<p>I was fortunate enough to be admitted as a student of Princeton's class of 2018 SCEA, but I have an urgent problem with FA.</p>
<p>My parents make quite a low income. But because they invested and accumulated money for my education over the years, they decided to put down an expected contribution of $20,000. My parents weren't very familiar with the process, so they thought that the amount was only an estimate for the FA office to reference to.</p>
<p>Here is the thing, I thought that, since Princeton's average FA package for very low income students (with family income below $60,000) is $51,000, I expected them to be more accomodating and not judge my FA package solely on what my parents planned to contribute. But in fact, they took the precise amount of $20,000, and offered me a package of about $36,000. I am really grateful for this aid, but it is much less than what I expected. </p>
<p>I called the office today, and they say that they will possibly re-evaluate when I send in my 2013 tax return. But I was wondering: how likely is it for them to raise the aid amount?</p>
<p>Will it be more of an incentive for the FA office raise my package if I wait to accept later? Or does it not matter?</p>
<p>I am really attached to Princeton at this point, and don't really want to apply to other schools that offer generous FA (Harvard, Upenn, etc) But this uncertainty is really killing me - please help! </p>
<p>PS: I am an international student
PSS: I posted on the FA board already, but I didn't really find an answer to my question.</p>
<p>OP, we don’t know anything more than the finaid office. They really are your best resource in this case. Have you talked with your parents about this?</p>
<p>Pton will re-evaluate your aid package every year, as will most schools, but if your parents have already <em>claimed</em> that they could contribute 20k…nobody can guarantee that they’ll ignore that, at least for freshman year. It might help your peace of mind to apply elsewhere, <em>if</em> your parents can’t actually afford that contribution.</p>
<p>Good luck! Congrats on being accepted; I’m sorry that you got tripped up in the finaid process. I know it sucks.</p>
<p>You are under no obligation to accept Princeton’s offer until the May 1st deadline. I would not accept their offer of Admission until two things happen: (1) Princeton’s FA Office examines your parents 2013 Income tax return and determines what you will owe, and (2) You hear back from all other colleges you applied to. Another college may offer you more aid based upon their institutional formula for calculating “need.” Princeton’s FA Office, when presented with another college’s offer (provided it does not include merit aid), may reevaluate the aid you received and match or beat the other college’s aid. If you wait until after April 1st, you might have more leverage.</p>
<p>I agree with gibby here…it is hard to predict whether Princeton would “recalculate” your financial aid to “your” benefit WITHOUT competing offers from other peer schools like Y, S, H, M…</p>
<p>…they would have no reason to “recalculate” unless they felt you were going to “jump” ship to one of their rival (need-blind wealthy…see above) schools…they may or may not match another school’s offer if it is not from the group above…</p>
<p>…you would have more power/sway in your negotiations if you had other bonafide offer(s) (they will ask to see official copy(ies) of acceptance(s) along with the financial aid offer amount(s))…and all the above schools…will fight to get you on board (matriculate) once you are admitted…</p>
<p>When my daughter was accepted early last year we had to send in estimates for the early FA package. After we filed taxes I found that I had over estimated our income a bit. Princeton recalculated the FA package automatically and gave her more grant money. </p>
<p>I’m not sure what they will do about the $20,000 estimated contribution. What I estimated we could contribute was a lot closer to what they expected us to contribute. Maybe you could explain that your parents did not understand?</p>