Northeastern merit aid/financial aid appeal?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Northeastern University
1

I was accepted to Northeastern, and I was given a 12k a year scholarship, in addition to around 1.5k a semester in financial aid. My family fits into that category of families that don’t qualify for much financial aid, but we still can’t pay the price Northeastern is asking us to pay (~55k a year). I really want to go, but I would need more money first to convince my parents. I know that asking for another 20k would be super unrealistic, but do you think it would work to have Northeastern reconsider the merit and financial aid they gave me?

I read somewhere that financial aid doesn’t consider your parents paying a second mortgage or real estate investment, which is likely the main reason why we can’t afford it (my parents are currently paying off a steep home equity loan). Do you think they would listen to my appeal on those grounds?

Also, as I said, I was given some merit aid, but I know a lot of people were given more. For instance, my friend at school was given almost full tuition in merit aid, but she knows for a fact that she’ll turn the offer down because NU’s program isn’t very good for her major. Mainly these offers are used to entice people to go, but a lot of the times they’re turned down, which means Northeastern has this money they were previously going to spend. Do you think it would work to ask them to reconsider merit aid?

2

It can’t hurt to try but historically appeals have not been very successful. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to mention things like it being your #1 choice (if true) and things like the home equity loan.

Good luck! Remember that even if it doesn’t work out you should make sure to focus on the school you end up attending. As much as a specific school can be nice, success in college is far more about the student than the school.

3

That is not how it works. There is no pot of money to reallocate.

The max merit aid is about $32,000/year and is nowhere near full tuition.