The big question: How would you describe Smith's financial aid?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Smith College
1

<p>I applied to Smith College with, of course, the hope that I'll get in. Unfortunately, I've been burned before when it comes to financial aid. I need to know; how did the majority of you current students react to your fin. package? Was it good? Did it leave you a little wanting? Or did you possibly get accepted, only to find that the money was so little you had to deny them? Smith is my number one right now, and I don't want to get my hopes up if I'm accepted, only to find I can't go anyways.</p>

<p>Also, on a slightly different topic, how do you 'turn in the filing'? I know I need to turn in the financial forms (not including FAFSA) by Feb. 15th, but checking their site gave me this:
PROFILE Application to CSS
(Smith College CSS Code: 3762)</p>

<p>Non-Custodial Parent PROFILE, if applicable
(Smith College CSS Code: 3762)</p>

<p>FAFSA to Federal Processor (Smith College Federal Code: 002209)</p>

<p>Smith Aid Application for Traditional Students </p>

<p>2009 Parent (custodial and non-custodial, if applicable) W-2s</p>

<p>2009 Signed Parent (custodial and non-custodial, if applicable) and Student Federal Tax Returns (including all schedules)</p>

<p>Priority Deadline: Feb. 15, 2010</p>

<p>Final Deadline:
Apr. 1, 2010</p>

<p>Business/Farm Supplement/2009 Business Tax Return, if applicable
~~</p>

<p>Is there a specific paperwork I need to fill out? I'm going to talk to my parents, but I don't know for sure what to do with this information.</p>

2

<p>We were happy with our package - it matched what the FA calculator had said. Re forms unless you are financially independent almost all of those forms will have to be done by your parents.</p>

3

<p>I would describe Smith aid as generous, but it depends on your situation. Using an FA calculator to give you a rough estimate is a good idea, though you wont’ know for sure until you get your acceptance letter. It’s a little frustrating, but I wuold just temper your hopes with a note of reality. You’ll probably get a great package, many people do, but you should be prepared. One thing I will say for Smith is that since the recession began they’e done everything possible to insulate financial aid from the shock. They’ve made cuts in a lot of areas, but not to the student aid budget.</p>

<p>As for forms, you are only financially independent if you’re over 24, you have child, or you’ve served in the military, so yes, as overwhelmed says your parents will have to fill out most of those. Besides the FAFSA and CSS, Smith has its own financial aid application that you can find on the website that needs to be completed. And when your parents do their taxes they need to sign and mail in a copy of their return and their W-2 tax forms. If you’ve done taxes you need to sign and send in yours as well.</p>

4

<p>Get that paperwork in ASAP. Filling it out is non-trivial unless your parents’ finances are very simple. It was a headache for me, not as bad as doing taxes but a good step in that direction. I had two Business Supplements to fill out, fwiw. Even without that, they’re time consuming and tedious.</p>

5

<p>I second TheDad’s comment. The paperwork is very detailed and takes a long time to do. My husband equated doing both the FAFSA and CSS Profile to doing taxes all over again. Of course we had to fill out both these forms for each of our daughter’s schools as well as her twin brother’s, for a total of 16 schools/forms. And a good number of schools have their own additional special forms. So get your paperwork going!</p>

6

<p>Also it requires that you do your taxes early which means thinking way ahead. I 3rd the tedious nature of the forms - great advantage to ED was we only had to do one!</p>

7

<p>Smith was the most generous of the colleges that accepted my daughter. Their package came close to the EFC. In the end if the college wants you they will offer you enough to enable you to attend. However, it doesn’t mean that you are not expected to pay what you can out of available resources.</p>

8

<p>Thanks for the answers, guys. I’m not expecting much because my grades are sub-average (compared to Smith student’s GPA) and because my EFC wasn’t what you’d call promising. I’ve never been so regretful of living in a nice house with parents who graduated from college. :(</p>

9

<p>Well, I wouldn’t waste too much time fretting over it now. Make sure you’ve applied to some financial safeties and then wait for the decisions to be made. It’s out of your hands (once you turn in the applications for aid) and worrying about it for two months won’t improve it any.</p>

10

<p>Thanks again. Just found out my EFC is 34K. :frowning: I’m not looking forward to April.</p>

11

<p>Chimichonga, you never know. The financial aid can be all over the map with various colleges. Just try to go with the flow and let us know what happens.</p>