<p>Having a very high income NCP who isn’t going to contribute anything means that all schools which require NCP info have to be off the table. There’s no point in wasting the student’s time and application money on a school that will expect a very large and unaffordable “family contribution.”</p>
<p>I know it’s frustrating for the innocent child who has been a good student. But this isn’t any different from a child whose high income parents are still married who also can’t/won’t pay much for college (and that happens often as well). </p>
<p>The student will be sad/frustrated for a few days, but then needs to make lemonade out of lemons and apply to the schools that will give great merit for stats and to the FEW schools that don’t require NCP info, but still give a lot of aid money.</p>
<p>He applied ED, was accepted, and of course got an unaffordable aid package. His father was not willing to contribute anything. His mother appealed the financial aid award and the school did end up meeting the kid’s full need based only on his mother’s income (which is very low)</p>
<p>I can only see the above happening if the dad wasn’t in the child’s life at all or the student had super stats that the school really wanted.</p>
<p>The OP’s son’s projected scores are average for Wes…so no reason for Wes to offer additional money when there are other students with higher stats and/or ability to pay.</p>
<p>I know a student whose school gave a bunch of extra money, but that kid was the Val of his school and had a 2350 SAT. The extra money was called some kind of special scholarship funded by wealthy donors.</p>
<p>The issue is you can count on them expecting your ex to contribute. Why should they make an exception? Many families don’t want to pay what’s expected and their kids have to go to schools they can afford.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids, this student did not have super stats, although they were good and in range for the two schools that ultimately waived the NCP contribution. The schools were Northwestern and Middlebury. The father actually filled out the NCP form the first time the student applied (ED to Northwesten), but then he refused to contribute. That’s when the mother appealed.</p>
<p>After freshman year the student, as it turned out, didn’t like being at Northwestern all that much so he applied as a transfer to Middlebury and they waived it too.</p>
<p>The father was not in the student’s life much, but his whereabouts were known, sporadic communication existed, infrequent visits, and some prior monetary contributions were made along the lines of paying for braces, buying the student a new computer… stuff like that.</p>
<p>Again, the student didn’t have tip top stats, so it wasn’t that.</p>
<p>Like Vossron said, you don’t know if you don’t ask.</p>
<p>… irresponsible if you allow your son to apply ED anywhere, given the NCP situation – unless your goal is to simply torment your son by having him apply ED, knowing that you will tell him that he has to turn down the school if he gets in. </p>
<p>I’m sorry to be so harsh, but there is NO WAY that you are in any position whatsoever to “appeal” a financial aid award during the ED process. They won’t even have the needed information in hand to give you an award. </p>
<p>Is your ex husband’s income consistent from year to year? Do you even know what it is? What if he gets some big bonus in December, so is 2010 income comes in higher than expected? Do you understand that if your ex submits paperwork now saying that he anticipates earning $120K in 2010 – then Wes will give you a tentative award based on that – and then if he actually earns $140K instead – your EFC will go up by $9000 and that is what will be in your final award. </p>
<p>I don’t get it – you KNOW from the get go that there is no chance whatsoever of Wes giving you a financial aid package that you can afford – but you are pretending that you will be able to borrow some huge amount when you are unemployed. How old is your son? When do those child support payments you are now subsisting on stop coming? </p>
<p>When in the process are you planning on coming to your senses? Or are you just afraid to tell your son that Wesleyan is unaffordable given your circumstances?</p>
<p>Do your son a favor and let him read this thread. If you won’t or can’t make responsible decisions as a parent, you can at least allow your son to have the information so that he knows what he is getting into. </p>
<p>And because you have an NCP situation – you have absolutely no control and no way of knowing what will happen. Wes will take info from your ex in confidence and then refuse to discuss the details with you if you call up and ask. </p>
<p>I am sorry to be so harsh, but after what has been posted so far I cannot believe that you would be so irresponsible as to continue with the ED plan. You are NOT going to qualify to take out loans for your son. It seems to me that you are setting your son up for a horrible fall — its already clear that you cannot afford Wes even if they give you a great award, because the award is based on your ex’s income and he isn’t contributing. </p>
<p>YOU do not have the income to support taking out large loans for your son. Loans are not free money – loans need to be paid back.</p>
<p>I agree you ought not plan on borrowing the money, but I don’t agree that it’s nuts to apply ED to Wes. Your son would have to understand and accept the likelihood that if he’s accepted it will all depend on how the FA shakes down – that you’ll have to appeal and the results of the appeal will determine whether he can go. If he is not mature enough to fully accept that, then it’s probably a bad idea.</p>
<p>But don’t plan on borrowing excessively. If you can appeal the aid so that Wes will base it on your income alone, that works. If not, then decline.</p>
