<p>Hi, this is my first time on the forum.</p>
<p>I'm going to Discovery Weekend on Saturday and I am seriously considering Swat as my ED choice. I loved it when I went to visit a few weeks ago and I think that with my very widespread interests, Swat will be the perfect place for me. One of my friends who is there as a freshman this year has a similar situation to me--she is half Hispanic, and comes from a similar financial background (very much middle class--not wealthy, but not poor by any means). My mom was reassured about the financial aid situation at Swat when my friend's mother called and told her that they gave her daughter a good deal of money, enough that they didn't have to take out a home equity loan.</p>
<p>However, my friend applied Regular Decision and I am wondering... How much of a difference in financial aid will there be if I get in Early Decision? Will they give a lot less because I am saying that I will definitely go there if I get in?</p>
<p>also, on a side note, I am having an interview when I am at Discovery Weekend... What do I need to bring with me?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>I just had my interview yesterday, and I didn't bring anything with me. They'll have you fill out a short info form for the interviewer to make reference to. Good luck! I really enjoyed mine - it was with a senior interviewer and so pretty relaxed. We got to talking about some cool topics.</p>
<p>luminous,</p>
<p>The aid Swarthmore promises is 100% of need. They are extremely fair-minded in their aid, and applying early will have no impact on your aid package. I have a daughter who graduated from Swat and was on aid all four years, in very generous amounts. Also, when my son applied last year and was accepted (though he ultimately went somewhere else) we were able to see that the Swarthmore financial aid offer, which was based on need, was the most favorable of the five schools to whom he applied for aid.</p>
<p>I think if you have questions, the financial aid office will be glad to answer them for you.</p>
<p>Good luck in your searching!</p>
<p>I would agree with Momofthree. ED or RD, Swarthmore is going to make a good faith finanical aid offer based on the forms you submit. If the offer comes in less than you expect, they are open to discussing it with you (or more likely your parents) to see if there is something they missed. Whatever the package, the loan portion will be very small. Pretty much as small as anywhere.</p>
<p>Now, what you DO give up by applying ED is the ability to shop around at merit aid schools, including some that might award significant merit aid above and beyond need-based aid as an inducement to get you to enroll. </p>
<p>But, as long as you can live with a generous need-based aid package, then applying to Swarthmore ED or RD isn't going to make much difference. Either way, the financial aid office is going to do everything they can (based on your forms) to make the dollars work.</p>
<p>They will send you the aid offer with your ED acceptance, so you'll have time to send in other apps if the dollars are simply unworkable. That doesn't happen very often.</p>
<p>Remember, Swat has the highest endowment per student of any LAC...they can afford to be generous.</p>
<p>Yeah, I'm going to discovery weekend too (see you there :) ) and I e-mailed suzi nam (the minority recruitment lady) and she said that the interview in very informal and all you need to do is "bring you brain and your body". And as for your heart being set on Swarthmore, I wish I was as set with my plans as you, but all I can say is go for it, especially if you come out of the weekend loving Swarthmore even more with their "screw days" and whatnot.</p>