Okay, so May 1st is this week. I really think I want to go one school, but my mom hasn’t been able to afford a plane ticket for me to visit and our 2014 taxes still aren’t officially done, which they need to finalize my financial aid, which I need to know before I decide. My other school is a safety in state that I can definitely afford, but I just don’t want to commit somewhere just because I don’t have all the knowledge to know if I should commit to the other. I know I can’t make enrollment deposits at both schools. What should I do?!?
As a side note, according to first schools net price calculator, I should be able to afford it, but I don’t want to risk it. I also don’t want to commit without visiting because I think a visit can really make or break a decision. Please help.
Why weren’t you addressing these issues last month? There is nothing anyone can do to ‘help’, we don’t have magic. Now you will have to make the best decision given the information you have. Many students are unable to visit. Mine went to hers sight unseen as it was too expensive for us and she felt certain. If you are too uncomfortable to do that, cross it off. End of story, you are at decision time.
I have no idea why you would wait so long to do taxes but that’s what your family chose, so now you have to make the decision on the estimated award letter. You cannot make decisions on the NPC there are too many things that could make it different. If your numbers on FAFSA and/or CSS profile are the same as the actuals on your taxes or very close, then the aid will stay the same. Good luck.
@BrownParent I did everything in my power to move these things along, but most of this was out of my hands. I don’t have enough money on my own to visit and I’ve been asking my parents every day since February/March to finish taxes, but they just didn’t care to do them. I really have been asking every single day for months. My parents really don’t care that much where I end up going and are always really busy so they usually just blow off things I need from them.
I know you don’t have magic, I was just looking for advice as to what to do. This is a big decision and I’m left doing everything myself, making the decision even harder.
In addition, the college hasn’t offered an estimated award letter, I just have information from the net price calculator.
Seems like choosing that school would mean stressing about your parents’ untimely tax returns every year. It may be less stressful to choose the known-affordable school to avoid this problem.
Call the financial aid offices and see if they can give an estimate based on your fafsa and css profile figures. You could ask for an extension because of not knowing the aid.
I agree with ucbalumnus. I’d choose the school you know is affordable. Unless the other school awards merit aid to every kid who has certain SAT/GPA scores, grant money may already be running out. The later you file, the less aid schools have to give. If your parents will pay for the in state safety, I’d go there.
Travel costs are also a concern. If you can’t afford tickets now, how will you afford them later?
It sounds like choosing the out of state option could bring a lot of stress that could interfere with your education. I’m sorry you don’t have the support you need.
If your parents have let their taxes slide this far it’s very possible they have some complex issues like owning a business. If that’t the case it’s likely the NPC on the school’s web site will not be accurate. Just something to consider.
Yeah, unfortunately you guys are all right. Safety it is. Sorry Colby College, it was a fun thought. I really wish I had more control in this situation. This isn’t the first time things haven’t worked out because of things out of my control. Dang.
@Kw1217, I’m sorry this hasn’t turned out how you wanted. But, you are taking control by making sure to pick a place you can afford all 4 years. That’s smart. I’m glad there’s a school that’s working out for you.
It sounds like they did not file any information to be sent to the financial aid office. The financial aid officers deal with situations that are unusual but have to have some basis of info to start from. Are your parents willing to contact the financial aid office at Colby and discuss the situation?
Possibly, but not necessarily. I dealt with the same problem in college - and my parents had a very uncomplicated income situation (one house, no assets, two working-class salaries). They were just…late. My mom was convinced she never owed so she always waited until October to file, and even my dad was usually a few weeks late. (I made a connection with a financial aid officer who helped me tremendously with this issue - she was aware of my precarious relationship with my parents and helped facilitate things like verification processes.)
I think that others are probably right that you will need to attend the affordable safety. However, I think that in the next few days, you could call Colby’s financial aid office, explain the situation, and say that you would like at least an estimated award letter - perhaps based on your parents’ 2013 taxes. If their incomes and assets haven’t changed significantly since then and if they have uncomplicated situations, that should be a decent indicator of what Colby can offer you. However, they may have awarded most of their financial aid for this year, so there is that.
And although your parents should do this for you, you might have to take charge - I filed my own FAFSA each year starting when I was a high school senior because I couldn’t rely on my parents to do it (I used estimated information until they finally put in their tax returns, and then updated it) and did all negotiations with the financial aid office myself. If your parents are simply behind but are willing to give you their 2013 tax returns, you can make the call yourself. In fact, having the conversation with a financial aid officer yourself might impress upon them how dire the situation really is.
If your parents are dragging their heels about the taxes, the truth may be that they really can’t afford the not-cheap-state-U option and they don’t really want to have to tell you that. So ask them if that is the deal, and tell them that you truly are fine with attending the state U, but that you do want them to get the FAFSA straightened out in time to qualify for any financial aid that the state U can cough up for you.