<p>Make sure your son has apps into some state schools where his stats will get him some aid. If there is a regional state school to which he can commute from home, that’s another good option. Also have RD apps to a solid range of match and safety schools set to go as soon as you get a thumbs up or thumbs down from Wes. If the appeal is still pending as those due dates approach, send the other apps anyway.</p>
<p>I will tell you the mom I know who appealed did so after her son’s (very affluent) dad filled out the NCP form and then refused to contribute when he saw the school’s initial aid award, she was denied her appeal by the first FA officer she spoke to, so she went up the ladder and that’s when she was successful.</p>
<p>To OP – what 'rentof2 is telling you has nothing whatsoever to do with Wesleyan. Most colleges are very strict about waivers of NCP contributions.</p>
<p>Please note the stuff printed in BOLD FACE in the first paragraph:
</p>
<p>Why don’t you call the Wes financial aid office NOW, before your son applies ED, and ask them what the process is for applying for an NCP waiver? Don’t make the mistake of waiting for an “appeal” – if you read the Wes web site, they say very clearly that they are very restrictive as to what they will consider on appeal. </p>
<p>Maybe you’ll get lucky – maybe you can get the paperwork submitted and a waiver either granted or denied before the ED deadline. That approach might make some sense for someone whose kid had their heart set on Wesleyan.</p>
<p>I know much of this must sound harsh, but I have to agree with what Calmom wrote. I strongly feel that in your position as a loving parent, you need to help your S find a wide range of schools to apply to, including some that may give merit for his stats and your instate publics and including Wes. No one is saying don’t apply to Wes. Many are saying don’t count on Wes to come through with a NCP waiver. Come spring you may have many acceptances in hand. </p>
<p>Trust me, as the mom of a D who had several merit offers to compare there was something very positive about being wooed back after all the applying and “wooing” she had to do during the application process. </p>
<p>While I have no statistics to back this up, during this economic climate, I have a strong suspicion that the number of requests for NCP waivers may rise. What does any have to loose by trying? Given that many endowments have also taken a hit, the timing just doesn’t seem right to me to count on the granting of NCP waiver. Especially for a family where the father has been paying support and at minimum, in the son’s life.</p>
<p>OP, have you discusses your financial situation openly and honestly with your son? Does he understand how much loans you might have to take out for it (if you could even get the)? </p>
<p>If not, you really should. Because by applying to ED, you aren’t just setting up a situation where he may have his heart broken when he gets in but can’t afford it, but you’re also setting up a situation where if even by some miracle the school ends up being borderline affordable, you then have NO choice but to pay up.</p>
<p>I went to Wes, I love Wes. But do I think it would have been worth saddling my parents with crippling loans? Probably not. Do I think it would have been worth saddling my parents with crippling loans because I applied ED, and so didn’t even get to have a full picture of what my other options are? Definitely not! </p>
<p>My advice is to have him apply RD. Apply to a couple other similar schools, but also apply to a range of schools where he could get scholarships. Compare at the end. Because honestly, many kids are mature enough to realize that their dream school isn’t worth the debt, especially once they see all the other nice schools that have offered them a lot of money. And if they/you DO decide on the dream school, they/you should at least be doing it with as much info as possible, and that includes knowing what the other options are.</p>
<p>…given all the dire predictions here…I would go talk to Wes FA specifically about your situation and let those answers guide you…be forthcoming about your ex and what happens if:</p>
<p>– he won’t cooperate with the process and you have no idea about his current income, assets or his current living arrangements (new family, kids or not) – how does this affect me?</p>
<p>all the way to:
– this is his income, assets, and family arrangements – how will this affect me?</p>
<p>She’s already talked to Wes… They were honest and upfront that they don’t consider “willingness to pay,” they only consider “ability to pay.”</p>
<p>I think the best plan of action is…</p>
<p>Apply to Wes RD and see what happens…</p>
<p>Assume that Wes will NOT be affordable, so proceed to find other likable schools.</p>
<p>Apply to a few other schools that don’t consider NCP info and give good aid.</p>
<p>Apply to 2-3 schools that give huge merit for stats. (once you son has real scores, we can better suggest some of these. Remind your son to give special attention to the math and CR sections during practice because those sections often determine scholarships.)</p>
<p>Could he attend college in the country where his father lives? It sounds like they have something of a relationship and it might be considerably less expensive.</p>
<p>Anymom, I have a very different perspective on ED for kids with financial need than do most of the posters here. It’s always a hot topic on CC, and it was when I first came here to get some opinions on the matter a few years ago when my son applied ED to his college.</p>
<p>If you want to send me a private message, feel free. I have known a number of kids with widely different financial scenarios go this route and would be happy to discuss it with you privately.</p>
