<p>Hey guys, I have a bit of a dilemma.</p>
<p>Lemme break it down for you.</p>
<p>I was accepted EA to Northeastern, I have gotten a 12,000/year deans scholarship, and I am really diggin the co-op vibe. I also have relatively high stats, and have done alot in my high school career. However, my family of 5 is currently living on a 29,000/year income, and we have been for over a year. The FAFSA did not reflect this. We have sent in all of the special circumstances forms and I am EAGERLY waiting for some kind of response from Northeastern, but it has yet to come. </p>
<p>SO, given all of that, what do you guys think my chances are at getting the financial aid I would need to be able to attend Northeastern? Although that FAFSA says our EFC is about 27,000, its really next to nothing. I am basically relying on 100% financial aid to be able to attend college. </p>
<p>I want this bad guys. Real bad.</p>
<p>If your family had already been living on a $29,000 yearly income, FAFSA would have already asked that, and Northeastern University should have given you a lot of financial aid… through grants, loans, etc. If you are really desperate for this, the best thing is to call them, or go to the admissions office directly and contact them face to face (if possible). But do this as soon as possible.</p>
<p>If Northeastern is too expensive, a state/public school is not a bad alternate. Just because you go to an elite private school (or any private school for that matter) does not guarantee job success</p>
<p>No, but the program that Northeastern offers DOES give a serious edge in the job market.
Also, the FAFSA doesnt reflect this because its based on last year (the taxes we submitted this year), and last year my family survived on selling stock options previously offered by my dad’s company and loans from the home equity line of credit. So on paper, it looks like we had an income of over $100,000.
Were you to take the numbers from this year though, we are on unemployment and food stamps. Both of which may run out soon.
We’ve already sent in the special needs forms. I just want to know if you guys think theres a all a chance that they will come back with something doable.</p>
<p>To top it all off, my parents are getting a divorce.</p>
<p>Then talk to financial aid. There isn’t anything we can tell you here that you don’t already know. Either you can convince financial aid to change your stats and allow you to go, or you can’t and you go to a cheaper school.</p>
<p>^^I’m afraid that you will be looking at a lot of loan debt when you are done with school. You must have other schools to choose from.</p>
<p>So just to update ya’ll, I got nearly $40,000 in free money (combined workstudy, scholarship, federal grants, and NEU grants), making it possible to go to Northeastern.
There is hope out there.</p>
<p>Was it hard to get all that money (like did you have to continuosly ask for it)?</p>
<p>Also doesn’t that mean you and your family still have to come up with $10-15k in loans and cash (since the financial aid includes your earnings)? Seems like a lot at your income level. Also it could be worse: I’m divorced, and my ex makes a lot of money (but I don’t), so we don’t get much financial aid but I still have to come up with half of full freight costs. Congrats though on getting enough assistance to swing NEU.</p>
<p>Thanks!
Basically, we can make up the $15 or so grand in parent loans, or whatever other money we can scrounge up.</p>
<p>It literally was the last possible day that they told us, and we had to call multiple times as well as hand in papers (in person) which were then lost, and fix errors that the Financial Aid office made. However, they came through in the end.</p>