<p>I am having extreme difficulty deciding between Wesleyan and Barnard ED.</p>
<p>I have been stuck on wes forever and know for a FACT that this is the college I want to spend 4 years at but Im not confident ahout my scores so Im doing ED...only problem is finances. I'm white/palestinian (which I know doesnt matter) and I come from a low income single parent family. i talked to the dean about my issue when he came to my school (wes) and he said to maybe go ahead and do ED and I might be able to back out if my financial need isnt met but that looks bad to wes and all other schools I'm applying to if I back out at the last minute.</p>
<p>I am just now thinking about Barnard ED and maybe if that's a better idea. I just went to their open-house last weekend and LOVED it and could really see my self there. Plus they have great financial aid for my family's income.</p>
<p>ED or no ED?
I would really appreciate any help or advice. I know that I prob shouldn't apply ED for either school with my financial problems but I know I wont get into either of these schools without it and they're my only 2 schools I really care about attending.
Thanks :)</p>
<p>Wesleyan’s fin aid shouldn’t be that different from Barnard’s. It sounds like you haven’t really run the figures through an EFC calculator. The likelihood that either will not meet the full need of a genuinely low-income student admitted through ED are pretty slim.</p>
<p>I have looked at their financial aid and from what I’ve heard and researched, they just really don’t give that much. And even if they were to give me a lot of financial need it prob wouldnt be as low as it needs to be for my family. I have done the EFC and all I know is it is really low and they said it doesn’t really matter too much when you’re trying to figure out how much the school will give you. And my guidance counselor told me that either school is only going to give their highest scholarships to the student with high GPA, test scores, etc. which I do not stand out in.</p>
<p>You shouldnt apply ed to a school that you cant afford.</p>
<p>Not sure your counselor is giving good advice. Both of these schools meet need. So if your family can afford it’s EFC, you’re good to go at either. They may meet need differently in terms of what they expect in summer earnings, student loans and work study, but both are generous aid schools.</p>
<p>Your counselor’s advice is true at schools that do not meet need.</p>
<p>Wesleyan is loan-free for most families with incomes <$40,000. There are only about five or six elite colleges and universities with FA policies more generous than that and Barnard isn’t among them: [FinAid</a> | Answering Your Questions | No Loans for Low Income Students](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid)</p>
<p>Ok. Thanks for the website; that is very helpful. Yes we fall right above that bracket unfortunately but what all of you have said has really helped, Ill deifnitely consider it in my decision. And yes I might not do ED for either school because it wouldnt be a very smart financial decision but they really are the only 2 schools I would really LOVE to go to</p>
<p>where else are you applying? I actually don’t agree with the advice that low-income families shouldn’t apply anywhere ED. It’s really middle-to-upper-income families who experience the most variation in FA packages. Every family is different and kids don’t always have access to their parents’ income tax returns – which makes relying on an EFC calculator a little tricky – but, if in the end you don’t get into either of your top choices, you won’t have anything to compare.</p>
<p>I am also applying to Hampshire, UNC Asheville, Clark, Hendrix, and some safety schools in Tennessee. Am still considering a few other schools although most schools I took off for financial reasons such as: Oberlin, University of Vermont, Vassar (also very difficult) and am still looking at some other schools in NY for the reason that I definitely want to be in or around NY</p>
<p>BTW, I am competing with 2 other girls at my school for Wes ED if I decide to do it.
One of which is a legacy and has a great personality but has doesnt have the best grades or ec’s
The other is average in gpa/scores but has many years in extracurriculars. sister attends wes as well. And she is asian-american
Not sure where this puts me but I know that I am the only one with financial constraints.</p>
<p>Ah someone please help me out! I have like 5 days to decide and I’m still on the fence. Btw my ACT went up and now my superscore is 26 so that might help.</p>