<p>I know of someone who applied ED to a Wesleyan competitor needing a ncp waiver and got it-- but it was a case that fit clearly into their guidelines. I know of some kids who have had contact with their ncp and received ncp waivers from top lacs but they were always dramatic, verifiable cases (such as a parent in prison) and I know of no case that involved a ncp with a high income or huge assets. (In other words, even if the parent in prison filled out the form, it is unlikely to change aid. That’s very different from the OP’s case.) </p>
<p>I want to dispel a bit the idea that Wes packages kids with desirable’ stats better. Frankly, I haven’t seen that to any substantial degree at Wes or the LACs that level. One of my kids applied to Wes and I guess they found her a ‘desirable’ candidate because they sent her admissions decision several weeks early. They were good about financial aid but dd’s aid did not seem bolstered by the fact that they found her desirable. A high-stat friend who LOVED Wesleyan and was admitted twice also never found much negotiation in financial aid for his upper middle-class parents. Also, one of my kids applied early to Amherst and was not accepted but inadvertently got a financial aid package. It was a wonderful package-- for a kid they didn’t want! These schools have a lot of high-stat applicants. If ‘desirability’ comes into play with $, I don’t think it’s over stats.</p>
<p>*
I want to dispel a bit the idea that Wes packages kids with desirable’ stats better.*</p>
<p>I wasn’t really speaking about Wes in that case, but in another. A student here on CC got a better FA package than she should have from Conn College because they wanted her exceptionally high stats and her family had a good sob story that was for one year only. However, the school may not have been as generous if they thought the family’s situation would be for all 4 years.</p>
<p>*A high-stat friend who LOVED Wesleyan and was admitted twice also never found much negotiation in financial aid for his upper middle-class parents. * </p>
<p>That’s why I think the OP needs to BELIEVE Wes when they said what they did…that they take ability to pay into consideration, not willingness to pay.</p>
<p>When considering ED when in need of significant FA, while many parents would recommend the wisdom of applying widely to RD, nonbinding EA and rolling admission schools in order to be able to compare FA packages, (which often vary widely) there can be case made for early decision (perhaps reluctantly) if:</p>
<p>-the school has a meets full need without loans policy
-the school gives an “early FA read” or has a calculator on their website
-YOUR OWN FINANCES AND THAT OF YOUR EX-SPOUSE ARE FAIRLY CONSISTENT YEAR TO YEAR WITHOUT MAJOR EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES, SWINGS IN INCOME OR UNUSUAL FINANCIAL VEHICLES
-your assests are also “consistent” or “inline” with your income (no $25,000 income with a second home and million dollar savings acct.)
-the ex-spouse is fully in the loop and prepared to step up and meet the expected family contribution (not just HALF the family contribution) or whatever division is able to be shouldered equitably and is agreeable to both.
-the HS student is agreeable to submitting some rolling admission, non binding EA and having other regular decisions application ready and waiting if needed.</p>
<p>I may have missed a few, but if someone considering ED can read that list and still feel comfortable at ED their first choice then best wishes!</p>
<p>“I wasn’t really speaking about Wes in that case, but in another. A student here on CC got a better FA package than she should have from Conn College…”</p>
<p>I realize your advice applies to other schools but, since it really doesn’t apply to Wes and this post is just about Wes, I’m not sure why it’s mentioned here. It just sort of confuses the pot, kwim? </p>
<p>Frankly, I personally probably wouldn’t tell my kid to apply ED but, unless there’s something missing, I almost think this student has little to lose. Despite dad’s high income, it doesn’t sound like he’s willing to contribute at all and it doesn’t sound like mom has anything saved up for college, any current income to contribute to college or the ability to pay back loans (or even to qualify for them). It sounds to me like the family is hoping for a one-in-a-million shot and, if it doesn’t happen, the student will end up at the community college and working. </p>
<p>To each his own but these are the realistic options I see:
1- Investigate whether the student is eligible to attend college in the ncp’s country even if it means living with the ncp for a year or so before attending. This may be a very good option: the opportunity to get to bond with the ncp, to learn more about the other culture (and language if that’s an issue) and it may even give the custodial parent a bit of freedom to find a new job, sell a house, etc-- whatever is needed for her personal life right now.
2- Apply to a work college. I <em>think</em> they use Fafsa. [Welcome</a> to the Work Colleges Consortium! | <a href=“http://workcolleges.org%5B/url%5D”>http://workcolleges.org](<a href=“http://www.workcolleges.org/]Welcome”>http://www.workcolleges.org/)</a>
3- Apply to a military college such as West Point or Annapolis if willing to be part of the military.
4- Investigate 3rd and 4th tier colleges in the hopes of securing a scholarship. (What was the name of the poster who successfully tried this strategy?)
5- Look to see if the student’s resident state offers generous scholarships or merit aid, or if any of the instate 4-year schools have a guaranteed merit chart. </p>
<p>Frankly, that’s where I would throw my energy.</p>
<p>If Wes is his dream school, and if the Wes financial aid office is encouraging about your situation, and if you both go into it with eyes wide open, not expecting it to work out, then I also see no danger in applying ED. I also agree with the various mentioned backup strategies.</p>