<p>I've somehow gotten the impression that people assume that students who don't get financial aid must be super-rich. I was telling one of my friends that I was thinking about applying for advanced standing. When she exclaimed at how horrible that would be and how I couldn't possibly run out of opportunities at Princeton, I told her that my reasons were purely financial. She replied that with Princeton's amazing financial aid, money really isn't an object. I responded, "Sure, if you get financial aid..." She seemed flabbergasted that I hadn't received any aid, and her tone indicated that she felt that if Princeton hadn't offered me financial aid, my family must be truly rich, so much that the full cost of attendance could not possibly be of concern. Similarly, when I mentioned to another friend that I wasn't doing preorientation because I felt it was too expensive, she responded "So you didn't get financial aid?..." and the conversation immediately became awkward. </p>
<p>Will people think that I'm a filthy rich snob because I didn't get financial aid? Or that I was accepted just because I could pay? (which I suppose could be true... but I hope I have some qualifications) We are a middle class family and the $55,000 price tag is going to be a huge burden, but one which we thought was worth it, with the understanding that I would do my part by taking a campus job, interning during the summers, etc.</p>
<p>Condolences, physicshobo. You are part of the unfortunate group whom Princeton deems too wealthy for FA, yet your family will have to squeeze the cents to survive. </p>
<p>Students like you will not be able to afford all the foreign summer travel, the unpaid internships which have high housing and travel costs, and other opportunities which will be available to the FA students, as well as the wealthy. </p>
<p>Even though money might not be discussed out-right at the Ivies, it quickly becomes clear which students have discretionary income, whether through wealth or FA. Clothes, electronics, and break destinations reveal the situation.</p>
<p>It is also obvious which parents have fudged their FA forms, when one learns of a horse- owning student living in a chateau receiving FA, or the FA student who has travelled every summer and never held a job. There is a lot of scamming going on.</p>
<p>Fauve, your comments don’t reflect reality. Just as an example, funding for summer research travel is totally unrelated to your personal financial situation. The grants are made on the basis of the seriousness of your project, not your financial means. The wealthiest students receive the same research stipends as the poorest students.</p>
<p>Physics, the short answer to your question is “no”. In fact, no one is likely ever even to ask you whether you are on financial aid. </p>
<p>According to the Common Data Sets for the Ivy League Schools, here are the current percentages of students on financial aid at each school. I could not find the CDS forms for Penn or Columbia so have substituted the percentage of first year students on financial aid at each.</p>
<p>The range is from a low of around 40% to a high of around 60% so even at the schools with the largest percentage of students on financial aid more than 40% don’t need aid.</p>
<p>% of Undergraduate Student Body on Financial Aid
(from most recent Common Data Sets)</p>
<p>PtonGrad2000: Haha, I was never worried about people directly walking up to me and asking me “Are you on financial aid?” It’s more how it affects my actions, such as not doing a preorientation program because I would have to pay for it, or taking advanced standing, both of which would be hard to explain semi-truthfully without the financial factor. But I guess if 40%+ isn’t on financial aid, there can’t be too much stigma associated with being a full-tuition student. And it’s good to know that grants aren’t need-based. I was somewhat worried about that.</p>
<p>Do kids from families whose annual income surpasses 100k really count themselves among the middle class? Relative to kids from lower middle and working class families, they’re well off. And, considering Princeton has one of the most generous financial aid programs in the country, they would have to be well off not to receive a cent in F.A. from Princeton.</p>
<p>While it’s true that research funding is often given to students without regard to financial need, this is not the case with some other summer programs. Popular options like Princeton in Beijing, which has a price tag of $5,000 plus airfare, can be extremely expensive for a student whose family income is just above the cutoff for aid. I’m sorry to say that most of what fauve said rings true – it’s no fun to be on the kink in the price discrimination curve. On the other hand, wait until it comes time to pay sophomore dues and social fees for your eating club. You might think twice before wanting to switch places with your friends on financial aid.</p>
<p>To answer the original question, don’t worry about it. Some students on financial aid didn’t grow up knowing many people with incomes as high as your family’s. They assume you must be filthy rich, causing them to react in the way you described. After they get to Princeton and realize that half of their classmates come from families with this level of income and they see that their friends aren’t exactly rolling in dough, they’ll tone it down. If you want to play it safe, though, just don’t bring it up around people that you aren’t close friends with. It’s not the type of thing that comes up in casual conversation.</p>
<p>FA isn’t just about how much money you have, but about where it is. For example, if all our savings were invested in a much bigger house, we would qualify for financial aid with the same income (as many of my friends do). I met someone at preview who flies from Texas to New York every week for Julliard pre-college, even though she has no plans of ever becoming a musician. She said her mother liked to come along sometimes to shop. There is no way my family would ever indulge in such extravagance, yet she received FA and I didn’t. Also, some families with high incomes qualify for aid because they have two children in college at the same time. My brother will be entering college the year after I leave, so my parents just about get to pay full tuition for both of us. </p>
<p>I guess I’m reassured regarding my original concern… kind of. I guess it shouldn’t be hard to just stay away from the topic.</p>
<p>To the OP - I just don’t see how it would come up that often. I mean I had no idea which of my friends were on FA or not unless I somehow learned what their parents did - which wasn’t exactly the prevailing topic of discussion.</p>
<p>Totally agree with fauve.
200k in CA or NY is equivalent to 120k in many other states after you subtract high states/local tax (income, property and sales) and cost of living. Now you subtract 55k COA at Pton.</p>
<p>So you aren’t a mega millionaire. But your parents have to make a solid 200k+ for you to not get aid, so it’s not like it’s such a stretch that your family won’t be able to afford food while you’re away. :p</p>
<p>In fact I would say - at least at Dartmouth - you tried to hide your wealth. Teachers kids and billionaires kids all drove the same car usually a 10 year old jeep or a subaru.</p>
<p>No one wanted a new BMW. I took an old mazda to school even though they offered the Audi. I was like “no way” I am not going to be that kid.</p>
<p>During preview when we toured an eating club, they were saying School pays the extra cost of eating club for FA students. When I asked what about non-FA they all laughed and said “If you don’t get FA, you are so rich that you don’t have to worry about the cost.”
I think the students who just missed FA are the ones who face the most fanancial difficulties as the ones who gets FA will have OA, CA, study abroad, eating club all paid for by the school while teh non FA students/families face the tuition/COA increase every year.</p>
<p>Short answer: Yes, they will judge you a little, even if it may be untrue. Just try to not bring it up if possible. I haven’t found it to be a huge problem, except in explaining to friends why I’m forgoing my eating club this year (senior year) in order to save up some cash. I think people do understand though that it’s possible to afford Princeton, but uncomfortably do so.</p>
<p>My parents together make about $220,000 and I received no financial aid. Yes, it is feasible for them to pay for my college education since my siblings are much younger, but no, it’s not easy. We haven’t gone on vacation the past 2 years, my parents’ cars are both over 9 years old and we just refinanced our mortgage to get more cash. You’d be surprised how far 6 figures does NOT stretch in a suburb.</p>