<p>I've looked through Yale's fin aid documents, but couldn't verify this rumor:</p>
<p>Does Yale allow you to use an outside scholarship to purchase a laptop for college? I believe Princeton does...according to a friend</p>
<p>Not that I've seen, I'd like to know if someone has heard differently. Outside scholarships are applied to your FA if you have any; WS first, then grants.</p>
<p>Yup, someone on CC said that Yale and Princeton do this, but I have not been able to verify this for Yale.</p>
<p>Oh, man, I hope so. I've been counting on using part of my Davidson for it...</p>
<p>I just checked the Princeton information, you need to be a little careful here with the exact wording:</p>
<p>Princeton</a> University | The Financial Aid Package</p>
<p>"External scholarships: Students may receive funding from sources outside Princeton, such as the National Merit or local community scholarships. Students apply for these awards separately from their Princeton financial aid application. Outside awards are used first to reduce the student earnings portion of the aid package — the campus job and summer savings expectations. Funds left over can be put toward the cost of a personal computer, and any remaining awards will be applied to Princeton grants."</p>
<p>It states that outside scholarships will be applied FIRST to WS and summer savings expectations. Their WS is 1.4k, and while I don't see summer earnings for P, at Y it is 1.2k for freshmen. So, outside scholarships would have to be over about 2.5k before you could use them towards a computer.</p>
<p>Yes, that is if Yale allows remaining funds to be used for a computer at all, which it does not explicitly state anywhere.</p>
<p>I think I'll be able to cover my summer requirement and maybe even work-study, but any remaining funds should be put to good use if they can't be deducted from my EFC.</p>
<p>D is a freshman at Yale. She used remaining funds to purchase a computer and printer.</p>
<p>^^^Was that only after the outside scholarship was applied to WS and grants or before?</p>
<p>Yale allows:</p>
<p>$4,000 of scholarships to be used freshmen year without effecting EFC, and $5,000 per year soph-senior years without effecting EFC. However, if you purchase a laptop for your freshmen year, that $4,000 may be increased to $5,500.</p>
<p>icfireball, could you provide a link? Thanks. I've been searching for something like that, but haven't seen it so far</p>
<p>
[quote]
Yes, that is if Yale allows remaining funds to be used for a computer at all, which it does not explicitly state anywhere.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Sorry, I never meant to imply that Y has a provision for computers. What I meant was that even with Ps provision, it only kicks in AFTER the outside scholarship is applied to WS and summer earnings. I don't like spreading the fact that P lets you pay for a laptop with outside scholarship money without stating the entire policy.</p>
<p>So if a student isn't receiving any financial aid, do they still have to provide a student contribution?</p>
<p>The EFC (in your case the full COA) is broken down into Parent Income contribution, Student income contribution and Student asset contribution, however, Y doesn't care who actually earned the money, only that it is paid each semester.</p>
<p>I was told this by a Yale student.</p>
<p>What I can find on the Yale website reads:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Yale policy allows outside merit scholarships to first reduce your self-help. Additionally, if federal guidelines allow, we will also allow outside scholarships to cover your student income contribution. If the total of your outside awards exceeds your student effort (the total of your self-help and student income contribution), the remainder will replace your Yale Scholarship.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yale</a> University Financial Aid > Outside Scholarships</p>
<p>I'm a current student on full outside scholarship. Outside scholarship money replaces student contribution and work study first, then yes, you are eligible to receive $2500 towards a computer and peripherals before the outside scholarship money begins to replace the Yale financial aid. It is slightly hidden in the materials, however, so call and work with the financial aid office if necessary. </p>
<p>I'm writing this from my awesome tablet PC that outside scholarship paid for, so :D</p>
<p>Does the scholarship replace all four years of work study before summer earnings, or does it fully cover freshman year before sophomore year, etc? For example, if you had $12,000 of outside scholarship, how would it be distributed?</p>
<p>^^^One year at a time.</p>
<p>So in order to get a laptop with outside scholarship money, you would need ~ $18000, correct?</p>
<p>No. If you get 10,000 for your freshmen year, then they will apply 3700 for student contribution, 2500 for laptop, and the remaining instead of the grant they are giving you. There is no 'roll-over method.' If all of your scholarships are only for freshmen year, then you have to contact the scholarships and ask them if you can move it one year, so it covers your sophomore costs.</p>