<p>I'm a rising sophomore in CALS at Cornell. I submitted all of my paperwork necessary to determine a financial aid package for me on time, but I have yet to receive a financial aid package, and it's August 11th...classes start in 11 days! I don't know what to do, I'm freaking out because I definitely cannot attend Cornell without financial aid, and to make it worse, I contacted the financial aid office and they said I should receive one in "4-5 WEEKS if not sooner" :O this is ridiculous. Can it get to the point where they run out of funds so they result to giving me less aid then before? The financial aid officer said she was advising families to start making payments for the same contribution they did last year but last year I had a scholarship and took classes at Cornell in the summer before freshman year so my contribution changed. I don't know what to do, my family is freaking out as well, I feel like Cornell pushed its current students aside in order to woo incoming freshmen >:(</p>
<p>^^ My S was in the same spot-- he had all his finaid requirements submitted well before the deadline except for the cursed IRS Transcript. The IRS finally lobbed that in 3 months after we filed and he finally received his finaid last week. </p>
<p>The FinAid office had advised us to pay what we did last year and if there were any problems with the Bursar’s Office (e.g a penalty for paying too little/too late) FinAid said they would sort it out with the Bursar.</p>
<p>He too was worried as his outside scholarships were not as significant as last year, but Cornell seemed to take that into account and our 2012-13 Family Contribution is very much the same as last year’s.</p>
<p>I would not be too concerned about Cornell “running out of money.” You are a returning student and are already on the ledger. Just have your parents send in what they did last August and then wait until you are notified. It is my understanding (and experience) that finaid is stable year-to-year unless there is a dramatic change in a family’s financial circumstances.</p>
<p>^^Ethano: Did you not receive a finaid award with your offer of admission in March or shortly thereafter, in advance of accepting the offer of admission? Or are you saying that the actual finaid dollars have not been credited to your Bursar’s bill?</p>
<p>Under all circumstances do not give them any money if you have not gotten your financial aid package yet. They pull the “just pay what you did last year” crap on everyone. Once you give them money there is no leveraging your aid in case you need to appeal. Obviously, you’ll need to pay at a certain point in the semester when you’ll start running into registration problems, but delay it as long as you can.</p>
<p>This is speaking from experience, dealing with this school’s honestly awful financial aid office. I’m a senior now and FINALLY this year I received a fair aid package on time. I believe their priorities are Freshman >>>>>>>> Seniors > Juniors > Sophomores. I got mine last Thursday so hopefully you’ll run into luck soon.</p>
<p>There is light at the end of the tunnel though! I basically don’t owe cornell a penny now for the next year and then I graduate. It’s a great feeling One day you’ll hopefully know it.</p>
<p>The OP expressed that the delay in receiving his/her finaid award has created a stressful situation. Delaying paying anything until he/she ‘starts to run into registration problems’ hardly seems like an approach that will serve to reduce the stress level.</p>
<p>To the OP: Assuming your family’s financial situation has not changed dramatically from last year then you can and should expect your family contribution will be close to what you paid last year. If you believe that paying something close to that amount in good faith now – before the aid is awarded – will alleviate your stress, then consider doing so. </p>
<p>If your family’s financial situation has changed from last year (supported by data you have already submitted, or plan to submit on appeal) and you are expecting more aid than last year, paying a reduced amount may still help to lessen your stress. </p>
<p>However, if your objective is similar to ^ who appears to finally be satisfied only now, after three years, because he/she does not “owe Cornell a penny for the next year” then best of luck.</p>
<p>Thanks for your replies everyone. My families circumstances have changed, as illustrated on my mom’s 1040, she took a $5,000 pay cut so I’m assuming that would play a role in my family contribution, I looked on fafsa and hesc.org, and my TAP award in addition to my Pell Grant was also increased. As I mentioned in my original post, I had a scholarship and took classes at Cornell during the summer before my freshman year so my family contribution was less than it would’ve been initially, so I wouldnt know how much to pay anyway, hopefully this gets resolved soon because now I have a hold on my student center -____-</p>
One day you’ll hopefully know it.</p>