<p>AU’s site says it’s over 40,000 (a year, i think) and that they give out scholarships, etc.</p>
<p>Do they give out full rides?? And if not, has anyone gotten enough scholarship money that the cost is significantly lower? Can it be done?</p>
<p>well if you are an excellent student and are poor you will most likely get a lot of money.
all private schools are over $40k</p>
<p>My award offer was almost $30,000. It makes a pretty big dent. And you can probably appeal.</p>
<p>bookrabbit:</p>
<p>Out of curiosity, would you mind telling me your stats? Like, SAT/ACT, GPA, level of FA need? Feel free to decline, if you’re not comfortable.</p>
<p>I got $48,750
SAT:1690
GPA: 4.4/5
EFC: 1,904, my parents make around 40.5k</p>
<p>and the estimated cost for AU is 52099</p>
<p>My EFC is somewhere in the $20,000s, and I received a $22,000 merit scholarship and $5000 in financial aid ($2000 of that is federal work program). I was actually very surprised at how good the offer was.</p>
<p>jimonthewall: that is awesome - what are your stats? we have a high EFC and according my D, the award was around $7K (I’m out of town on business so I don’t know the details - killing time now on CC - LOL) and that’s just not going to be enough for her to attend.</p>
<p>Kudos to AU. I don’t know how they do it. They are able to be quite generous with merit scholarships and aid packages. I did not think they are that strong with endowments but maybe I am wrong. They certainly seem to manage finances well in favor of supporting student schooling costs. Makes me think they may actually have some very successful graduates and alum who are generous with supporting the school post-graduation (or other strong and well-heeled connections). </p>
<p>This is in sharp contrast to the abysmal financial aid packages reported by students re:, say, NYU, which one would think is a “wealthier” institution. </p>
<p>I do think institutions like AU should be commended and cited for their pro-student aid packages that allow higher ed in private schools to be “affordable.”</p>
<p>I had heard of their generosity by word of mouth from sonny’s peers (students accepted in previous years with generous merit and aid packages). It was one of the reasons AU was chosen as one of DS’s top colleges.</p>
<p>I was so worried that I wasn’t going to be able to afford AU with my low SAT scores, but I can. AU is extremely generous, and I am definite going to attend. All the FA aid I got was Grants and loans, absolutely no scholarships, only about 7k was loans, and 2k was job.</p>
<p>I disagree. my merit/aid package still left me to pay over double my EFC. I love American but I really can’t afford it</p>
<p>I was surprised my twins got in, but only one got aid. They had similar stats, actually the with the missing FA sheet, no grants, scholarships or loans, was slightly higher in SAT scores, both 3.9 GPA, but the one without aid, had many EC’s and an internship. I think it might have to do with them being twins, but I thought it was odd. They always give loans…</p>
<p>Though i t may seem so on this thread, AU doesn’t always give loans or aid. My S’s friend (female) had MUCH higher stats and received no aid of any kind.</p>
<p>Aid has nothing to do with how good your stats are, just how poor you are.</p>
<p>@nathalia
Completely untrue. My family makes quite a bit of money, and I’m getting 29k a year from American purely on merit aid.</p>
<p>haha sorry i thought that when hello5 said aid they meant just grants.</p>
<p>do they have specific stats they go by or is it first come first awarded?? sorry, i’m new to this…</p>
<p>They don’t have an objective list in regards to merit scholarships, but in general certain stats will net you a certain award. </p>
<p>20k Merit Scholarship for 2180 SAT / 3.81 UW / average - above average schedule (5 AP tests) / very strong ECs / average essays and recs</p>
<p>Obviously its only one example, but it may help in serving as a benchmark of some sort.</p>
<p>Natalia is right.
Merit aid is scholarship. You got scholarship and that is based on your performance. “Aid” on the other hand, (ie. grants and loans and work studies) are purely based on financial need.
Has anyone had an EFC of $10,000? Could I ask how much grant you were offered? I have not received my package yet, and if I dont get around 30K grant, I probably can not go. Loyola has offered me 33K!!! Hard to pass.</p>
<p>My D was given presidential scholarship ($27,000) plus $6000 in aid. Income is such that we did not expect the aid but with 2 in college decided to apply fill out financial aid app. to our surprise it helped</p>