We make 17K/year but Emory is offering loans? And need is unmet?

<p>My mom is a widow and our income for 2009 was about $17,000. We have no assets and there are no loopholes... we're just poor.</p>

<p>Here is the FA package Emory is offering (for 2010-2011):</p>

<p>Work-study: $2,000
Emory grant: $29,535
Federal Pell grant: $5,550
Federal SEOG: $4,000
Federal ACG: $750</p>

<p>Direct Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan 1: $3,500
Direct Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan 2: $2,000</p>

<p>Total aid offered: $47,335
Cost of attendance: $53,556</p>

<p>Which means I'd have to come up with ~$6,000 on my own???</p>

<p>I'm not trying to be cheap. This is a great offer to an amazing school. However, I thought Emory would meet aid, AND offer a financial package with no loans, for people under a certain income. Wasn't that their policy? Or did that change since the economic crisis in USA?</p>

<p>Call the Fin Aid office.</p>

<p>Im positive that you should graduate with no loans because your family income is less than 50k. Its called the Emory Advantage</p>

<p>[Emory</a> Advantage | Emory College of Arts and Sciences Admission](<a href=“http://www.emory.edu/admission/financial_aid/emory_advantage/index.html]Emory”>Admission | Emory University | Atlanta GA)</p>

<p>Yea, I always assumed that if your income was below 50k, you just wouldn’t be offered loans…</p>

<p>Is “Emory Advantage” an automatic benefit to ALL students with incomes below 50k?
…or is it something you need to ask for?</p>

<p>I’m trying to see if this was a mistake on my part, or Emory’s part, before I contact their offices</p>

<p>I’m below 50k and I got the same thing. EFC 3700 and I have to pay 8,000 for freshman year and take 5500 loans (sub + unsub). Based on EFC it basically means our family has no money to pay for that college.</p>

<p>But it doesn’t matter I’m gonna work during every summer to make up for that.</p>

<p>I will call them, too, it seems. This seems wrong after reading the whole Emory Advantage thing wth…</p>

<hr>

<p>EDIT:</p>

<p>Go to <a href=“http://www.projectonstudentdebt.org/pc_institution.php[/url]”>http://www.projectonstudentdebt.org/pc_institution.php&lt;/a&gt; and click on Emory University. You will get a pop up with explanations of how Emory Advantage works.</p>

<p>Copy-and-pasted from the site:</p>

<p>Emory Advantage</p>

<p>For students with family incomes up to $50,000, after the family covers any EFC (including a minimum student contribution of $1,550), the program covers the entire remaining student budget with work-study and grant aid.
For students with family incomes up to $50,000. . . </p>

<p>2009-10 Estimated Student Budget
After the family covers any EFC (including minimum student contribution of $1,550), the college assures enough work-study and grant aid to cover these expenses </p>

<p>Tuition & Fees $38,036
Books & Supplies $1,100
Room & Board $10,896
Transportation & Personal Expenses $2,100
Total Expenses: $52,132 </p>

<p>For students with family incomes between $50,000 and $100,000, after the family covers any EFC (including a minimum student contribution of $1,550) and takes a need-based loan (capped at $15,000 total over four years), the program covers the entire remaining student budget with work-study and grant aid.</p>

<p>For students with family incomes between $50,000 and $100,000. . . </p>

<p>2009-10 Estimated Student Budget
After the family covers EFC (including minimum student contribution of $1,550), the college assures enough work-study and grant aid to cover these expenses while keeping need-based loans to a maximum total of $15,000 over four years </p>

<p>Tuition & Fees $38,036
Books & Supplies $1,100
Room & Board $10,896
Transportation & Personal Expenses $2,100
Total Expenses: $52,132 </p>

<p>About the Financial Aid Pledge (2009-10):</p>

<p>Who qualifies for the pledge (in addition to common requirements)?
Up to a family income of $50,000, the financial aid package will not include loans. Cumulative loans are capped for students with total family incomes up to $100,000 who demonstrate financial need.</p>

<p>How is EFC determined and used?</p>

<p>Institutional Methodology. The minimum student contribution is $2,500 for freshmen.</p>

<p>How much academic year work and/or need-based loans are included?</p>

<p>Up to a total family income of $50,000, the package includes work-study but no loans. However, a student may elect to take out loans to cover EFC or replace work. Up to a total family income of $100,000, cumulative loans are capped at $15,000 but only if they are used to meet calculated need (federal subsidized Stafford loans or Perkins loans). Loans that a student takes out to replace EFC would not count toward the cap.</p>

<p>Does the offer account for the full student budget?</p>

<p>Yes.</p>

<p>How are outside scholarships handled?</p>

<p>Outside scholarships reduce unmet need, then loans and/or work-study, then grants.</p>

<p>For more information:
Emory Advantage</p>

<p>About the Institution (2007-08):
Location: Atlanta, GA
Type: Private 4-year
Undergraduate enrollment: 6,719
Pell Grant recipients (a measure of low-income enrollment): 13%
Proportion of graduating seniors with student debt: 42%
Average debt: $23,181</p>

