<p>Well I know all about supplements and stuff, and I really do wanna go there, but I'm not SO naive as to rely on getting in or anything, I'll still plan ahead for the reject/defer scenario.</p>
<p>I dunno about my GC though.. seems most kids at my school are either going to community college or UT/A&M so who knows how busy she is</p>
<p>All GCs are really busy when it comes to December. This is true even in schools where few students go to college. The GCs also have to deal with students who are having grade problems and other difficulties that need to be resolved before the semester ends.</p>
<p>GCs serving schools that have high proportion of low income students also tend to have more work to do than GCs at other schools. That's because the higher income-serving schools have more $ to work with (because lots of schools' funding comes from property taxes) and the higher income schools tend to have many more parent volunteers, who can lighten staff's work load a great deal.</p>
<p>So what do you recommend? Not apply ED anywhere at all? </p>
<p>I'm kinda stressed even if it is summer, I wanna be at the best possible spot I can be!</p>
<p>Yes, you have absolutely no reason to apply ED, and every reason to apply to a relatively large group of schools in the ways that will most maximize your chances of getting into a college that you like and that is giving you a favorable financial aid package.</p>
<p>What would be to your benefit now would be to research colleges looking first for colleges that are likely to give you lots of money to attend, and that also are likely to accept you, and where you'd also be happy.</p>
<p>After you pin down SEVERAL such colleges (which presumably would give you some nice options come April), then look for some reach and match schools, making sure that the places you select also would give you favorable financial aid packages if they accept you.</p>
<p>Paying $15 to access the U.S. news online college site for a year (I think the time period you get is from mid Aug. to mid Aug., so you probably should wait a few weeks before doing this) is one of the best investments you can make. That site shows you the following info on individual colleges: what percentage of students' documented need the college typically gives to freshmen and upperclassmembers; how that financial aid is broken down (grants, self help, loans), and you also get detailed info about the stats of admitted students.</p>
<p>Through that site, you can quickly cross colleges off your list if you see that, for instance, the college on average meets only 70% of students' documented need, and does that by giving on average $15 k a year in grants. Why bother to apply to a place you can't afford.</p>
<p>As for other things you can do this summer -- start researching outside merit aid, and start carefully writing individualized essays for anything you may remotely qualify for. Fastweb.com is an excellent source of info.</p>
<p>I'm not sure why you like Penn., but you also can look for other similar colleges that are easier to get into and have good financial aid. Make sure that as you're doing this, you also look instate because typically students' best opportunities for getting good admissions and financial aid are in-state, often at schools in or near where they live.</p>
<p>I imagine, for instance, that Rice is particularly interested in serving low income, first gen students from Houston, so you definitely should check it out, be interviewed (if they interview) and do whatever else you can do to boost your chances there. </p>
<p>Also see if you can visit and find out info on other colleges that are within a 2-hour or so drive of where you live. </p>
<p>Fine to consider more distant colleges, but your nearby ones are usually good to have as aces in the hole.</p>
<p>Read all of the threads in CC about financial aid and merit aid. In addition to the ones pinned at the top of the financial aid forum, there's good info pinned to the top of the Parents Forum. Lots of knowledgeable, helpful parents there, too.</p>
<p>Wow how can you survive on one Walmart paycheck.</p>
<p>Thumbs up to you.</p>
<p>Well, it's called debt haha, also our family friend helps us out from time to time too.. we manage</p>
<p>Northstar, but what's the harm of applying ED if I'm still preparing to apply to other schools?</p>
<p>If I do get into Penn they have need-blind admissions so I'm taken care of one way or another =/</p>
<p>I just really don't see where you're coming from, but I'm trying to, sorry.</p>
<p>Northstarmom is trying to say that if you get into Penn during ED, you HAVE to go. That means if they put a lot of loans (bad) in your financial aid package then you HAVE to take them (as long as they cover tuition + expenses - EFC). Unlike RD, where you can compare aid offers and THEN choose a college, ED is a BINDING contract that you will attend the school if accepted.</p>
<p>Eloquence,</p>
<p>First off, I really respect your mom for working at WalMart. I know she has to work hard, unpredictable hours, and I'm certain that she is doing the best she can right now for her family. Please make sure you give her credit. </p>
<p>Second... regarding fee waivers: There is no limit to the number of colleges that will waive their fee for you if you have financial need. Each college is only waiving the application fee one time. Here is how you get the application fee waived. First, you should start by completing the FAFSA. This will be the way to demonstrate your family's financial need. Then, you should talk to your guidance counselor about requesting the fee waiver. The guidance counselor will have to send a letter to each college to request the waiver. Some colleges have a form to fill out. Other times, just a letter from the GC will do. The GC might ask to see the printout from your FAFSA results. But you should talk to him/her about this right away because he/she will be your best source of reliable information.</p>
<p>Good luck to you and your family. There are roadblocks ahead, but you will get past them.</p>
<p>eloquence, applying ED when you have serious financial need is a bad idea because if you are accepted, you will be forced to attend even if the financial aid package you receive is unsatisfactory to your family.</p>
<p>Blah then I dunno what to do.. ED does raise my chances but I guess I could be stuck with a crapload of loans, and during the RD run I have a fear of getting reject all across the board by the top schools and ending up at like UT. Good school but not for me =/</p>
<p>Ughhhh I hate being poor</p>
<p>I have a USNRW if you want to use it (I got it for free). Just PM me. </p>
<p>Good luck eloquence, I believe in you.</p>
<p>Thanks dank, I'd like to use that!</p>
<p>Also, could it prove to be beneficial to me to apply EA to some top schools? It's not binding like ED so I don't see the harm in that.</p>
<p>You should apply EA, that is what I am going to be doing. Although my financial situation is a little bit better, I can't count on ED, I need as much money as I can get as I'm paying for college myself.</p>
<p>Some schools though, like Harvard say that if you're under a specific income you don't have to pay anything back? I think $65K/yr was it</p>
<p>I thought Penn did the same sort of thing so I didn't see the harm in ED, but I guess I'll have to explore further</p>
<p>I'm not looking at top schools, but I'm pretty sure that when they say "don't have to pay anything back" they mean that they will give you loans and grants. They aren't giving you the education for free, just a way for you to pay for it.</p>
<p>Ugh now I gotta pick some EA schools that I actually have a shot at.</p>
<p>How many do you think I should I apply to EA?</p>
<p>Look at the upside eloquence. If you get into a need-blind IVY you are pretty much set. Princeton and Harvard pay your way with $60k or less a year, and the rest of the schools are not that far behind. I know a kid who's parents made 150k a year. They took all their money and put it into an IRA, so they only had like 1k in actual assets and the rest in retirement, which isn't factored for aid. He had one other brother in college, and had to pay around 13k a year at princeton. Not a bad deal.</p>
<p>*all ivy's are need blind. Well, most top-tier schools are, but I understand ivy's are the most generous. Especially Harvard Yale Princeton. The average debt for Harvard and Princeton is under 10k while yale is under 15k. I believe every other ivy is in the 20's.</p>
<p>See that's why I'm a little iffy on Penn - even if I do get stuck with loans ED, I would be able to pay them back sooner or later, and it'd be worth it!</p>