<p>I am excited to have been admitted to every school I had applied to, though I am shocked at the drastic difference between financial aid offers. I wonder why there is such a difference specifically between west coast and east coast schools. My best offer from the west coast was from Scripps and Pomona where I only have to pay $4,700/yr; whereas, my best offer from the east coast was from Wellesley where I have to pay $13,611/yr. Sadly, I strongly prefer east coast schools. </p>
<p>I wonder if I should approach the other schools financial aid offices to see if they would consider reviewing my financial situation. </p>
<p>Does anyone have input for this situation?
Scripps College -4700
Mount Holyoke College - 17000
UC Berkeley -
Pomona College -4700
Smith College - 15000
Wellesley College -13611
my parents EFC was 5600</p>
<p>Do Scripps and Pomona both require the PROFILE as well as the FAFSA? Because your EFC comes from the FAFSA, but the Profile takes into account a lot of other things, including equity in your home, other assets (boats, cars, etc), retirement income. </p>
<p>I know that Wellesley, Smith, and MHC all have similar costs and similar FA evaluations and you got pretty similar packages from all three, give or take a couple thousand in either direction. </p>
<p>You’re welcome to bring your packages to other financial aid offices and see what they say. The starkness with Scripps and Pomona surprises me, but I don’t know what the differences in cost/selectivity/determination are.</p>
<p>Sorry Pomona is not also 4700, but only slightly more(I made a mistake).
Scripps and Pomona both require the PROFILE. </p>
<p>Thanks for your input SmithieandProud. I feel like I got a response from a celebrity, because I have read other post you have made on hear, being that smith is my prefrence.</p>
<p>Are you from New England? That might make you more of a draw for west coast schools in terms of regional diversity thus accounting for some of the difference in the offers - Don’t know much about the West Coast schools otherwise financially but Pomona is an excellent school and probably the toughest to get into.</p>
<p><em>If</em> you want to go to Smith, I would contact the FinAid office and ask for a review. I would furnish them with copies of the aid offers from Pomona, Scripps, and Wellesley. I would indicate that Smith is your 1st choice but that the FinAid component is very difficult.</p>
<p>Be very careful with tone: you don’t want to seem as if you’re blackmailing them, “I won’t come here if you don’t give me more aid.” More like “I’d like very much to come here but the aid differential gives me pause.” Same essence, different tone.</p>
<p>I’ll make a side bet right now that they will find a way to beat Wellesley’s offer. With any luck, they’ll make an adjustment at least part way towards the Scripps/Pomona.</p>