<hr>

<p>All I can come up with this from your additional loans and stuff is that they put your student contribution (minimum 1,550) way too high and thus made you cover those with loans.</p>

<p>Haha… maybe they thought we wouldn’t notice? Seems unethical</p>

<p>Another funny thing.</p>

<p>In that Emory Advantage explanation, first it says “including a minimum student contribution of $1,550” then you scroll down to “How is EFC determined and used?” it says “The minimum student contribution is $2,500 for freshmen.” </p>

<p>Doesn’t student contribution increase when you go beyond freshman year? They put $1,550 for a reason, and based on that concept (if it’s true) then student contribution would DECREASE as you become upper classman?</p>

<p>Anyway, from the data, ($53556 - $47335) + ($3,500 + $2,000) = $11721 (yes, stating the obvious) basically is your student contribution (because EFC for families with income of $20,000 or below is ZERO and student contribution for families <$50,000 can be stacked up using loans)!! What the hell, right? Yeah, it seems pretty unethical.</p>

<p>Emory is so sneaky…</p>

<p>thank goodness Berkeley accepted me with an almost full ride (they are being much more generous than Emory! even in this CA budget crisis)</p>

<p>besides, I definitely prefer Cal (D-I sports + haas + location / atmosphere + name recognition, and now + money)</p>

<p><< Emory is so sneaky…>> Yes, except that they tell you where they hide if you bother to look (lol). Doesn’t matter, a phone call will clear this all up.</p>

<p>Would they change it if I called?</p>

<p>I might not even bother to call. I shouldn’t have to call to be able to subscribe to “Emory Advantage”. That should be automatic, based on your income. This is greedy of them.</p>

<p>Cal would only cost 4k in loans per year, and I like the school much better.</p>

<p>^I think calling in order to have a chance to save crazy loads of money in like 20 minutes is worth it.</p>

<p>“I shouldn’t have to call to be able to subscribe to “Emory Advantage”. That should be automatic, based on your income. This is greedy of them”.</p>

<p>Your attitude of entitlement is truly appalling. You are unlikely to succeed if this is your approach to difficulties in life. With your snarky comments, I hope they give Beretta9mm the balance of his aid from your “paltry” FA.</p>

<p>entitlement alert!</p>

<p>Look, if Emory advertises that they will give no loans to people from families below 50k, then when I get in, I shouldn’t see thousands of dollars in loans.</p>

<p>Maybe a simple call would replace the loans with grants. But the only possible explanation for them requiring such a thing? Greed, or at least the hope that some of those low-income students haven’t heard of Emory Advantage. Is that ethical?</p>

<p>Sorry, but your expectation that I should accept those practices, without any reproach, is equally appalling to any attitudes of entitlement you might think I have.</p>

<p>I never stated or insinuated you should accept your FA package if you feel it was unfair. However, your comments demonstrate immaturity, and you most certainly stated you were entitled to a “free ride”. However, I agree with you, Berkeley,California is the place for you.</p>

<p>So this is what I see:</p>

<p>You like Berkely better anyway. Emory’s prestige or amazingness or whatever is acting as a hook.</p>

<p>Emory just gave you a reason (legit or not) to turn them down: trying to screw over low-income students.</p>

<p>You now will go to Berkely, and that if you choose Emory, this “unethical Emory” thing will stick with you, which is not cool.</p>

<p>Who the hell cares? It seems like your decision is already made. You like Berkely, Berkely likes you. We all win!</p>

<p>Beretta9mm: Thanks for understanding. I agree that we all win, and we’ll just move on. Emory is definitely an amazing school (equal to berkeley imo, just not for me). I wish you the best.</p>

<p>emorydeac: You’ve got it backwards. The FA (even with the loans) is amazing and very fair. It’s the false advertising that wasn’t right, along with their obvious hope that some low-income students will sheepishly accept the loans, when they could have easily been replaced with grants. If you think those practices are ethical… I’m appalled.</p>

<p>^ Just be happy you got a full ride from Cal… just go there. Good luck.</p>

<p>Thanks alam1, you too</p>

<p>Wait wait wait wait wait, hold up.</p>

<p>Let me get this straight, if you have income under 50,000, your financial aid package shouldn’t include loans? Is that correct?</p>

<p>"Award Fall 2010| Spring 2011| Total
Federal Work-Study - Emory $ 1,000.00 $| 1,000.00 $| 2,000.00
Emory College Grant 16,363.00| 16,363.00| 32,726.00
Federal Pell Grant 2,450.00| 2,450.00| 4,900.00
Federal SEOG College 2,000.00| 2,000.00| 4,000.00
Federal ACG Grant Year 1 375.00| 375.00| 750.00
Direct Fed Sub Stafford Loan 1 1,750.00| 1,750.00| 3,500.00
Direct Fed Unsub Stafford Ln 1 1,000.00| 1,000.00| 2,000.00
Total Amount: $ 49,876.00 </p>

<p>Cost of Attendance
Tuition $ 39,158.00
Books and Supplies 1,100.00
Housing 12,398.00
Transportation 900.00
Total: $ 53,556.00"</p>

<p>So, I shouldn’t have that 5,500 in student loans? OR what?</p>