HMC's financial aid is TERRIBLE!

<p>I just noticed this now--I meant betting, not begging.</p>

<p>Haha after I read your original post I laughed. :)</p>

<p>IS there any way financial aid can be re-negotiated?- International kid facing major financial problems...</p>

<p>hey For5aken, it's not nice to laugh at me! I'm trying to come up with a threat to aim at you, but nothing's coming...</p>

<p>Muahaha! It's because I'm perfect!</p>

<p>oh dream on, For5aken! You can only DREAM of reaching the level of perfection that I'm at! hahaha</p>

<p>reggie<k>: sure. Call up the fin aid office and be sure to explain your circumstances</k></p>

<p>I'd say definitely call them up...they seemed like the nicest people in the world. I'm actually getting the best package from them--fafsa efc 7k, they expect me to pay around 8k, and gave me $33k grant..then with work study i figured i would have around $12k loans coming out of school which is hella better than even UCs (and i'm in-state) --and i turned in my forms really, really late (because i forgot)...like, end of march late.</p>

<p>good luck though! hopefully everything will work out. i figured they'd be rather generous with finaid since they have so few students...</p>

<p>so, s'vrone--heard anything yet? after all of us are posting to try and help you, you must keep us up to tab! :-D</p>

<p>I called them up. They told me about some really big number that is under the distributions section of my tax forms. I have no idea what it is, and neither do they I think. My parents contacted the guy who handles our taxes about it, and we've yet to hear.</p>

<p>I just don't know about the HMC financial aid department after this.</p>

<p>hmm that's odd. I'm sorry, that sucks... hopefully things will get better soon. Where else did you apply? (sry if you've already said this~I'm a ditz and forget). Good luck!</p>

<p>I applied to a ton of places, but now I have it narrowed down to MIT and Vanderbilt. I don't expect HMC's financial aid to be any better than MIT's, so I've pretty much given up on HMC.</p>

<p>Good luck at MIT/Vanderbilt, whichever one you go to :D</p>

<p>I would just like to comment on how amazing the office of fin aid is, and the director specifically. My fin aid package should have been reduced because of items in the confirmation tax forms by about $10k. But, my mom appealed the decision. The director of fin aid handled it herself and worked on it all day and came up with an answer. We are allowed to keep the old package. She says she understands our situation and agrees that it would be a financial burden on us if she changed it. This is my first of what I think many personal experinces at HMC. Truly an amazing package offered, and amazing understanding by the office.</p>

<p>Yeah, Mudd gave me a kickbutt finaid package. :)</p>

<p>wth????</p>

<p>i got 40k f.aid...</p>

<p>My parents are recently divorced. MY custodial parent makes less that 50k a year. My dad was in the hospital for half of the last year raking up 6 digit medical bills. We are in debt out the ass and we have zero in life savings due to the recent medical crisis.</p>

<p>I personally went down to HMC and talked with director of admission, as well as 2 financial aid advisors. They decided I am expected to pay just over 35.5 k per year. Is there something I am missing?</p>

<p>After contemplating it for about 3 1/2 minutes, I decided I am going to UC Riverside next year cuz its free and cuz its honors program is better than UC berkeley. Also, I was told i could easily transfer back to HMC, although I am not sure the validity of that statement.</p>

<p>Seiken, I'm very sorry to hear that. My family is in a sticky financial situation too that caused us to get less financial aid than we should have. But, my mom talked to the director of admissions and she personally increased the package to giving us around 33k/year in grants/scholarships. I don't understand why they also wouldn't be understanding in your situation. If it wasn't for their generosity, I wouldn't be able to go.</p>

<p>Seiken, I am sorry to hear that. I know this does not make you feel any better (and it is not meant to nullify your situation) but my parents are in the process of getting divorced right now. In addition, my able-body dad is seeking alimony from my mom even though the whole divorce was his fault (if you know what I mean). </p>

<p>I am paying full price... and after hearing your situation, it makes me angry that they don't seem to give a ***** about people who are going through real life struggles. They give minorities full rides (I'm not joking) and give fabulous scholarships to those who they really want but essentially give everyone else the middle finger. I'm very sorry.</p>

<p>"Oh, I'm sorry about your circumstances but we don't have enough money for you... but let's give a full ride to this less-qualified minority candidate."</p>

<p>If you are a female and are of minority, you have a great chance at a full ride at HMC. I'm trying to think of one of my minority female friends at school who have not received full rides (or near)... and I really can't think of any.</p>

<p>Wow, that's really bad, rocket. I didn't know HMC was like that. I guess I figured from my own personal situation that they just were just as generous with everyone else too. Affirmative action overall is just wrong. And people wonder why America is starting to lose ground to other countries in science...</p>