<p>Hey, I asked my parents for money for the SAT 2 and told them they are required for Bryn Mawr College. My dad said I shouldn't bother since we can't afford a school like that. My parents have an average income i guess like 70,000/year, and they have a lot in the bank for retirement, so I doubt I'll get much aid money and our house is paid off. Also, Bryn Mawr doesn't offer merit schloarships. They said they won't pay any more then 20,000/year on college. Do you think I even have a chance @ aid?
Thanks,
Michele</p>
<p>there are alot of other schools that require SATll. Take the tests, cost is minimal. Get accepted first before worrying about costs. Who knows, scholarships maybe awarded.</p>
<p>Yes, take the SATIIs (if they are good scores they will strengthen your app at other schools, and could put you in the running for merit aid). Apply to a variety of schools, even if you are not sure you can afford them, but make sure you also apply to a financial safety that you would be happy to attend. When all the financial aid letters start arriving you will be able to make a decision with the actual data. It would also help for you to talk with the fA office at Bryn Mawr, and ask them about aid given your parents income and savings. Also, you should use one of the online FA estimators to give you an idea about what your Estimated Fianancial Contribution will be.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help! I'm planning to visit there for an interview, so I'll be sure to talk to the financial aid office as well! Thanks. By the way, I talked to my mom and she said she'll pay it :)! I told them that its not really that much money to pay for a school related thing.</p>
<p>At the income level you quote, Bryn Mawr and most other selective liberal arts schools will offer accepted students significant need-based aid. As I have posted several times on this board, I know students with family income similar to the amount you quoted who found it less expensive to go to selective liberal arts schools than to their home state universities, despite the latter schools' lower tuition and fees.</p>
<p>Wow thats just what i wanted to hear!! My instate schools would be around 17,000 including room and board, so that would be perfect if the private schools cost the same.</p>
<p>We have a higher income and my son received 1/2 tuition need based aid at his private uni. Our state uni is about 17,500 so he will save money, particularly since he will not need a fifth year. There is a lot of financial aid out there. Your parents might want to read a few books on the financial aid process.</p>
<p>Something else for you and your parents to keep in mind: all financial aid packages are not created equal. For example, say you receive a financial aid offer of $20,000 from two schools. School A's financial aid package is made up of $10,000 a year in loans, $5,000 a year in work study grants, and $5,000 in a "Grant" School B's financial aid package is comprised of $5,000 a year in loans, 2,000 in work study grants and $13,000 in grants and merit awards. Assuming the total cost of attending both schools was fairly equal, you'd be much better off with the financial aid package from School B which offers much more money that you don't have to repay or work for!</p>
<p>Many state school systems rely heavily on loans in their aid package so this is something to keep in mind when you make comparisons. A friend's daughter turned down a UC school when she compared her aid packages from several private schools to the UC package. The UC package was comprised mainly of loans, not grants. The private school she eventually chose offered a grant that brought her total cost of attendance in line with the UC cost, plus an additional large merit scholarship that made its cost way below the UC. She only had to borrow about a third of what she would have at the UC school.</p>
<p>So, just keep all of this in mind. And do take the SAT II tests - they're worth doing if you're aiming for schools like Bryn Mawr!</p>
<p>ok so The college advisor in our h.s. says to bring in he college award letters and a list of any circumstances that cost the family money this year.Has any one had luck with getting more grant money this way?? We dont want the loans. We want the grants .We have a EFC of 15,000 and that is tops we want to pay.We are 4.35 and WELL rounded applied at 12 got merits from 10 and fellowships and scholarships just not enough that we are still going to have to pay 19-27,000 depending on decision.What is a circumstance that gets more grant money??.teet, car, furnace,AC we had all kinds of expenses.</p>
<p>What are your stats? Sometimes schools are more generous financial aid-wise if your stats are strong.</p>
<p>You realize that this thread was from 2004, right? 
Funny to see myself up there, six years ago… :eek:</p>
<p>Yikes, anxiousmom, you mean I might still be posting six years from now?? I guess that makes sense, because DD will be a high school senior then. Wow. Are you still as anxious as you were six years ago?</p>
<p>anxiousmom, I noted that you’ve been here at least 6 years! I see my future.</p>
<p>Not so anxious anymore, but I never could figure out how to change my CC name! DD graduated from Rice U in '08, DS is a junior there now… but I still hang around here because there’s such a great sense of community, and such a lot of information exchanged on a large variety of things - and after a long, hard day of work, tapping around the forums is about all the challenge my brain can handle! (And, scarily enough, I started hanging out here in late '02 or early '03 - before the board switched to its current format… :eek: so it’s more than 6 years.:eek::eek:)</p>
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<p>To Magkat…the types of circumstances that a school would consider as a special circumstance for financial aid purposes typically are very high medical bills, loss of job, or other very serious and expensive necessary expenses (e.g…your house burned down in a fire and you had no homeowners insurance). Car, furnace, etc…are not in this category. Consumer debt as in car loans is not considered in the financial aid equation at all. Replacing your furnace is considered maintenance on your house. </p>
<p>Even IF your school considers your special circumstances request (these are done at the discretion of the school), the type of financial aid award they give you is THEIR choice. They might give you grants/scholarships, but they also might give you loans and work study.</p>
<p>If your EFC is $15,000 and you can pay that…you can also add a $5500 Stafford loan to that amount by simply completing the FAFSA. That would give you a total of $20500. Add to that summer earnings and you should be able to finance a public university in your state.</p>