by working on Yale’s campus, where minimum wage is currently $12.00 an hour. Student jobs are available in academic departments, laboratories, and administrative offices on campus. </p>

<p>Student Income Contribution: A predetermined student contribution that can be met with summer earnings.

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[T26E4]

<p>If your summer plans prevent work (such as a fellowship, summer classes overseas, etc.), you can request a waiver for the summer employment contribution – if indeed, it prevents you from earning a normal salary.</p>

[WasatchWriter]

<p>We are also faced with this. I wasn’t really unsurprised, because I had run a bazillion net price calculators in the summer and fall. Also, when I attended Vassar 30 years ago, I had a lot of friends who worked a similar load for similar reasons, so it’s nothing new or unexpected.</p>

[fauve]

<p>OP- in what way will you be “busy” this summer? You are expected to work to contribute to your education both in the school term and the summer.</p>

[lacgrad]

<p>Scholarships can be used to cover your work study and your summer earnings expectations.</p>

[gibby]

<p>Just so the OP is clear on the issue: <a href=“Types of Aid | Harvard”>https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/types-aid/outside-awards&lt;/a&gt; </p>

[college5214]

<p>Thank you. Just to make it clear, I am by no means unwillingly to work. As for being “busy” during the school year, it will be my first year of college away from home and I know it will take time to adjust, plus all the studying. During this summer, I won’t be able to work most likely. I would like to visit the family I haven’t seen in 12 years, right after I graduate high school. (Usually during the summer I help my father with his work and volunteer.) Not sure if I can find work in the rural town where my family lives and only work to support themselves though their small farm. I am extremely grateful for what I already have been given (no way I could attend without it) and am quite fine with working during the school year (I’ll meet new people!)</p>

[T26E4]

<p>That’s a personal decision then, @college5214. H works in an expected $1200 contribution based on this upcoming summer’s expected earnings. How you meet that shortfall will be up to you. They’re not going to incr their aid to you or waive this requirement when it holds for all other Fin Aid recipients. Best of luck to you, enjoy the summer, enjoy your transition to Cambridge!</p>

[threeandfourdays]

<p>I will also be receiving financial aid from Harvard. However, I remember speaking with a financial aid officer and she said that this expected contribution was only an expectation, not a requirement. Financial aid only recommends this for your own personal expenses. </p>

[gibby]

<p>^^ I think you misunderstood. In a financial aid award, a student’s term-time job and summer earnings are included in the student contribution portion of the award… Those contributions, along with the parent contribution, are added together to compute “Total Resources.” The scholarship you receive is your budget (room, board, tuition, books, personal expenses, travel expenses) minus your total resources. So, it’s not an expectation, but money you either have to earn or you/your parents need to come up with.</p>