<p>hey guys. I am in a very difficult and desperate moment in my life and I need some opinions.</p>
<p>I am an international student accepted by a total of 11 colleges and universities. Most prestigious would be Princeton, Dartmouth, Cornell, Duke, NU, Amherst, Pomona.</p>
<p>My parents' annual gross income is somewhere around $17 000 and well, most of my financial aid offers required my parents to pay somewhere between $800-$3 000. Transportation and health insurances were included in the budget and the travel allowances were more than sufficient for me to buy plane tickets and everything.</p>
<p>Princeton however, requires my parents to pay $2,500, the travel allowance is not enough for my plane tickets and it says that students not covered under a family health plan must purchase a health insurance worth & 1,600.
So if we add all these figure, we will get that my Mum will have to pay a total of app $4, 500 for me to attend Princeton. Is this normal? Isn't Princeton supposed to be one of the most generous universities in the world? How is it possible that Skidmore requires my parents to pay $800 and Princeton $4,500? </p>
<p>Please tell me if it is worth appealing Princeton's financial aid offer? I don't intend to ask them to actually reconsider financial aid, I just need them to pay for my health insurance. That's all.
Do you think this could happen?</p>
<p>Email or call Princeton and let them know of your exact situation. Tell them also specifically of your other Financial Aid offers. I’m no expert on the topic, but from what I’ve read you have high chances Princeton will match your best offer.</p>
<p>Hi,
I’m a current undergrad at Princeton (not international, though). My parents make around 17,000 also. As far as the health insurance (1600) is concerned, I signed up for it after matriculating and Princeton simply increased the amount of my grant to cover that amount. So as far as that is concerned, you should pay nothing out of pocket. I would definitely appeal the travel allowance. I’m not sure about the parental contribution (2500). Things might be different for international students, but my contribution (my parents didnt pay anything) was 1030. I think you should definitely at least call the financial aid office. They’re really friendly and should be able to help you figure something out. Hope to see you here!</p>
<p>I guarantee you that if you email Princeton’s financial aid, tell them you got better financial aid at other schools, and ask them to relook at the amount you were awarded, our financial aid department would match the other schools.</p>
<p>I wrote this thread immediately after I viewed my financial aid letter online and I thought I would have to pay $2500 family contribution + $1600 to join the health plan. however, when I received the mailed fin aid letter, I learned that additional aid was available for me to purchase the Princeton Health Plan and that out of the $2500, $1000 was supposed to come from my summer earnings. however, given the fact that in Romania (where I live) summer jobs opportunities are very scarce and the employed teenagers are usually exploited (paid $1 an hour) I will be able to get that money from the financial aid office when I arrive at Princeton in the form of replacement aid.</p>
<p>This means that my parents will have to pay a total of $1500 which makes Princeton’s my second best financial aid offer (Amherst has a very strange financial aid for me: after all possible expenses are met, I am left with $3000. I’m sure Princeton can’t beat that and besides, there is probably something fishy about Amherst’s package; it’s too generous). Duke also has a very good offer for me but I got a lot of merit aid (that even replaced my campus job) there so again, I can’t compare the two financial aid options.</p>
<p>Long story made short, I am going to Princeton because I love this university. Duke or Amherst would be the easy way out: no campus job, no struggle, just sitting on my butt all day and waiting for work and life experience to appear out of nowhere. And I don’t usually choose the easy ways. :P</p>
<p>Hahah that’s good to hear that you’re coming to Princeton! I am confident that the opportunities Princeton will open up for you will far exceed whatever additional aid Amherst might give you.</p>