<p>JMParent- we are in the same boat with aid, but I am hoping the less I pester them the sooner awards will be available (insert smiley here). I believe that financial aid officers will be available during DOTL to talk with if we have specific questions. We are going tomorrow- I’ll post an update after that to let you know what I find out, if you’d like.</p>
<p>No need to go to them…the Student Financial Services people have a session in Newcomb Hall (the student union) on each DOTL day. In the past, they have had enough people on hand to do one-on-one sessions with families.</p>
<p>Thanks very much, sabaray. I’d really appreciate that.</p>
<p>I don’t want to pester them either - I completely understand that they are short-staffed and under a lot of pressure.</p>
<p>For us to wait few more days is not going to break us.</p>
<p>JMParent- just back. D had a wonderful time, really loved everything, great day. </p>
<p>The financial aid session was one of the better ones of I have attended. And I have attended quite a few. Due to budgetary constraints, the office is extremely short staffed - the head indicated she had 11 open positions she could not fill due to finances. As you arrived for the session, you could sign up on a list to speak privately with an aid officer. They then worked through the list during the session and continuing on. They met with everyone who wanted to meet with them. The aid officer I spoke with indicated that there were still around 500 files to read but spent some time discussing my D’s file and some material that I am going to fax to them that will assist in putting together her package. They expect to release more decisions on Tuesday and a second batch “sometime” next week. </p>
<p>Re: aid. Everyone, except very low income, is offered loans as part of their package. The good news is that UVa has a loan cap (cumulative over four years) so once you reach that cap, grant aid completes your package. This is for IS and OOS both. We were walked through a typical package; information will be posted on the website. Also had a good presentation by two students who are part of an initiative on financial literacy and aid at the University. The only apparent difference between IS and OOS packages appeared to be the fact that OOS were offered work study as part of the package before grant funds were applied. </p>
<p>I would recommend hightailing it over to the aid session to schedule some time with the officer. We spent two hours there (which was fine, I’m not complaining) while D was busy interacting with peers. Also had a chance to chat with Dean J and the famous Cav Dog. </p>
<p>Hope this helps and hope you have a great day on Monday.</p>
<p>sabaray,</p>
<p>Thanks so much for this helpful information! We’ll be attending the financial aid session on Monday. </p>
<p>Hoping to be a UVa mom soon!</p>
<p>The financial aid session a DOTL made it clear that there was no reason to have applied for financial aid if your EFC was above the cost of attendance. The process was described as very formulaic. So if the COA is $23K in-state and your EFC is $25K and above, you wouldn’t be getting anything, and if somewhat under $23K, you’d start with a loan anyway. Similarly for $43K out of state. If your EFC is above that, you apparently have no chance, and nothing but a loan and work study for the first nearly $10K. </p>
<p>A lot of aid must be going to out-of-staters. The loan and W/S combo must be because UVA is short of FA funds, and with the emphasis on funding very low-income students.</p>
<p>The presentation said that UVA has started doing some need-aware admissions trying to find low-income people. The speaker called it “need-conscious” (the slide said “need-conscience”, which makes no sense).</p>
<p>I think at any school if your EFC is greater than the COA you won’t be getting anything other than the Stafford loans which are guaranteed to every student (except internationals). The Director also stated that while people may not feel that their office is always fair, it is consistent in their methodology and I appreciate that. The other thing I forgot to mention previously was that award packages will be based on 2008 income tax information. Appeals will be taken but no revisions considered until August.</p>
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<p>I noticed the wrong word (“conscience” instead of “conscious”), too. That needs to be corrected. </p>
<p>OOS’rs needing financial aid get the difference between instate and OOS tuition in grants. That’s a really sweet deal! Do other state universities in other states (and in Virginia?) do this? </p>
<p>Who is paying for those grants? Virginia? The US Government? If these are state funds, then why are Virginians in effect subsidizing OOS’rs at UVA?</p>
<p>My to do list still says the 1040 is required but my dad already sent it in TWICE because it’s been stuck on the to do list. Is it just a problem with the system or should I call the office?</p>
<p>
AccessUVa is funded by donations. It is part of [the</a> Capitol Campaign](<a href=“http://campaign.virginia.edu/site/c.jiKRL5POLvF/b.4135611/k.BD01/Home.htm]the”>http://campaign.virginia.edu/site/c.jiKRL5POLvF/b.4135611/k.BD01/Home.htm). $1.5 million alone came from [those</a> of us who knew Jack Blackburn just raised $1.5 million for AccessUVa](<a href=“http://www.cavalierdaily.com/news/2009/jan/20/university-honors-retiring-dean-through-accessuva-/]those”>http://www.cavalierdaily.com/news/2009/jan/20/university-honors-retiring-dean-through-accessuva-/). </p>
<p>There are plenty of full Access students from right here in the Commonwealth.</p>
<p>OOS students actually subsidize Virginians at UVa. The in-state tuition rate does not cover the cost of instruction.
Remember during the admission season when we said that it took a good amount of time to scan an index all the documents that were pouring into our office? I’m sure the same is happening in the SFS office these days. If you have questions, give them a call. I don’t think there is any point in sending another copy of the 1040. It’s probably sitting in a pile of mail waiting to get checked off in the system.</p>