northeastmom

Now I have heard of nice packages from U of Dayton. I guess that just shows you how different the results can be. I am very surprised at how awful that package was for you, ferryboat!

ferryboat10

I'm disappointed. It was one of my top choices.
I am an independent transfer student with a part-time salary. Most transfer merit scholarships hardly make a dent so I targeted schools that are full-need, near full-need or in-state. All the near full-needs have gapped me by over 10K. With Stafford loans, that's $20K in loans for one year. 2 of the 3 offers didn't even meet the institution's average financial aid package. I can't believe I wasted all those hours pouring over common data sets.

cptofthehouse

Ferryboat, many schools that meet full need for 1st years do not do so for transfer students. It is important for transfer students with need to check this information as you have discovered.

ferryboat10

DePaul
Does not the best stats at offering aid. Only 67% avg of need met. But has reputation for large need-based aid programs. Average need based award was 13K according to the stats.

COA: 39000
Fed FA: 1500
School FA/Sch: 7000
Stafford: 10500
Unmet: 20000

kelsmom

Ferryboat, your unmet need is NOT $20,000. Unmet need is defined as cost of attendance minus EFC minus financial aid. You must have an EFC higher than 0, or you would have a Pell grant. What is your EFC? How were you awarded a $10,500 Stafford? Are you an upperclassman? That amount exceeds freshman loan limits. Are you independent, or have your parents already been turned down for a PLUS loan?

ferryboat10

You're right. Missed that entry. My EFC is low so it hardly makes much of a difference.

COA: 39000
EFC: 3800
Fed FA: 1500
School FA/Sch: 7000
Stafford: 10500
Unmet: 16200

I qualify for the higher Stafford limits as an independent upperclass student.

kelsmom

Wow. That's rough. Are you transferring, or is this a continuing aid package? If you are a transfer student ... I hope you have less expensive options you are considering! You would have to take out a huge loan, and the alternative loan to cover unmet need is not going to have very good rates/terms.

strandlib

Pepperdine. My EFC was under 3,000....they offered me a Pell Grant at about $1,500, a "scholarship" for about $1,000...oh yeah, and over $40,000 in loans.

entomom

For a sop transfer student, Dartmouth was way below Yale. D's COA was 2k higher than Y (due to higher tuition and fees) and they only offered some Stafford loans. Y gave over 27k in grants and work study.

NJlaxfan169

my experience with Pepperdine was the same as strandlib.

grandmaster101

duke was bad financial aid

ferryboat10

Transfer student. (I really wish there were some transfer-specific CDS)


Strand: That's outrageous.

Iron Maiden

Strand, that is called an "admit / deny".

ferryboat10

A bit off point....
I'm skeptical if admit/deny isn't just unfortunate consequence of rising tuition and flat federal aid programs. With colleges focusing on admission numbers, why hurt your admit or yield percentages? There's no impact on academic measures as most use data from enrolled students. And there's no way to prove or disprove a college's claim to be need-blind (except through painful personal anecdotal evidence).

northeastmom

I think that it is done to fish for near full paying seats. I know plenty of C+ students who are at very nice schools because grandma, parents, or Uncle Joe can write a check for the full amount of COA (or full amount after nonsubidized Staffords). One might need to admit/deny 25 students (I would think enrollment management knows the exact # of students within a certain demographic) before one finds a student who will sadly take out huge pivate loans with a cosigner, or with a rich aunt who is willing to fund an edcuation.