<p>dancer1502:
They didn’t reject you because you are qualified to attend and they practice need-blind admissions.</p>
<p>I don’t get this bit about equity in your grandmother’s house. If your parents don’t own the house you are living in, then its equity should not play a part in calculating your assets. It sounds like somebody messed up filling out your financial aid forms. That’s not Brandeis’ fault.</p>
<p>P.S.: I’m not saying your family should do this (in fact, I don’t think they should), BUT… many, many people sell their homes (or worse) to put kids through college. My dad in fact spend three years flying bombing missions during WWII to finance his education and then sold a house that his parents left him to finance his brother’s education.</p>
<p>P.P.S.: Also, tapping into home equity does not require selling your house. You can borrow against equity in a home. Taking an extreme example, if someone was living in a house with two-million dollars in equity but had no cash in the bank, would you expect Brandeis to provide need-based aid for them? (Again, I’m not suggesting you do this, but many people do.)</p>
<p>I understand you are bitter, but financial aid is not an entitlement.</p>
<p>@soze, I understand that you can borrow. But there’s no way that my parents can borrow the entire amount(and I don’t live in a huge mansion worth millions). Why is that other colleges aren’t including the home equity bit while Brandeis is?
Also, what your dad did was pretty commendable. But we all have personal reasons for doing such things, and similarly my parents can’t afford it.</p>
<p>Like I said, I applied to Brandeis only as a safety. I may appear to be bitter, but I’m not. I’m going to be happy wherever I go. :D</p>
<p>@dancer1502:
Firstly (and most importantly) best of luck to you and you are right, I’m sure you are going to be happy wherever you wind up.</p>
<p>About the home equity component: I know of at least several schools that look at this, and Brandeis is not unique. As to why, I can only conjecture, but I believe it’s to prevent people from “shielding” their assets in home equity in order to qualify for financial aid. Someone (and I’m certain that you didn’t do this) could take all their money, put it into real estate and then claim they had “nothing” when it came to qualifying for FA.</p>
<p>In other contexts people do this all the time. In some states (notably Florida), when you declare bankruptcy, your primary residence (regardless of its worth) is off-limits to your creditors. So you can go to Florida with ten million dollars, buy the most expensive house you can find, declare bankruptcy and keep living in your mansion and your creditors can’t touch it.</p>
<p>I think you are wrong about the date the decisions were posted. The letters that I have received had been posted on March 18. And even though I live in Istanbul, I received the folder on March 19. I believe it was a high-priority express delivery.</p>
<p>P.S: I am accepted to the college on 100 % scholarship (Wien International Scholarship).</p>
<p>I still didn’t receive anything, I’m waiting for the e-mail although I kinda see what’s coming. I didn’t receive anything and it’s not I like in some village in Africa. <em>sigh</em></p>
<p>OMG I got into Union as a Union Scholar and they sent out decisions on March 19 and I still didn’t get anything. Maybe there is still a chance for Brandeis :d</p>
<p>@soze: they finally accepted that I’m eligible for need. Of course, they’re not sure if they can provide it or not at this point. But, that’s okay. I’m not attending Brandeis for sure.</p>
I’m going to be happy wherever I go. :D</p>
i mean if i get the econ scholarship, ill be the happiest person in the world :)</p>