Hi everyone, I’ve found out that I was accepted to Stanford last week, and Princeton in December. My family income is in the 140k-160k bracket. Princeton offered a generous 42k, while I have to wait on Stanford for their official award letter due to some missing paperwork. However, from Stanford’s calculator, it seems like I’ll only be getting 30k. In addition, I applied to Harvard and will be hearing back this week, but from their financial aid calculator, they’re giving close to 50k! Is this difference normal for these three schools? Should I try to fax Princeton’s award letter (or Harvard’s if I’m accepted) to Stanford and see if they can reevaluate the aid amount?
Thanks for any input!
Apparently you are that short of challenges in your life that you need to go looking for some. Wait until you have 3 offers in your hand and know the actual out of pocket / debt implications for each (compare them carefully: total $ amount is the headline, but sometimes the terms of how the package is made up can make one that looks smaller actually a better deal).
Then figure out which is your actual first choice of where you want to go to college. If your actual first choice = the one with the lowest cost - well, you are fresh out of problems.
If your actual first choice is not the lowest cost one, then -politely!- send a nice note to your actual first choice saying that you would lovelovelove to come, but the net cost differential is too high compared to your second choice (per the attached letter), and could they match it?
Well…this goes right up there with first world problems. Congratulations on your acceptances.
These schools have different ways of calculating their need based aid awards. But sure, if Stanford is really yoir number one choice, and you can’t pay the costs to attend…then you can say that you received more generous offers from two schools and see what the say.
But really…are you saying that your parents can’t help you with college costs at Stanford?
At places other than PSH (and Y) you would have gotten precious little need based aid…period.
I don’t know about Stanford but Princeton and Harvard tend to offer much more generous aid packages than most elite schools. Other schools know that. I doubt Stanford will match. But I agree, lot’s of folks trying to decide between State U and $30k+ per year for top 20 private. You’re in a good position.