<p>My daughter (who I wrote about in another thread regarding the schools she did get into) has been waitlisted at Harvard and Georgetown. Georgetown was her first choice. Is there any point in her staying on the WL if she needs need-based financial aid? Or is there no point? Will the money all be given away by the time these schools reach the WL, if they ever do? And would they only pluck students who can pay full freight at that point? She knows that the WL in either case is a long-shot, but I wanted to ask this question myself before encouraging her to put more energy (and hope) into pursuing these WL slots.</p>
<p>I think Harvard should have the money for need based aid even for wait list student. Also, it does not cost you anything to be remained on the wait list. Did you check the cost with NPC?</p>
<p>What’s NPC? Sorry.</p>
<p>Net Price Calculator. There is one on each college website. You can enter your financial information and get a decent estimate of your aid and net cost. </p>
<p>If you are self employed or own a business, are divorced, or own property other than your primary residence, they aren’t always accurate.</p>
<p>Yes, Thumper, we’ve done all of that. We’d need substantial aid at either school–and if we were in the first round, from the NPC, we’d be fine, as we were at the better of the schools that accepted her. But my question is how this translates to kids on the WL.</p>
<p>I think if they promise to meet 100% need it doesn’t matter when the student is admitted. I’d keep her on the waitlist if she wants to stay. </p>
<p>If the institution has the policy of meeting full need, the money will be there even for wait-listed students. If it doesn’t have that formal policy, the money might be there, or it might not. If she can kiss an acceptance off the wait-list good-bye if the money is bad, then there is no problem with staying on the waitlist to see what happens.</p>
<p>Stay on both the wait lists. JMHO.</p>
<p>Okay thanks, I’ll share that advice with her.</p>
<p>If she gets admitted off the waitlist, then she will be given aid… but most colleges are NOT “need blind” when it comes to their wait lists. (Harvard might be, however… they’ve got plenty of money). But the point is that if a college’s financial aid budget is stretched, then they will go to full pay applicants on their waitlist first. </p>
<p>Your daughter has wonderful options. It doesn’t cost anything to keep the name on the waitlist, but emotionally it’s time to move on. </p>
<p>cat mom, I think your advice is perfect…stay on the wait list, but emotionally move on. I think she’s moving in that direction already–and she just got her WL news today.</p>
<p>Georgetown stats from last year:
Students Offered Wait List 2,217<br>
Students Accepting Wait List Position 1,143
Students Admitted From Wait List 84 .07%</p>
<p>…agree with Time to move on…</p>
<p>Stay on the waitlist, but send in a deposit on the school that she would attend if Georgetown or Harvard don’t come through. </p>
<p>As I said earlier, I don’t think Harvard would be out of money for WL accepted students. However, don’t put much hope on it as WL admission rarely happens.</p>
<p>both schools will still meet full need if a student is pulled from the WL. But, Georgetown is not known for being generous, particularly if you have a lot of home equity. So, even if they still meet full need as they define, it may not meet your full need as you define it.</p>
<p>Before moving on, make sure she sends a strong letter of interest, particularly to GU, by the end of the month.</p>
<p>GL.</p>
<p>bluebayou, that’s helpful. we have low income but high equity in our house, so that’s very good to know about GU and their financial aid offers. my spouse is 68 and we’re reluctant to take on more debt at this stage in our lives. </p>
<p>gosmom: 84/1,143 = 7% (or .07), not .07% (or .0007). Eighty-plus accepted from an 1100 wait list is actually pretty good odds for a wait list.</p>