<p>I still do! But I didn't receive enough financial aid, and at this point, it seems improbable that I will be able to attend. At the end of 4 years I will be over $100,000 in debt if I go to Wellesley. Do you guys think the financial aid office would be willing to negotiate with my family? All input is appreciated! Thanks</p>
<p>The only thing you can do is try. $100K is a <em>lot</em>. Your parents should contact the Financial Aid office and ask for a review. I negotiated with Smith when their FinAid offer wasn't as good as others and it worked out...we're still paying an "ouch!" amount but it was worth the effort.</p>
<p>The most salient question is, how is Wellesley's aid compared to that offered by other colleges? Do you just have a very high EFC?</p>
<p>i also thought that wellesley would give me more money, considering how large their endowment is. my family does have a large EFC, but the financial aid given was still about 5k less than what the tuition-the EFC is. </p>
<p>personally, i'm taking a year off, and i think my parents are going to work on "rearranging" their assets (which apparently, a lot of people do... we didn't really worry about it this year, since we knew that i would have to reapply next year). also, keep in mind that as your family savings/your savings are depleted (from paying tuition), your EFC will go down and your financial aid will go up. </p>
<p>if wellesley doesn't increase my aid, and if i pay for at least 50% of the tuition, i'll graduate with around 60,000 in debt. i don't know if this is unrealistic, but my plan is to defer enrollment in grad school for a year, move back in with my parents, and work 2 jobs for a year, so that i can pay off my loans. </p>
<p>i kind of feel like a degree from wellesley would be worth it. from what i've heard, it carries a lot of weight, both with the reputation and the alumni network. </p>
<p>i hope that i helped (a little) with your question, nanaama. </p>
<p>also, advice is always appreciated. </p>
<p>and, finally, as a personal rant: it bothers me that my parents have saved money, like crazy squirrels, since i was a little kid, and now they're being asked to use that to pay for college. don't get me wrong.. i know that being in a situation where (potentially) my family can pay for college is a blessing, not a curse. but i also know that ever since i can remember, my father has left the house by 7AM, and usually doesn't get home until 8 or 9, on top of working internationally and being on the phone at all hours of the night. my mom went from being an editor (with a schedule similar to my father's) when i was younger to being a teacher when i was in elementary school. their highest priority has always been to stay debt free, and to save everything. i live in an affluent community, and i've watched friends whose parents make more, the same, or less money than mine go on several vacations, live in nicer homes, drive nicer cars, etc. and now, for the most part, they've been offered more financial aid. </p>
<p>i'm more than grateful that my family is secure. it just bothers me that by being responsible, we're getting hurt in the end. i'm aware that my parents will probably end up with a similar financial situation as the families who didn't save. am i being unreasonable? if my perspective is out of touch, i want to know. mostly, i'm just sad, because i don't want to hurt my parents. i've seen them work far too hard.</p>
<p>Your perspective is out of touch. The fact that your parents saved money is helping you now, not hurting you. The biggest factor that determined your EFC is how much money your parents are currently earning. You end up with a very high EFC if you parents earn a lot, even if they didn't save very much (you can test this by playing with an online calculator). The idea is they can make other adjustments to their lifestyle to pay for college from earned income if it is high enough. So, be grateful your parents saved enough for you to be able to have a Wellesley education!</p>
<p>Thanks guys! My family's EFC is rather high. According to the FAFSA, we're supposed to contribute nearly $31,000 per year. However, the money simply isn't available. Cornell gave me a package similar to Wellesley's. Villanova and GW were by far the worst in terms of aid. Pitt, Delaware, and American have made it possible for me to graduate from their schools with minimal/no debt. It's looking like I'm going to end up at Pitt. Like you, islander, I really feel that a Wellesley degree could be and will be advantageous, and the school seems like a good fit for me.</p>