<p>So, I totally got worked over in the financial aid department. Anybody else really frustrated by this?</p>
<p>well i think that what i was offered was fair, but with lots of other good offers at other schools, its making this decision process very difficult.</p>
<p>wow, my best FinAid offer so far was from MIT</p>
<p>Ha, at least you're not <em>literally</em> un-aided like me, lol. My parents are gods.</p>
<p>i got the same finaid from stanfrod and mit, which are both more than expected :D</p>
<p>PICK MIT - you have to know how to ride a bike at Stanford. ;)</p>
<p>I haven't even received my Financial Aid package yet, because my parents' 2005 tax returns didn't get there in time =/.</p>
<p>Does anyone know about people who've asked for more financial aid and gotten it from MIT?</p>
<p>i'm unaided as of right now at both Stanford and MIT.</p>
<p>do you know when ppl who with missing tax returns find out about their aid?</p>
<p>If you come to CPW, you (your parents) can schedule a meeting with a financial aid counselor to discuss the details of your offer. It's certainly not unheard of for a student's aid package to be increased if the student shows up and says, "Listen, I really love this place but I just can't afford it."</p>
<p>It's not something to count on, but it's certainly worth a try. If MIT is your dream school and the financial aid (or lack thereof) is making the decision for you, make a call to the financial aid office. It certainly can't hurt.</p>
<p>I'm going to have to agree with Laura on this one. The financial aid office makes mistakes sometimes, and if you convince them that they can convince you to come to MIT with a little bit more monetary incentive, then I think they'll be able to oblige you.</p>
<p>And hello there Laura, I didn't expect to see you posting here :P. Hurry back to the floor, it's totally boring without you.</p>
<p>We were unsuccessful with negotiating any additional aid, although the financial aid person we dealt with was very nice!</p>
<p>Financial aid can overlook things on occasion. If you feel that your fin. aid package was not sufficient call them ASAP and fax a letter to them. Sometimes there are items that you neglected to mention on your CSS/PROFILE and FAFSA. If you have document to back up your concerns, copy that and send that as well. It does not hurt to ask. The worse they can say is no. Going in and saying we need more aid doesn't cut it in my book. Backing it up with some serious documentation (letters from medical professionals, etc...) can make a difference. Discuss the matter with the parents. Also look at how much debt you are willing to incur over four years. Don't let emotion drive your decision. You need to sit down with pencil and paper and think it through. Good luck!</p>