<p>I just got my financial aid package from one of the schools that i applied to. It began as follows.
1. Deans Scholarship 10000
2. Tuition Assistance program 250.00
3. Loans blah blah blah</p>
<p>My question is severely important. Does this include fafsa money or not? Im so confused. I really hope it doesnt because my dream school would be completely out of reach. PLEASE POST RESPONSES I AM PLEADING TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC lol...but seriously i need some help</p>
<p>We don’t know. Ask the college.</p>
<p>FAFSA doesn’t give any money. It just calculates an Expected Family Contribution for use by the college, and determines if you’re available for federal aid.</p>
<p>If the aid offer that you have makes mention of the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), then this is the need-based aid offer from that school. Since you mention loans, that’s likely what it is (since loans aren’t typically part of a merit aid award).</p>
<p>And don’t get hung up on a “dream school.” No such thing-- there are many good fits for any student. Better to keep you options open and make a decision with your parent(s) as to what’s the best fit for you, given your family finances, once all finaid offers are in.</p>
<p>No way to answer the OP’s question. First…if the OP’s EFC was in the $10,000 range, then the Dean’s scholarship took care of that. Also, don’t know if school meets full need, if school has awarded need based aid at yet, or the total cost of the school. </p>
<p>Best bet…call the school. Just ask them “I received a scholarship award. Does this include any need based aid I might receive from your school?”</p>
<p>They will tell you.</p>
<p>As others have said, can’t tell by info given. What is your EFC? Really the only grant FAFSA guarantees is the Pell and your EFC would have to under $5K (can’t remember this year’s exact #) to get any of that. You are also entitled to subsidized Stafford loans from the government, based on your EFC. Are those loans mentioned in the “blah blah blah”?</p>
<p>OP said:
“1. Deans Scholarship 10000
2. Tuition Assistance program 250.00
3. Loans blah blah blah”</p>
<p>OP, please realize that loans ARE a form of assistance, although granted, you’ll have to repay them. Generally, one can’t just go out and get an unsecured loan for the fun of it. Making the money available is in fact a form of student aid. So don’t sneeze at the availability of the loan – it could be the thing that makes your dream possible.</p>
<p>Second consideration: $10,000 free money each year. At an IVY, that’s either a quarter or a third of your tuition or possibly your boarding cost. At a public, that’s likely most of in-state tuition. Also no cause to be blue.</p>
<p>One final consideration, to OP, but also to the many many disappointed posters who frequent the fin aid blog:
Education of any kind is never free, though many of us wish it could be. Each year you’ve been in high school, it has cost taxpayers on average of anywhere from $7500 to $14,000 for each and every one of you in a seat in a public school, whether or not the taxpayer even has kids. Now think about what kind of resources were allocated to your public school education and tell me if you’d expect more at a university. Thought so.</p>
<p>It should never surprise us, then, that higher education has higher associated costs. An in state school will range $8,000 - $12,000; a private $34,000 to 44,000 in tuition.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, it is an investment in yourself. You may spend a long time paying yourself back : ) You get to decide what a wise investment for you looks like. Determining such things is one of your rights of passage into adulthood. </p>
<p>So, from where I’m sitting: Congratulations to OP for getting accepted into your dream school and for winning scholarship money. Whether it is a wise investment for you to go or not is something you will determine. But enjoy the achievement and recognition nonetheless.
-K.</p>
<p>Kmccringel, what a nice way to look at the situation. To the OP, my son was able to double his merit award by discussing it with the college. That and an outside scholarship has really made a big difference in the final cost. He has also worked many hours to contribute to the cost. He also has taken out a loan. We are contributing with savings, money from current income and loans as well. We have put in an austerity regiment here at home so that we have the money to do the things we want to do the most.</p>
<p>kmccrindle, I love your take on the costs (and responsibilities) of higher ed. Every student should keep in mind the financial investment either their community (public schools) or their family (private schools) has already made in their K-12 education.</p>
<p>And for the OP, the $10,000 merit scholarship is quite an achievement. Congrats. And if the other blah blah blah loans are disheartening, then you will also be disappointed with the offer of Stafford loans – which is about all the FAFSA officially will be used for, in evaluating your FA needs.</p>
<p><<austerity regiment=“”>></austerity></p>
<p>LOVE that phrase!</p>
<p>Suephilly, I don’t cuz I’m living it. LOL It is a sad thing when a $10K scholarship is just a drop in the bucket with college costs what they are today. I remember when the NMF scholarship just about paid a year’s tuition. The amount has stayed the same and won’t even pay for food for the year. </p>
<p>When my son got one of his packages in the $20K range, I remember grimacing as I realized that it still meant over $30k had to be paid for that particular school. We’ve split the cost up into sections which does make it more manageable.</p>