<p>"We are indeed very grateful for the wonder FA our DD receives. However, any one who has the similiar financial situation at the same school will receive the same FA package. " DadII, Stanford is one of the very FEW colleges in the US that do not pretend that LOANS are a reasonable way for students to finance their education. Your D was awarded GRANTS[ free money], not loans, correct? Realize that your family is INDEED very LUCKY, especially compared to most families, whose children don’t end up going to colleges with huge endowments and have no choice but to take out expensive loans [that will have to be paid off eventually], in order to pay for a child’s education!
this thread is for those who are distressed at how much GOING TO COLLEGE IS GOING TO COST THEM!!!. This is not a suitable thread for those with sweet FA packages to chide others about the “timing” of their whining. Sheeshh…</p>
<p>1sokker, that is grounds for whining!</p>
<p>Next whine:</p>
<p>Good News: She was accepted to Fairfield nursing program.</p>
<p>Bad News: …cost is about $52,000/year. </p>
<p>Acceptance letter came today with no mention of merit. If FU uses the same “calculation” as QU, then we will have to say FU too… :)</p>
<p>(This is a vent thread, after all…)</p>
<p>She was told by GC to cast a wide net because of competitive nature of nursing programs. She will probably end up where she got some merit money and where she is comfortable…probably not her original dream choice.</p>
<p>Last whine: She likes UVM. But as an OOS student the cost would be over $45,000/year. If she gets in to the nursing program with no merit, it is unlikely that she will go there. She finds out next week…</p>
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</p>
<p>lolll…</p>
<p>When do these FA packages arrive? D has heard from 6 schools (5 acceptances, 1 deferral) but hasn’t rec’d any packages yet - only one merit scholarship in the acceptance letter from her safety.</p>
<p>Can I whine about the wait? (And whine later about the package?)</p>
<p>1sokkermom, I have a co-worker who’s daughter got admit-denied at QU last year. URM with compelling story, 200+ SAT scores, great transcript, stupendously gorgeous. Got almost nothing from them.</p>
<p>Is your daughter leaning toward Seton Hall at this point?</p>
<p>linymom, it varies. We have heard from a few schools, with a few to go.</p>
<p>Sokkermom, sorry, I know it how it feels. We got one of Q’s packages for our older son and it was not much better than your package. If memory serves me correctly they meet 65% of need on average. My younger son did not bother to even look at Quinnipiac.</p>
<p>Linymom, we have heard from 1 of 7. Plenty more whining ahead… :)</p>
<p>Received very first financial aid package last night from the school that offered my daughter the best merit aid: full tuition. Our EFC is $4800. Financial package looks like this:</p>
<p>COA $52214 </p>
<p>Merit award $35222
College Loan $4000
Sub Stafford $3500
Unsub Stafford $2000
Work Study $2500</p>
<p>Is it ok to whine and say that I hope another college comes up with a better deal than $9500 loans for my daughter and a cost of $5000 for myself per year? Or is this an amazing offer?</p>
<p>We are grateful for my D’s choices so far. It’s better than we dared hope. But I’m crossing my fingers for even $3000 a year of free money at one particular school.</p>
<p>So far, our report card for merit money is: $18k, $8k, and $0. We will get no need-based aid (except for a few thousand in loans).</p>
<p>Zm,</p>
<p>She and H went to basketball game and tour at Seton Hall. She really wasn’t comfortable with the location. So, as of today, Seton Hall is not her choice.</p>
<p>(She has a couple of state schools admission results pending.) </p>
<p>However, at this point, she also got some decent merit money from U Scranton. She did the tour, and it moved very high up the list! Seemed like a great social fit for her, and we were all impressed with what the nursing program offers. The more we research it, the more we all like it.</p>
<p>In addition, the city of Scranton isn’t as bad as some think. It has gone through a revitalization. In fact, we are going back for Preview Day on March 27. We are staying at great hotel, and have actually booked tickets for “Riverdance”, which is playing at the off Broadway cultural theater in Scranton that night. ;)</p>
