<p>Although Cornell is one of my top choices and I've started on my common app essays already :D there is no way my family can afford an Ivy league education for me without a generous financial aid.</p>
<p>This is what I've HEARD from some people - that Cornell gives out financial aid to students from low income families no matter what?
So to all Cornellians out there, I'd like to ask if this is true?!</p>
<p>and when colleges say that their admission is "need blind" - do they REALLY mean NEED-BLIND?
I don't want my family's low income to have a negative effect on my chance of admission.</p>
<p>It is very true. My family isn’t even considered low income (we’re middle class) and it’s cheaper for me to go to Cornell than it is for me to go to University of Texas (in-state). Granted, the packages vary by person, but they’re pretty good about financial aid. There are people that have had bad experiences, and people that have had good experiences, but overall I’d say it’s pretty good.</p>
<p>Maybe not as good as HYP, but better than most other schools.</p>
<p>I am pretty happy with my aid package, although the financial aid department was incredibly bureaucratic about emergency appeal when my mom lost her job.</p>
<p>It is all based on how much your family makes, assets, savings, etc. However, I think they are slightly more generous to minorities (which I am), but still I feel like the financial aid will be better than at most schools. </p>
<p>Granted, with all the hits the endowments (not just Cornell’s, but most schools’) are taking, FA may be a little stingier in the years to come, but I still think things will be affordable.</p>
<p>OP: Cornell is fairly generous with aid, but it is still a challenge for low-income families to send their kids here. Even if the parents’ expected financial contribution is zero, every Cornell student is expected to contribute anywhere from $2,000 to $3,000 of their summer earnings towards their education. This may not sound like much to most people, but it is often the case for low-income students that all of this money gets absorbed into paying household bills. So if you’re in a tight situation, you should still be prepared to take out some loans to cover tuition, books, and start up costs (computers, school supplies). Of course, if you get an offer to attend Cornell, I believe it definitely would an opportunity worth accumulating debt for. </p>
<p>If Cornell is faithful to its mission, then yes, admission is truly need-blind. As anecdotal evidence, my family is on food stamps, medicare, and all sorts of other public aid, but I still got in. In hindsight it was probably a bad idea to apply early decision, but I was fortunate because Cornell is willing to work with students to make Cornell affordable (if you can get past all of the bureaucracy!). So, yes, in my experience low-income students are admitted so long as they are qualified applicants. </p>
<p>ZFanatic: I doubt they would be more generous toward minorities than they would everyone else. Cornell’s policy is supposed to be strictly need-based; giving more aid simply based on minority status would be discriminatory and violate the spirit of the university’s financial aid program. Though I’ve observed myself that many minorities receive financial aid. But I think this is more a result of the fact that most low-income students happen to be minorities.</p>
<p>Yeah, apparently the new finaid initiative (no parent contribs for income <60k/100k assets) was to get more minorities to apply. But they give everyone the same need-based aid based on income, assets, sibs in college, etc.</p>
<p>Does anyone know how this applies to transfer students? I just received a catalog from them, and it says that “incoming transfer students receive the same consideration as entering freshman for aid.” But so far in our email correspondence, they tell me no figures (even estimates) can be given, only that they are committed to financial aid etc.</p>
<p>So if I’m accepted and have an estimated family contribution that is low, say 4000, the mega tuition would be more like 4000+student summer income? And perhaps with work study included in the package right?</p>
<p>the Cornell website will show you what Cornell assumes is your total costs - a double room and a certain level meal plan, and so much for books. If you ask for a single, your costs will be higher and you will need to come up with more student contribution. Eat less, more money for books - or whatever. </p>
<p>but yes, there will be a student contribution over the summer, plus work during the school year. there are jobs on campus. and if your family income is over the levels listed in the Cornell guidelines, you will have loans as part of your finaid package.</p>
<p>All this is really great to read. I’m currently a community college student in California with a very high GPA. I plan on applying to CU (communications major/marketing minor) this coming spring, and hopefully I’m accepted as a fall 2010 transfer.</p>
<p>So if im an out of state student and i apply to CALS (which is public?) would i not get any substantial financial aid? my family makes less than $70,000/yr, not low income, but if they do not give me any scholarship/finaid i definitely am not able to afford a $50,000 tuition. </p>
<p>cals has the same financial aid policies as the rest of the university AFAIK, its not really public, it just gets some state funding in return for giving lower tuition rates for in state students, Cornell still has complete autonomy over the land grant schools.</p>
<p>Also packages vary from person to person because financial situations can be extremely diverse and as such financial aid formulas are designed to work for most common situations but they don’t necessarily perfectly cover every case. For most people Cornell’s financial aid fairs well good compared to most other schools. However people with unique circumstances may get more or less than they actually need.</p>
<p>Also they very well may give more aid to minorities and athletic recruits, but if they do they would never admit it.</p>