<p>Just wondering, how would NYU know if you cannot afford their school? I'm guessing it has to be much more than just showing a few documents and taking your word for it....because then anyone would use that as an excuse. How do they know if someone really cannot afford the school? I heard that they try to inflate your EFC as much as possible and include loans as part of the aid package in order to make it seem that the cost is certainly feasible. Does anyone know? I'm just curious, and this question actually applies to all colleges not just NYU.</p>
<p>NYU can’t inflate your EFC. That number is given to them from the Federal goverment. They simply do not give packages that cover all expenses like most of the ivy’s. If they cover only $20 thousand for example with scholarship, workstudy and direct Stanford loans, they expect you or your parents to apply for direct PLUS loans or unsubsidized stafford loans to cover the rest. I have heard stories of students letting the financial aid office know that they cannot attend the school without a better scholarship. Some have gotten more aid that way but never equivalent to what other schools will offer.</p>
<p>Thanks for your reply. I thought the “inflating your EFC” didn’t make much sense so I was wondering. I guess do they try to tell you that you can afford more than you really can? I read something about that on another thread that was a few years old but can’t find it anymore. I don’t really understand how they would be able to do that either though.</p>
<p>If NYU’s package is not enough to support attendance, you just say so, no questions asked. NYU plans on many saying thanks but no thanks. You already submitted the finacial data they care about; no more is needed. Same for all colleges; none will try to force you to attend if you can’t afford it.</p>
<p>Thanks for the answers vossron!</p>
<p>This is assuming you don’t apply to higher ranking schools, get similar package and matriculate. You may wonder how NYU would know. If your GC is worth anything, he/she would know where you were accepted ED, and would be free to disclose that information when questioned by your ED school. Some GCs would also refuse to submit any RD information until they know you have broken ED contract legitimately. </p>
<p>I don’t think anyone should go to a school he/she couldn’t afford, but I also do not believe in gaming the system.</p>
<p>Thanks, I see what you’re saying. If I end up not getting a sufficient fin. aid package from NYU then I will be going to UF, my state school where I have pre-paid tuition and bright futures, so it is clearly the better choice cost-wise. It’s not like I would get out of the ED agreement in order to go somewhere like Brown which costs just as much (If I even attempted this I would be blacklisted anyways lol.)</p>
<p>To clarify, declining ED acceptance because the FA offered is insufficient to support attendance is always legitimate. Some schools do trade ED info, and there’s no point in another school offering you the same package at RD time; you couldn’t afford it the first time. This is one way to prevent gaming the system.</p>