<p>Ok, can someone please clarify this matter for me? Theres a chance I might be attending Fordham, and recently I have read on their website that if you try to apply outside scholarships to your tuition cost, they will then lower the aid they're giving you accordingly. Am I understanding this correctly? I have never heard of a college doing this and I am really confused. I am asking because I am starting to apply for scholarships etc. but now I am not sure if I am wasting my time.</p>
<p>If anyone could clear this up for me I would appreciate it.</p>
<p>I have heard that is the case with all schools – that merit aid or scholarships count against need-based aid. We do not qualify for need aid, so I haven’t studied this matter thoroughly, but I believe that is the case with all or most schools.</p>
<p>^^^^^ ditto that. Its all schools. Which is why so many outside scholarships are simply unclaimed. Its an anomaly and I think its unfortunate. </p>
<p>The fact is that scholarships and financial aid are exceedingly unjust and unfair and arbitary at times. Its a national disgrace if you ask me. I would implement the Ivy System nationwide. No Merit Aid. Only grants to those in need, and lower tuition to make it affordable. </p>
<p>I could write a book on the stories I’ve heard over the years. Heard one the other day. Child of university employee (not Fordham), gets free tuition as a job benefit to the parent. Child applied for FAFSA Aid and got a grant…then chose to live at home and pocket the money. Its absurd. (Though the parent is taxed on that tax benefit from the university). </p>
<p>Makes me sick what goes on. Giving kids scholarships on an SAT score is beyond ridiculous. Of course, those who get them dont think so!</p>
<p>If you get a scholarship that is sent directly to the school, like the NM scholarship, Fordham will take half and give you a check for the other half. </p>
<p>If you get a scholarship on your own, that is mailed to you directly, well… if you don’t report it, no one will know. (That’s what a FA officer told me with a wink.)</p>
<p>Oh my goodness…seriously? That is called fraud. Dont recommend that. Like cheating on taxes I suppose. Not that I condone schools reducing your award because of outside scholarships. I hate the FAFSA system. I hate that schools determine how much you must pay which has no bearing in the reality of how much you have to pay. Hate it. But I pay my taxes and I play by the rules.</p>
<p>“The fact is that scholarships and financial aid are exceedingly unjust and unfair and arbitary at times. Its a national disgrace if you ask me. I would implement the Ivy System nationwide. No Merit Aid. Only grants to those in need, and lower tuition to make it affordable.”</p>
<p>While I agree that basing merit scholarships so heavily on SAT scores is not the best system the schools do it to increase the average scores of their students so that their rankings go up. I strongly disagree with merit scholarships being eliminated. I know of quite a few divorce situations where neither parent is willing to pay toward college. Why should those kids who did well enough to get a merit scholarship not be allowed to receive one? I also know of situations where kids qualify for enough financial aid to pay almost zero towards tuition, room, and board because one or both of their parents are paid off the books or do side jobs for cash. I personally wouldn’t encourage my child apply to any school that offered no merit scholarship money just on principal. Most of us that don’t qualify for financial aid are middle class and find $200,000 plus for college difficult to afford. Why should our kids be automatically priced out of all of the private schools while students who can produce tax returns with low taxable income get to go to private and public schools for a greatly reduced price? I think colleges should continue to reward all students for doing well.</p>