<p>Its the conundrum for many, including those admitted before the crash. In the end, Fordham is like many other schools and will throw money at those they really want (URM’s), and those with high stats and scores. The very poor get pellgrants and often tons of financial aid. The middle group often gets squeezed. Welcome to life in the real world. </p>
<p>Its not fair, it just is.</p>
<p>So, you wait, as suggested above for the package to come in. Fordham is not horrible, but its not loaded to the gills like the Ivy’s and some other schools with bazillions to give away. In the end, the difference between a scholarship and a grant is merely prestige. The scholarship has a tag with it on meeting gpa requirements. The grant has a tag on it with meeting financial aid requirements. </p>
<p>You will take some loans. Nothing wrong with REASONABLE loans. They expect you to make some sacrifices too. Its also healthy, in my view, because it makes kids work harder and stay focused, so they get that outstanding job to pay off those loans. </p>
<p>Every family has to evaluate the value of a Jesuit education (or other private college), against the low relative cost of public colleges. For some, they can’t make that rationalization and opt for public. Its very common. But some find a way to make the sacrifice and are richly rewarded with a superb education at Fordham, outstanding opportunities. Now I would NOT take out a bunch of private loans and go DEEPLY into debt for undergraduate school. That is foolish. But taking the max federal subsidized stafford loans for 4 years? Absolutely worth the price of admission.</p>
<p>If you have to dip into parents retirement funds, then you could work an agreement with mom and dad for repayment terms at some future point in your life, when you are well on your feet and able to repay it. </p>
<p>But for now, don’t panic. It is daunting, yes. The old adage is “my kid went to college and we went into poverty.” That is a joke and I would not suggest doing that of course. </p>
<p>Sadly, college is becoming so expensive that it is becoming another weapon in class warfare. Its just the simple truth (that many are in denial about.) Its further exasperating to know that often the rich kids get buckets of scholarship money because of the privilege of a superb private prep school education that some colleges favor. </p>
<p>Hang in there, you may be surprised and find a way. Everyone here on CC in the Fordham family is delighted you like Fordham. </p>
<p>(As for theatre kids, I don’t have a clue about that. You can go on the Fordham website under financial aid and scholarships and peruse some of the listed scholarshps. I don’t know if they have the same or different standards for theatre kids or not. No clue.) </p>
<p>I will say this much, my D2 is headed off to college next year and got a lovely scholarship from a much lower ranking private school. Highly competitive schools like Fordham mean that scholarships go to kids with uberstats (above 1400 SAT’s generally and top 5%). But lower ranking schools often have generous scholarships for good but not stellar applicants. Just a thought.</p>
<p>Finally, you have the option of attending a SUNY or your local state college for a year and reapplying to Fordham as a transfer. That is a way to save a lot of money. Its not optimal but it works.</p>
Fordham has been my S’s top choice since summer before Junior year although NYU is aclosesecond. Both really expensive schools and we will not qualify for financial aid not that we won’t have problems finding $53K for college either. S has already started using the Fordham bag given to him at the Fall open house, the one I cautioned him against using because it might not come to be. </p>