UofC: Mindblowing academics but crappy FinAid?

<p>Hey, I've recently set my sight on UofC, and I've done some research over the past month. I really like the rigorousness and overall quality (especiall for a prospective Econ major) of the academics at UofC. I've read from many sources that the academical experience at UofC is better or at least par with that at HYPS.</p>

<p>However, here's my problem.
I am an int'l student who need FinAid and is an Asian. Moreover, admission is need-based for int'ls, and admission is like x100 more competitive for internationals.</p>

<p>Also, seeing some numbers from U-CAN:</a> University of Chicago :: Page 2, my dream of someday choosing UofC over other good FinAid offers is slowly deflating.</p>

<p>Is there any hope or answer to this problem?</p>

<p>PS: I've tried participating in scholarship-awarding essay competitions, but to my disgrace, most of them are open ONLY to american citizens.</p>

<p>Apply, and look everywhere you can for scholarships. Talk to the admissions office about where to look, and make as good an application as you can. In the end, though, it takes some luck, and it is unfortunate. </p>

<p>All the best.</p>

<p>Oh, I just found out. Int'l students who ask FinAid (like me) CANNOT apply Early Action...</p>

<p>America for Americans I guess? I don't entirely agree with the sentiment, but it's useless to go pointing fingers at America for being the only country with such standards. U.S. students abroad face similar restrictions.</p>

<p>Yes, international admissions are horrendously competitive and the FinAid for them sucks in most cases. There's nothing I can really do except urge you to make your application as competitive as it can be and to really evaluate if you want to go to UC enough to take out loans to pay for it.</p>

<p>^I agree with you, except that Americans arent treated under restrictions in most places I know. In the UK, americans actually have an edge for being americans. In Korea, international students are considered URMs, and are admitted much more easily. THe same is true for India</p>

<p>What!? Not in the UK. Oxford admissions are cut-throat for any internatioanls, Americans included. And yes, in 'lesser developed' countries, obviously restrictions are different but I'm talking more about Canada and Europe.</p>

<p>And Kowloon, you have a VERY competitive application, stop worrying! Hopefully we'll see each other at UC one of these days.</p>

<p>Yeah.. I really hope so Miss Silvestris. Thank you for your encouragement! :)</p>

<p>Gaah... I am really into UofC, and am ready to chose it over Yale or Princeton anyday if their finaid was just 3/4 as generous, and allowed intls to apply EA</p>

<p>I don't think the EA restriction will be changed any time soon. Why not just apply regular action? It's not like being EA gives even a noticeable edge to anyone. UC deferred more people this year than any other.</p>

<p>How much financial aid is there for American students who choose to study abroad? I was under the impression there really wasn't any, and that Americans generally had to pay higher fees.... Not that I'd really want my kids that far away from me for college, but I lived overseas as a child, and I kind of wish they could have that experience. At least there are some schools here that will try to make school affordable for the few international students they admit. I agree it seems dauntingly difficult to get admitted.</p>

<p>Remember: It's not like Chicago's FinAid for Americans is anything to write home about either!</p>

<p>The Odyssey Scholarship page needs more prominent links on the U of Chicago webpages for prospective students. </p>

<p>The</a> University of Chicago: Odyssey Scholarships</p>

<p>At selective private schools, you're running into category admissions, such that you're in competition with, e.g., other international Chinese applicants. The admission criteria are simply different for the various categories of applicants, be they athletes, violinists, school paper editors, internationals, etc. That's how it is. Some of the same issues apply to state schools, as well.</p>

<p>Tokenadult, take a look at our new website. The Odyssey scholarship now has a link on the main page, under "Spotlight."</p>

<p>The</a> University of Chicago</p>

<p>Thanks for letting me know about the beta website. When I see links on the updated pages corresponding to </p>

<p>Office</a> of College Aid </p>

<p>and </p>

<p>Admissions</a> | The University of Chicago </p>

<p>I will feel more reassured that prospective students will have no ground to slam Chicago for having "crappy" financial aid. </p>

<p>Good luck to this year's applicants.</p>

<p>It seems to me that like many schools, mileage varies with fin aid at Chicago. I know a good number of students (the students who are attending, selection bias here) for whom Chicago was the least expensive school, less expensive than their in-state option. There are some students who are making significant sacrifices to attend.</p>

<p>I haven't checked into why the websites haven't updated with the Odyssey scholar information, and I agree that it seems bizarre. I might follow-up with an e-mail (or maybe you want to, tokenadult). My only hypothesis is that the web administrators and the various departments are not communicating well.</p>

<p>
[quote]
I will feel more reassured that prospective students will have no ground to slam Chicago for having "crappy" financial aid.

[/quote]

I still have to disagree there, since int'ls seem to receive 0 benefit from Odyssey</p>

<p>Internationals have generally crappy Financial Aid everywhere, so it's not exactly suprising that they don't get it that much better at UC :/</p>

<p>Hence why I (as an American) am not applying to any schools overseas <em>sigh</em></p>

<p>But, guys, I just wanted to point out ** something pretty important about UChicago aid and scholarships ** that no one has been mentioning: Outside scholarships first reduce your personal loans/self-help, BUT after that ** UChicago's portion is reduced before your parents'. ** In other words, if UChicago expects more from your family than you can reasonably give, don't count on scholarships to bail you out. I had been very hopeful that the scholarship frenzy I'm in would eventually mitigate UChicago's unreasonable analysis of my parents' means, but after reading about THAT, I'm setting my sights elsewhere.</p>

<p>How</a> Scholarships are Factored In :-/</p>

<p>My local scholarships are given as a check to me, not to the college, so couldn't I cash them and have my parents use them towards their contribution?</p>

<p>That's definitely the best way. Of course, you're technically supposed to tell them about any outside scholarships you receive, so that if that total exceeds your own personal contribution, UChicago's portion will be reduced... but I imagine that some people do and some don't.</p>