<p>My D’s best friend is wild about Scranton. I think he’s made his decision to go there. May I say that he’s one of the most attractive young men I’ve ever seen?</p>
<p>Missemilly, that sounds like a pretty awesome package to me! IF it is a good school for your D. Still a little heavy on loans - is she applying for any outside scholarships? Only you know your financial situation at home and all the contributing factors. That is why only YOU can decide if you want to whine. This thread should NOT be judgemental. If you have a legit whine, throw it on the table.</p>
<p>*Received very first financial aid package last night from the school that offered my daughter the best merit aid: full tuition. Our EFC is $4800. Financial package looks like this:</p>
<p>COA $52214</p>
<p>Merit award $35222
College Loan $4000
Sub Stafford $3500
Unsub Stafford $2000
Work Study $2500</p>
<p>Is it ok to whine and say that I hope another college comes up with a better deal than $9500 loans for my daughter and a cost of $5000 for myself per year? Or is this an amazing offer?*</p>
<p>Very nice merit!!! It does seem odd that merit is the only “real” help considering that they must want your child with such good merit. It looks as if they want her on campus taking classes, but they expect the student and family to pay for everything else.</p>
<p>What school is this?</p>
<p>(At a minimum, I’d see if they’d increase the W/S so that she could borrow less AND earn more in the summer and not have it cause an increase in EFC for next year.)</p>
<p>Zm,</p>
<p>I hope he goes to Preview Day! 
(Probably something D will be noting.)</p>
<p>missemily516, the FA package met 100% of your need. That is far better than most of the FA package. However, as you point out, there are a lot of loans so it is not a “out of this world” package. </p>
<p>Typically, student should be able to make some decent amount of money after the first year from summer jobs. So, expect your DD to pay part of her way toward the $5K EFC. </p>
<p>Also, my advice to all first time parents - never ever never accept the initial offer. At least, in your case, ask for a Perkins loan to replace that $2000 unsubsidized Stafford. </p>
<p>Congratulations!!!</p>
<p>BTW, I think your disclosure of such a high merit grant will induce a lot more whinings</p>
<p>The school is Whittier College. I called the financial aid office to ask some questions and they did say that any outside scholarships will reduce workstudy and loans.</p>
<p>I am happy with the package overall but hope that my daughter can reduce some of those loans with outside scholarships…we will have to see. She is planning to try to become an RA in future years which would remove her room and board costs, so hopefully it will all work out. </p>
<p>I was afraid to whine about the loans for my daughter because it seems like a good package otherwise.</p>
<p>DadII - Thank you for the advice about the unsub Stafford loans. I know very little about this whole thing, having never been to college myself, so I appreciate this advice!!!</p>
<p>missemily, I would first be concerned with looking at the GPA to keep the 35,000 merit scholarship. If your D should not make the grades required to keep that award, I’d ask what the new package might look like. I would also ask about the grace period. I do find it odd that they want to burden a student that they obviously want on their campus by offering 9,000 in loans. I would be tortured by this package, because I would never allow my child to take on that much debt. If I could afford not to have him take that much out in loans, and the gpa were reasonable for my child I’d say that was a very good package. If I had ANY doubt that my child would not keep the 35,000, I would need to know what the following year’s package would look like, or I’d walk.</p>
<p>missemily, I cross posted with you. Actually, Perkins loans may be changing. I had heard that they are going to become unsubsidized although I do not think that has come to pass yet. I think that the interest rate on Perkins is slightly lower than on the unsubsidized loans (maybe 4.5 %?? not sure). It really sounds like you have figured out ways of cutting down on those loans. I hope that it works out!</p>
<p>Quote:"BTW, I think your disclosure of such a high merit grant will induce a lot more whinings "</p>
<p>Actually, I would bet that the above statement would induce more whinings! :eek:</p>