<p>So I was really really really dumb and applied ED to Smith because it's my dream school and I wanted the small extra chance of acceptance that often comes with ED. I got in but I can't really celebrate because I didn't get near enough grants. My parents won't contribute a lot because my dad works for a local college and thinks I'm snubbing him because I don't want to go there. Right now I'm looking at 15,000-20,000 per year in loans and I don't know what to do. I have no leverage because it's ED. Is there anything that can be done? There have been no changes in my parents' income/expenses that I could file for reconsideration, theoretically they should be able to pay most of what the college thinks they can but they just won't. When I applied I didn't even think of this, all I was thinking about was whether I would get in or not, stupid me. </p>
<p>Also, are scholarships announced with the fin aid package? I know I have a minuscule chance of getting one anyway, because, again, ED, but if there's a chance that they haven't been awarded yet and that I may qualify it would be a pretty big weight off. I have a 97 GPA, 2220 SAT, 5 APs this year, and am definitely in the top 10% of my class, possibly the top 5%, if that means anything. Bottom line is I either get more aid or I cannot go there.</p>
<p>Call the financial aid office. Nobody else knows anything, anyway, and the sooner you talk to someone there, the sooner you can try to get something worked out. Good luck!</p>
<p>I hope you’ve applied to a safety you will be happy to attend and your family is willing to pay for.</p>
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When I applied I didn’t even think of this, all I was thinking about was whether I would get in or not, stupid me.</p>
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<p>??</p>
<p>Don’t parents have to sign an ED application? If so, then I put some blame on them. What were THEY thinking?</p>
<p>YOU can’t borrow $15k-20k per year. Your parents likely won’t co-sign for more since your dad is against this.</p>
<p>YOU can only borrow $5,500.</p>
<p>You can call and ask about merit, but I think that you would have been notified about merit at the time of acceptance and/or FA award.</p>
<p>If you got merit, the school would just remove some of your grants. Smith would still expect your parents to pay the “family contribution.” </p>
<p>It seems hard to believe that a family where the dad works for a college that there would have been no prior conversation about paying or anything. weird. </p>
<p>Your parents did fill out CSS Profile, right? did they say NOTHING then? This sounds nutty.</p>
<p>How much will your parents pay for you to attend your dad’s school?</p>
<p>Where are you going to apply as your safety schools? (these would be schools that you know FOR SURE that you have all costs covered.)</p>
<p>I was under the impression that both the parents and the guidance counselor signed some type of ED agreement?</p>
<p>Contact Smith tomorrow and see if you are in the running for merit aid…but also ask…if you get merit aid, will your grant aid be reduced. </p>
<p>Well…something isn’t right about this saga. If you applied ED1 to Smith, both the Smith College Financial Aid Form AND the CSS Profile had submission deadlines of November 15. Did your parents complete the Profile and Smith form and submit by November 15? Those are the forms which would be used for need based aid consideration. </p>
<p>If your parents completed the forms for Smith, what were they hoping? That you would get a full ride? Obviously they knew that you had applied ED. </p>
<p>If the money is not sufficient for you to attend Smith, simply decline the offer of admission. </p>
<p>Get the rest of your regular decision applications submitted and move on.</p>
<p>Even if you had applied to Smith regular decision, it would not have been affordable for your family. </p>
<p>Time to move on. You will find a great, and affordable school. </p>