Financial Aid - Page 2

zefranzter · 04-01-2009, 12:25 PM

oh ok thanks. does anyone know when we can expect the packages? The acceptance letters said something about late March and early April and late March has passed. lol

Chelsea0011 · 04-01-2009, 01:07 PM

Bard comes up with nothing. #1 choice is a done deal. I guess they feel we can afford $220,000 cash. ha ha

tranquil218 · 04-01-2009, 01:40 PM

My D received hers yesterday - $8K scholarship and $3500 in loans. It comes in the same size envelope as the acceptance, but it's pretty thick.

Bankroll · 04-01-2009, 03:19 PM

I'm new to "financial aid". Can anyone offer a clear description of how FA works?

Tranquil18 said his daughter got $8000 and $3500 in loans. Mattman13 said he also got $30,000 in need-based aid. Are we talking about the cost of attending Bard minus the amount of money that the FAFSA/CollegeBoard people think you should be able to pay?

morvoren · 04-01-2009, 04:10 PM

my son, really wants to go to Bard, and we would love that too...but Suny Binghamton is 19 K for everything, which is a a bit mouth watering, so we are waiting and seeing, maybe it will be in the mail today.

uubuntu · 04-01-2009, 05:24 PM

We just heard from the financial aid office at Bard. While we are fortunate in that we can afford to send our children anywhere (with a combination of family income, 10 years of savings and loans), the choice of a college that costs 54000 per year seems irresponsible when a similar (if not quite as prestigious) one like Earlham or Oberlin costs 30000-40000 per year because of "merit" aid.

He's plans on visiting all three of those schools this month, but suddenly Bard (which was his first choice) seems like a less attractive option.

nastynate0315 · 04-02-2009, 01:27 AM

I got my financial package today. I got the Bard Scholarship for $25,000 and a bunch of loans and work study. This makes things really tough. It's down to Bard, NYU, and USC. I am racking my brain trying to make a decision.

morvoren · 04-02-2009, 06:05 AM

My son got his letter today 15,000 in scholarships and some more in loans...It's a beginning, but the price tag they give for everything is 52 thousand (!). Somehow I thought it was going to be more like 48. That's still means something like 37 K plus some loans... phew!!! Suny Binghamton is still looking attractive, so we will look. And we are still waiting for the package from one other school.

heyalb · 04-02-2009, 06:19 AM

Quote:

I'm new to "financial aid". Can anyone offer a clear description of how FA works?

Tranquil18 said his daughter got $8000 and $3500 in loans. Mattman13 said he also got $30,000 in need-based aid. Are we talking about the cost of attending Bard minus the amount of money that the FAFSA/CollegeBoard people think you should be able to pay?

Yes, basically. The FAFSA determines your need (which is whatever is over and above your Expected Family Contribution, or EFC). I'm sure Bard doesn't satisfy 100%, so you'll get a piece of that for need-based, if you prove you have need.

So your costs would be the cost to attend Bard, minus your need-based aid. This amount could be larger than what you are expected to pay based on your EFC, but all colleges calculate that differently.

Also, your need-based aid is a combo of grants, loans, and work-study.

zefranzter · 04-02-2009, 12:16 PM

@nastynate- that's a really nice scholarship! mind me asking what exactly it was for?

Barrington · 04-03-2009, 02:20 AM

My Bard package came the other day - 27,000$ in Bard Scholarship, with about 6000$ more in loans and work study. Which is really very good, better than I was afraid of, but my parents can pay at most around 15,000$... so I still need to make some tough decisions on loans and whatnot.

nastynate0315 · 04-04-2009, 04:08 PM

@zefranzter-It was just a "bard" scholarship. I really don't know why in particular I was given so much because on their site it said they range from 8K-24K, yet I was given 25K? I applied EA so maybe my interest showed? lol. Otherwise I really couldn't give you a reason my SAT's are good for Bard, but they don't really care about that anyway.