<p>So today I checked my financial aid, and I was extremely pleased with it (I wasn't expecting to be happy). So far I have gotten my Financial Aid packages from UNC Chapel Hill (which is in-state for me), Florida State, and Miami, and unless I'm figuring something wrong, Miami would be the cheapest of the three for me by far! I've always heard private colleges had generous financial aid, but I wasn't expecting it to be cheaper than my in-state school. Even though I have a full ride at another in-state school, now I may actually have a chance to attend Miami. I guess I'll have to see what the next month or so holds. Anyone else happy with financial aid?</p>
<p>(I just realized that I spelled surprised wrong, my bad!)</p>
<p>I got full tuition, which was nice. Kinda wish they would have given me enough to dorm, but since I live only 30 mins from campus I guess it’s alright. At least I’ll be able to attend for free, should I get rejected everywhere else.</p>
<p>On the Facebook page, it seems that most people are unhappy with their aid packages. :/</p>
<p>We too, have been extremely happy with the financial aid at Miami. It was also much cheaper for my daughter to attend Miami than our state school. And there is just no comparison as to how Miami treats students as opposed to at a big state school. The classes are so small and all the professors and staff really care about the students.</p>
<p>I too was pleasantly surprised by a “Miami Grant” for my daughter. I guess it’s not as much of a sure thing as a scholarship, but at least for the first year, we’ll be able to more easily handle the costs that weren’t covered.
~Zinc</p>
<p>My family and I litterally got Nothing from them, 0 dollars; however we did get offers for loans at the bottom of the page. It was quite upsetting because I would really like to attend and my family can’t afford it at all without any financial help</p>
<p>Zinc…yeah I was surprised with a large “Coral Grant,” probably similar to the “Miami Grant.” And as along as your financial situation doesn’t really change over the four years, will financial aid packages be roughly similar? Cause I really am satisfied but I don’t want to go there for one year and not be able to afford it after that. Trufutbol…I’m sorry to hear about your financial aid. That is what worries me, that I will go there and next year get nothing.</p>
<p>I’m in an interesting position. With 2 sons both accepted the financial aid package was lopsided. It actually hurt us that 1 S received University scholarship (he will not be attending). They looked at our EFC and gave S2 who planned on attending Miami very little aid since S1 was going for a lot less.S1 got the same amount in Coral Grant as S2 even with scholarship. How could they have the same need when one is getting 24k scholarship! Very disappointed that based upon our EFC they expect S2 to take out a ridiculous amount a year in loans. :(</p>
<p>If I understand correctly, you are saying that your son that got the scholarship also got the same amount of Coral Grant as your other son who did not get the scholarship. Well, if they would have given your son who did not get the scholarship a larger grant so that the free money for both were equal, wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of the scholarship? It would almost be like they were penalizing your son that got the scholarship. In my opinion, they are correct that both of your sons have the same financial need. Since scholarships are merit based and not need based, I guess their way of rewarding your son with the scholarship was to put that in addition to the need based aid, otherwise there would have been no scholarship reward.</p>
<p>It’s encouraging to hear positive comments on FA. Would any of you provide a rough estimate based on your own FA packages of what someone with a $11,000 EFC might receive?</p>
<p>tav- they specifically told us that scholarship is subtracted from cost and the remaining number is need. I questioned them that this is penalizing him for getting a scholarship and their response was “you can only get financial aid if there is need.” With that said we were expecting S1 to get exactly what he got in aid because if you add the 24k, EFC and aid offered (including loans), it equals total cost. S2 package is 25k short, which means they expect him to take unsubsidized loans in that amount.</p>
<p>So Rockvillemom, if it works for you like it worked for S2 expect about 20k in unsubsidized loans. </p>
<p>rockvillemom…my EFC was $12,330 and I received:
$20,000 Dickinson Scholarship
$15,500 Coral Grant
$3,000 Work Study
$3,500 Subsidized loans
$3,500 Unsubsidized loans
I would imagine yours would be about the same, if not a tiny bit better.</p>
<p>Thank you - that was very helpful. I had the experience with my older son that the priciest private school on his list gave him the most FA - so that’s why I am comfortable including some pricey privates on my younger son’s list as well. Thanks.</p>
<p>What is a Coral Grant? All I see is the following:</p>
<p>Est FL Res Access Grant $ 2425.00
FL Student Asst Grant $ 2235.00
Est FL Academic Scholars $ 3750.00
Federal Pell Grant $ 5550.00
Fed Supp Ed Opp Grant $ 1000.00
Dickinson Scholarship $ 20000.00
Total $ 34960.00</p>
<p>…and then a federal work study grant for 3,000. What exactly is a federal work study grant?</p>