<p>My aid today was extremely depressing. My EFC=0; my mom makes ~15k per year. I have no idea what my dad makes. Uchicago gave me 10k in grants and 3k in Odyssey scholarship. I got 8k in Pell Grants/SEOG. My family contribution is ~36k per year. This will leave me ~150k in debt over 4 years.</p>
<p>My parents are divorced, but my father will not contribute to my education. Also today, Vanderbilt gave me 55k in grants. I absolutely do not want to go to Vanderbilt. I don't know what I can do. My family has always been extremely poor. I don't understand why Chicago offered me so little aid if Vanderbilt uses the same information.</p>
<p>I don’t think Vandy uses the same info.</p>
<p>I don’t think Vandy uses the non-custodial parent form. If so, then your dad’s finances weren’t considered.</p>
<p>Go to Vandy…it’s a great school. Have you visited it?</p>
<p>Why would you say that you absolutely don’t want to go there. Frankly, you say that you’ve been poor all your life. BE GRATEFUL that some awesome school is willing to give you the money to attend. That is an amazing gift.</p>
<p>YOU can’t borrow much. Your mom can’t afford to co-sign big loans. You can only borrow the following amounts…</p>
<p>frosh 5500
soph 6500
jr 7500
sr 7500</p>
<p>And these loans may already be in your UChi aid package, so you can’t borrow more without a qualified co-signer.</p>
<p>Why are you so opposed to Vanderbilt? Don’t even consider that much debt for UChicago.</p>
<p>I guess I’ll have to get loans from the mob then. I simply don’t like Vanderbilt. I’ll just go to the FA office at Chicago and try to explain my situation.
Yes, I visited. If I didn’t, I would be more inclined to going. I don’t like the people or the area.</p>
<p>I doubt your mother will qualify as a co-signer on the private loans (the part to cover about 36K). Even if by a miracle she qualifies the first year for loans, chances are she would be denied subsequent years. The reality is that even middle class income families earning quadruple or more than your mother current earns find themselves in a situation where they can not swing a 36K/year “contribution” nor qualify for 36K/year of loans. Or even 20K/year of loans. Or even as “little” as 10/K a year in loans.</p>
<p>You want a Rolls Royce of an education but don’t have a FA package that works. Vandy is also a “luxury vehicle” and sounds like they want to GIVE IT TO YOU FOR FREE. I would take a very serious look at how you could make Vandy work for you.</p>
<p>OP, turn down the vandy deal and go to UChicago. Get a loan for 36K for that 1st year, have parents co-sign. Then in year 2 and on when you can’t get the 36K in loans because you don’t have a co-signer with acceptable credit you can drop out and go work at walmart and start paying off that 36K loan… better yet don’t pay and let your co-signer pay it off. Sounds like a plan, one should never go to a school which isn’t there dream school.</p>
<p>OP, why did you bother applying to Vanderbilt in the first place if you hate it so much?</p>
<p>@foomanchew…</p>
<p>Very well put!</p>
<p>Poly…take heed of foo’s words…that would be your future if you attempt big loans for UChi.</p>
<p>Poly…what are some valid and welll-thought out reasons for not liking Vandy? I’ve been there several times and it’s an awesome school. My nephew is there now and loves it.</p>
<p>DD loved Chicago for most of high school. LOVED it. I loved it for her. It was the perfect place. Each marketing brochure that came in the mail looked as though it was written for her. We were full pay at Chicago and told her that she would need to apply for loans each year so that she would have some skin in the game so to speak.</p>
<p>She was offered full tuition at Pitt. She had not even visited Pitt and held the scholarship letter in the air when it arrived and declared; “If Chicago doesn’t give me any money, I am going to Pitt.” Chicago didn’t. She went to Pitt and is very happy there. She has even said that she would have taken the money our flagship (Maryland) offered before going into debt for Chicago. Did I mention that she LOVED Chicago? She loves Pitt now.</p>
<p>Fax Chicago FA your other offer with a polite note that if they cannot match it, you’ll take the Vanderbilt deal. If they don’t budge, then follow through. Borrowing the difference is not a realistic alternative.</p>
<p>Agree with the others. You have a case of unrequited love with Chicago. You deserve someone who really wants you and sees something that merits them giving you a ton of money - Vanderbilt.</p>
<p>From an objective perspective, Vanderbilt is obviously giving me a better opportunity. And in the current situation, there is no possibility that I will be able to attend Chicago. I’m going to the admitted students overnight in a few weeks and they allow you to make appointments with the FA office. I’ll try to explain my situation there. I would probably answer my question this way the same way if I were you. Thanks guys! I probably sound very spoiled and obnoxious; I apologize about that.</p>
<p>Well, You did sound spoiled and obnoxious, but it seems you are coming to your senses. I would have loved for my son to be privileged enough to go to Vandy. Hope you can see how privileged you are also. I live in Chicago, What are they going do do for you that Vanderbilt can’t, Except bury you in debt.</p>
<p>Congratulations on your acceptance to Vanderbilt and for that nice award. There are many kids who would love to be in your situation. You can discuss your problem with UCh and tell them what you got from Vanderbilt, but it is rare that a school will come up with such a huge difference unless an out and out mistake was made. Their methodology is different and they are not likely to change it for you.</p>
<p>yeah, I’m going to try to get my noncustodial waiver. i havent seen him in a while. I guess I grew up thinking that you get what you work for, but that’s a very fantasy-based logic. Thanks for the help, again.</p>
<p>*I’m going to try to get my noncustodial waiver. i havent seen him in a while. *</p>
<p>It sounds like he filled the NCP info out for UChi and his income is high enough that you didn’t qualify for much aid with UChi. I find it hard to believe that a school is going to give a NCP waiver to a student whose dad DID fill out the NCP info, but just won’t pay. To get a NCP waiver usually means that the student has no contact, the dad can’t be found, etc. You obviously have contact because he filled out the NCP info (and revealed that he makes a good income).</p>
<p>Did your dad pay child support?</p>
<p>And…can you please tell us why you don’t like Vandy?</p>
<p>You do get what you work for with regard to admission. You get what your parents worked for with regard to affordability. It is not the responsibility of the colleges or the taxpayers to make up for dead beat dads.</p>
<p>/thread
I got the information I need. I really thank you guys. I’ll try to figure this out.
Also, the only reason I know he has good income is because of the bad aid I got. I truly have no indicator of what he does or what his profession is.</p>
<p>Hey poly,</p>
<p>Talk to UCh sooner than later. Call or email.</p>
<p>You could always go to community college inexpensively for two years and then reapply to UCh (if they take transfers) and then borrow what you need to for the two last years; this would still put you in debt upon graduation, but you would be able to graduate from the school of your choice – if, in two years, UCh is still the school of choice.</p>
<p>I would call Vandy and ask if they can put you in touch with a student who is majoring in what you are interested. Maybe if you have personal contact with someone there, Vandy won’t seem so …???.. not sure why you don’t like it, but there are all kinds of people so don’t get stuck thinking that stereotypes are 100% true. All you need are a few great friends with similar interests and you will be fine there or anywhere.</p>
<p>Vandy has handed you a stellar opportunity, by the way! Congratz!</p>
<p>Poly could also go to Vandy on Vandy’s dime and transfer if that is the goal.</p>