<p>Hey all,</p>
<p>The title pretty much explains it. I really like both schools, but I can't even consider Pomona unless I have more financial aid. They said that they calculated my need and I didn't qualify for any scholarships or grants, but Wesleyan gave me 14,000 in grant money for aid. Is it worth emailing or writing Pomona to ask for an appeal? What would you recommend doing?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>It’s worth asking if you’d go if they match Wesleyan’s offer. Can’t hurt.</p>
<p>yes-- but be tactful. you want to say you prefer pomona, but you have to consider financial aid, and explain your circumstances why you need more aid, and what W is offering you. my D had a better offer from another prestigious school, and pomona upped their offer after she said just that. they didn’t match 100%, but they came close enough that she went to pomona.</p>
<p>I called this afternoon and explained my situation, and they called back and said they would essentially match Wesleyan’s offer!!</p>
<p>My question is this. Presumably Wesleyan’s financial aid offer would be 14K better than the offer from Pomona for all four years. When they said they would match, does the “special” conditions cover all 4 years or just next year?</p>
<p>Well they didn’t specifically say they would “match” their aid, but they gave enough so that it was essentially the same cost. I think it is their policy to continue giving the same amount of aid over 4 years unless there is a dramatic change.</p>
<p>since the amount it a significant amount, it might be a good idea to ask.</p>
<p>good question, but I don’t think colleges commit to any need based aid for all 4 years, so I don’t think a commitment, other than a very soft one, will be forthcoming. By the same token, there’s no guarantee that weslyan will continue their financial aid in that amount for all 4 years. the only time you really have a firm commitment for aid is when you get scholarships or other merit based aid, when the deal is for all 4 years right from get-go (and sometimes with conditions attached, eg, minimum gpa). Your needs, and their endowment and budgets, can change over 4 years. At some point you just have to take the plunge and hope for the best.</p>
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<p>We had a financial review since Pomona’s FA package was significantly below other schools. They first said they’d make no change and then came back and said they’d increase by a few thousand (better, but not matching the other offers). When I asked if this increase would hold all 4 years, they said yes, as long as our finances remained about the same as they are this year.</p>
<p>What I find odd is how Wesleyan and Pomona could look at the same Financial Aid data - I’m assuming the same FAFSA, and same EFC number - and conclude you didn’t need any financial aid while Wesleyan offered 14K in grant money, which is need based. Has Pomona a separate Pomona-specific financial aid application and formula? Maybe the OP omitted some details of his/her financial aid offers from both schools. Maybe Pomona offered loans only? Something is missing, because the EFC is the EFC. And if both colleges meet full need, the total financial aid package should be cost of attendance minus the EFC.</p>
<p>@plain- Most colleges have their own definition of need. Often a specific college’s EFC is lower than the FAFSA EFC, especially if the college offers generous aid like these two schools. (The reverse can also be true.) For someone else, Pomona may have offered a much better FA package than Wesleyan. Often colleges will consider another school’s offer, especially if they are of comparable quality and aid standards, like Wesleyan and Pomona. This is one of the reasons students apply to a dozen schools and why students hold off applying early decision. It allows them to compare aid packages and appeal aid by showing colleges other packages.</p>
<p>My d’s financial aid offers were all very different, albeit in a narrower range. Putting aside the public colleges (who didn’t offer anything) the range was from a low of $1000 (Washington University at St. Louis) to a high of $10.500 (Carleton College). Notre Dame was on the low side and wouldn’t come close to matching Carleton. I think with the Ivies the offers are more consistent because by agreement they use the same formula so as not to undercut each other-- at least that’s what I’ve heard.</p>
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<p>Yes, every Profile school has their own formulas, although some may be similar.</p>
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<p>There’s no set ‘Ivy’ FA formula from what I know. And I can say definitely (from 2 yrs of personal experience) that since the change in FA policies by HYPS four years ago, HYP are substantially more generous than Brown & Dartmouth, as well as other top colleges like WUSTL, Amherst and Pomona.</p>
<p>I would guess that the reason for the discrepancy was that Pomona took my step-mom’s income into account, while Wesleyan didn’t</p>
