<p>I received my financial aid package from JMU a few weeks ago, but to my alarm the net costs and family contribution had actually increased.</p>
<p>Here's some background information:
Back in March, I submitted the FAFSA. In April, I had to update the FAFSA due to my brother also attending college this fall. </p>
<p>As a result, my EFC reduced drastically and I received additional grants. </p>
<p>My Concerns:
However upon receiving the final financial aid award notice, my family contribution and net costs had actually been increased while the gift aid remained the same.</p>
<p>Here are the numbers: </p>
<p>Initial EFC (FAFSA) : $8200
Updated EFC (FAFSA): $4800</p>
<p>Initial Family Contribution (JMU): $9000
Updated FC (JMU):** $7000**
Final FC (JMU): $9700</p>
<p>Initial Net Costs: $17000
Updated NC: $15000
Final NC: $16000</p>
<p>Initial State Grants: $4600
Initial Pell Grant: $0
Initial University Grant: $0</p>
<p>Updated State Grants: $5600
Updated Pell Grant: $900
Updated University Grant: $0</p>
<p>Final State Grants: $0
Updated Pell Grants: $900
Updated University Grants: $5600</p>
<p>I have been in contact with the finaid office and wanted some input in addition to theirs.</p>
<p><em>If there is anyone in a similar financial situation and wouldn't mind sharing their EFC, Family Contribution, and Net Costs from their JMU finaid package, I would greatly appreciate it. </em>
**
Thank you.</p>
<p>Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I know this is short notice…but thank you in advance</p>
<p>I got nuthin’.</p>
<p>It looks like you went from $4600 to $6500 in grant aid. That’s good. Maybe the net costs went up because tuition, room, and board went up?</p>
<p>I’m not sure I understand completely.</p>
<p>Thank you for your reply, JMU1989.</p>
<p>If you don’t mind my asking, are you in-state and did you fill out the FAFSA?
Do you know if it’s common for JMU not to give out much financial aid?</p>
<p>Yeah…I know it’s a long story, but here’s a cliff-notes version.</p>
<p>What had happened was:
I updated my FAFSA b/c my brother and I are both going to college —> the EFC decreased and led to me receiving more federal and state grants (which I am more than grateful for). </p>
<p>However, after receiving the final financial aid notice, my net costs had actually been increased due to the tuition, room&board costs being increased. </p>
<p>My grants remained the same, while the costs to attend JMU went up.</p>
<p>Okay. I see what you are saying…your out of pocket costs are higher than you expected them to be. It would seem your situation would be fairly common - aid being based on the old tuition, room, and board.</p>
<p>I live in Virginia and I did file the FAFSA and updated it after my tax returns were submitted.</p>
<p>We were offered the standard $5500 student subsidized loans, but what did surprise me is that I was offered a Parent loan for all of the other expenses, something like $17k.</p>
<p>I don’t think JMU has much aid. Their endowment is relatively small.</p>