<p>So I was just accepted to Wesleyan (YE!) :)</p>
<p>But after looking at my need-based financial aid award, I was disheartened. I was awarded about $22k of aid for freshman year (excluding work study and loans). This, however, doesn't cover anything close to my actual need. The only other offer I have gotten so far was from F&M. They offered $37k, which is doable.</p>
<p>I suspect I might have used a bit ambigious wording in my CSS PROFILE, and that they probably misunderstood something..</p>
<p>How would I politely ask Wes to reconsider? And should I mention F&M's award?</p>
<p>Congratulations on your admission to Wesleyan! </p>
<p>A couple words of advice. First, I would suggest that your parents, and not you, sign the letter of appeal. Your letter should focus on concrete, financial factors related to the CSS Profile, such as that your parents may have lost their jobs or experienced a major decline in income since they filled it out, or had an unfortunate financial or medical emergency. I would under no circumstances make reference to another college’s offer, because as the Wesleyan financial aid website makes (painfully) clear, they are not interested in “negotiating” your offer, and, barring one of those kinds of factors above, their initial offer is their best offer. Wesleyan’s policy is based on the idea that the student and family bear the primary responsibility for paying for your education. I hope it works out for you.</p>
<p>Since the low award probably was influenced by a misunderstanding, should the letter try to guess (and clarify) the areas where they might have miscalculated? </p>
<p>For example: I listed goverment aid as a funding source, but I will only receive this aid sophomore through senior years. I tried to explain this in my PROFILE, but I see now that the difference between Wesleyan’s and F&M’s awards is almost equal to this government aid I’ll receive Soph.-Senior years…</p>
<p>So should the letter try to clarify any matters that I feel might have been misunderstood? I really want to attend Wes, but paying close to $38k/year is just not possible for my family…</p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>
<p>EDIT: And is it possible to ask them for some sort of overview showing where they expect our EFC to come from? (income / assets / outside awards / etc.)</p>
<p>As both colleges looked at the same ambigious wording on your CSS Profile, you cannot assume that the FA award offer from Wesleyan was due to a misunderstanding. Colleges award aid – even 100% of need-based aid – on how much they WANT an applicant. In this case, either F&M wants you more than Wesleyan, or they have greater resources to offer you the aid. Bottom line: If you want to go to Wesleyan, your parents (not you) need to call the Wesleyan FA Office and see if Wesleyan will match F&M’s offer. Your parents should ask them to re-evaluate your FA based upon F&M’s offer (be prepared to send them by fax of pdf F&M’s offer).</p>
<p>^ Thanks! However, I have done the entire application and FA process myself, just working off my parents’ tax returns and other financial documents… Would it be a better idea to just fax a letter that my parents sign? They would be pretty useless over the phone as they’re clueless about the admissions process…</p>
<p>PS: I’m an international applicant and Wes states on their website that they only offer FA to 15 of 400 international applicants. So I hope that means they want me?</p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>
<p>EDIT!: F&M use their own forms and NOT the CSS PROFILE for internationals. So they did not read the same ambiguous wording concerning future government aid…</p>
<p>A faxed letter may not get the immediate attention of the FA office, as they are going to be too busy with phone calls from multiple parents and students. Given that you have done the entire FA process yourself, I would suggest that you (not your parents) call the FA office on Monday and be prepared to send them F&M’s FA offer.</p>
<p>^ Sounds like a good idea! Would waiting a week for any additional offers hurt me though? I’ve applied to Bard and a few others as well, so I might receive better FA offers from them… Two stronger offers for comparison would be better than one right? But could waiting a week hurt their perception of my “demonstrated interest” or their generosity? Any suggestions? Thanks!</p>
<p>Why “excluding loans”? The straight-up grant aid I got, as a US student, was nowhere near enough, but (it might be different for internationals, I don’t know) I/my parents are able to borrow up to the full cost of attendance for Wes. Loans are a huge part of a financial aid package, at least at colleges that offer loans; you can’t exclude them.</p>
<p>^ I did that to simplify my explanation. Both colleges offered me $3k/year in expensive loans. I will be taking on government loans in any case, but I’m trying to minimize the total amount. Even with F&M’s package I’ll still owe $40-50k at graduation…</p>