I understand that after initial offers, families have the opportunity to approach colleges and try to negotiate a higher Financial Aid award (useful for families whose EFC’s are making that college out of reach). My S has been awarded Presidential scholarships to a couple of small LAC’s (Georgetown college and Earlham). They both are for full tuition. A friend said “these LAC’S give all highly qualified admits that award” and suggested that focused bargaining might yield help in chipping down the still substantial room and board. On the other hand, if these are not fairly common, I wonder if it is insulting to ask for more aid? We are by no means wealthy, haven’t had vacations, our kids don’t have cars, yada yada. Two kids in college and he will be going to BSU if we can’t find a way to lower the bill. Impressions about what is typical out there?
Thanks!
If you can’t go without more aid, ask for it. The worst they can say is ‘no.’ Are the schools giving full tuition to everyone? No, but for some schools that’s the max.
If you truly can’t afford to send your son to those colleges without more aid, you should ask about more. If you let them know that you’re grateful for what has been offered but simply can’t make it work without more, they shouldn’t be insulted. You have nothing to lose by asking if he can’t/won’t go there with the current package.
What are the costs after tuition is taken care of by the scholarship? Still too much after a $5,500 federal loan, savings from student summer employment and expected student earnings while in school?
IMO, getting a school to go beyond full-tuition as an award may be tough simply because room and board are real costs (the school has to shell out real money for food and maintenance on housing for each additional student; “free tuition” means just an extra person in a few classes–they don’t pay the profs more for that).
And of course not every student gets that scholarship. Not sure how qualified is “highly qualified”
Room and Board is ~$15K at GTown and <$10K at Earlham. With a $5500 student loan and a summer job Earlham should be workable. How much CAN you pay for school?
These are very reasonable responses! Thank you so much for giving me reframes (and an idea of what a kid can reasonably expect of himself). High school has been such an incredible press of demanding events, I don’t think he’s given much thought to how much he could earn summers. Again, I appreciate your perspective.
Also remember any gift aid above tuition and books is taxable income to your son
Are you looking for a free ride?
How much can the PARENTS contribute each year??
Of course these schools aren’t giving free tuition to everyone or even half of their students. How would they keep the lights on if they did?
Full tuition scholarships are generally only for the most desirable recruits. However, half-tuition and smaller merit scholarships are pretty common at small LACs. Your son did great to get those scholarships, and your friend is just raining on your parade.
That being said, if you are living in a cardboard shack and truly need more money to afford a college, you can appeal a financial aid offer. You may not have your financial need-based offer yet: Typically, merit awards are included in the admissions offer, but financial aid is not calculated until admissions decides who is in. Did you file all required financial aid forms? Are the remaining costs far above your EFC?
What do you mean by “who is in”? Typically, offers of need-based financial aid are included with the admissions acceptance, unless it is a rolling admissions or EA acceptance early in the process.
The acceptance letter with merit award said financial aid possibilities were still being tabulated and would be sent later - yes he sent in fafsa and financial aid application with his other materials. Sorry if this question sounds ridiculous - but kid worked like a dog, accumulated great stats and yes, we are comparing to the full rides offered by Big State Universities, but he is longing for a smaller environment after giant magnet high school. I didn’t know what to tell him to hope for (like: kid, forget it. private schools never give more than 5 free rides a year OR this was pretty good, don’t give up hope yet). Your input has been very helpful. Thanks!
That was not my experience. Daughters received merit awards from the admissions offices with/shortly after admissions (in October and Nov) and financial aid offers from the financial aid office in the spring. This was when FAFSA couldn’t be submitted until 1/1.
You can ask, but be polite, and don’t be surprised if most schools don’t budge.
Most colleges want to see you contribute something. Merit scholarships are to attract high stats students, and no, not everyone gets them. Many schools don’t offer them at all. I think the anomaly is a school that gives a full, free ride. Most want to see you at least a little invested unless it’s absolutely impossible. It sounds like you’re in the enviable position of having that option somewhere.
Many kids fall in love with schools that are not the cheapest option and sometimes not affordable, so yes, that could be the outcome. It will help, though, if you don’t speak of it to your child as something he earned or deserves for his hard work, as dissapointed as you may be because then it may seem like “if only you’d done more, well…” Your kid sounds impressive and hopefully would have applied himself in any case and like one who will succeed anywhere. See what the FA packages look like, figure out how much ramen you can eat, then talk to the schools to see if they can bridge the gap.
Good luck!
It is great that your son worked worked like a dog and accumulated great stats. for that work he was “rewarded” with an admission and a scholarship that was provided through the generosity of others. Remember that parents are first in line to pay for college When all is said and done you as A family will have to determine what is a financially feasible option.
you must also realize that a lot of small LACs do not have big pocket endowments. Georgetown College does not meet 100%demonstrated need. If the scholarship has taken care of tuition then you only have room board and misc items. If your EFC is low enough to revive a pell grant, which would be an entitlement, you need to know if you will get this on top of the scholarship. as others have stated, of your son borrows his federal loan of $5500 an works now and through the summer hopefully you can get your out of pocket cost below 10k. How much can you afford to pay/borrow.
very sensible replies! He does count himself lucky in addition to work (much harder working and less entitled than older sister - but thats another story!) You have given great coaching input!
Right, because your daughters probably applied EA or rolling in the fall. Most admissions decisions are still ED or spring RD, hence my use of the word “typically,” and those admissions acceptances will come with need-based aid offers (or denials) if the applicant applied for aid.
But this thread is by someone who has already heard and is wondering where her aid awards are. Lots of schools give out acceptances before March, and they don’t all have financial awards before March. We don’t know when they’ll come this year because it is the first with the early FAFSA, but I only saw a few schools that changed their preference dates for FAFSA filing.
Congrats on two tuition scholarships!
Of course there is travel to and from school and books as well. Hopefully your student will get some need-based aid, though as already pointed out there is no way of telling how much until later.
Are you waiting on any other acceptances from need-based schools that might offer more generous financial aid (again, based on need alone)? Or any schools that might offer Presidential scholarships that include room and board?
We are also hoping to send our next student to a LAC and Earlham is on our radar. Looks like room and board is $9,920 and another $930 for fees? Can your family swing it with the subsidized loan, summer earnings and maybe a couple of outside scholarships, even small local ones? Every little bit helps…