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<p>Aha. That explains it. Thanks WiscoKid. While I knew different colleges will give different amounts of aid, I assumed the only two variables were differences in cost of attendance and whether a school’s policy was to meet full need. But I always assumed full need was a constant defined by the FAFSAS EFC. If both schools have a policy of meeting full need and the cost of attendance is identical, then it seems logical they would offer the exact same amount in financial aid, although how it is distributed (merit scholarship, grant, loans, work-study, etc.) might be very different. That has been my experience with my kids.</p>
<p>Wow. Wesleyan did not count your step-mom’s income. That was very generous.</p>
<p>July 1, late Friday afternoon. Pomona called my son and said he’d been accepted. Despite the huge financial aid from Wesleyan, where we’d already put a deposit, he was given an even greater scholarship to Pomona, which, on paper,makes it a very easy decision. However, it’s hard to turn down an amazing school like Wesleyan and he is concerned that he may regret this decision. Any feedback would be appreciated.</p>
<p>What a great problem! Your son has two wonderful choices. From my perspective as a parent who has a son at Pomona and one at Yale, I can speak to the quality of life and opportunity to experience a different climate and culture. California is much different than Connecticut. Our son at Pomona leads a very healthy lifestyle, he enjoys a lot of outdoor activities and has extremely small wardrobe needs. It doesn’t take much space to pack shorts and flip flops. He has taken camping and hiking trips over breaks and occasionally gets into LA for concerts or to the beach. He is a rising senior and has received an outstanding education. The paid summer research opportunities are invaluable, (especially for science majors) and the advising has been excellent. He has also had the opportunity to continue music study and compete in a varsity sport.
The school really does “run like butter” and the financial aid department is very fair in awarding aid to those who need it.
Flying into Ontario as opposed to LAX makes the trip to Claremont much easier. </p>
<p>You may contact me personally if you have any specific questions.</p>
<p>I guess the only one to speak directly to your question who be someone who attended both schools. From all I have read both are great schools but I am going speak strickly has a parent. I do not know where you are located. Given two schools with similar academic strengths and both affordable, if asked by my son, I would recommend the one closer to home. Pomona is about 450 miles from my house. That is far enough away that we do not see each other all that often but close enough that coming home is not all that difficult. The large number of flights between here an Ontario allows him to go back and forth in a day. He was able to snag an internship last summer due to the ability to make a quick trip home. This summer he is working at Pomona. Though I hope this never happens to any of you I want to relate a personal experience that colors my opinion. My wife went to the ER and and passed away twelve hours later, had he gone to an east coast school my son would not have made it home in time to see her. I will be forever greatful that he saw his Mom that last time. Now if your child wants to experience a particular part of the country or go to a particular school and you can afford it by all means go for it. One can not live their life in fear of what might happen. Most of my son’s Pomona friends are from outside CA. Kids travel thousands of miles to go to school and that’s great. My son did look at other schools in the midwest and east but did not want to be that far away. All other things being equal I think a school that is close, but not too close, worked out the best for our family.</p>
<p>I am so grateful to pianomom and 70’s grad for the excellent feedback. Pomona is my first choice, and fortunately my son agreed last night that it is a perfect fit for him. We live 57 miles away from Claremont - not too close, not too far. The prospect of funding trips to the east coast was daunting, but after 3 months of being wait listed, we were preparing to do it. I’m truly sorry for the loss of your wife, 70’s grad. My son’s close friend died in January from a skateboarding accident. Tragedy has taught my son the painful lesson to not take for granted the friends and family we cherish. Despite the terrible grief of losing his mother, I am glad for you that your son found some comfort in being with his mother during her final hours. My sincere condolences to you and your family.</p>
<p>Dear 70’s Grad,
I am so sorry for your and your family’s loss. When I read your post I was so touched by your honest response. I hope that your son’s Pomona family was and continues to be supportive during his grief. I completely agree that it’s good to be within a day of family. We live in the Midwest and unfortunately the lure of Pomona was far too great for our son to stick near home. We have been able to knock the trip down to about eight hours door to door which helps. </p>
<p>numberoneson,
Congratulations on having gotten through the weekend of discernment. My husband told me not to mention how much more we like CA than CT as I would anger an entire coast. Last school year we visited Claremont five times and New Haven once. Enough said.</p>
<p>I wish both of you and your sons a wonderful year.</p>