When you start to look at financials, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
Brown no longer includes federal student loans in their package – but you can still request them, which may make it more possible financially. The loans would then be in addition to whatever grants are in the aid package.
if you have received a better financial-aid package from comparable schools (other Ivies, MIT, Stanford, etc), let them know and they will review your financial aid package in light of what the other college offered.
Many students work as Undergraduate TAs on campus, and that’s a good way to earn money during the school year, if that’s of interest. The CS department hires the most TAs, but other departments do as well. Feel free to DM me if you would like more information about this. There are of course lots of other job opportunities as well.
If you have any unusual circumstances, you can appeal your financial aid award and ask for a professional judgment review. Feel free to DM me about this as well.
Again, a huge congratulations. I hope it all works out for you!
Also, it is possible to petition to graduate a semester early by using advanced standing via AP credits, or by taking four courses during the summer/winter breaks (which are less expensive than “regular” courses and which are also eligible for need-based grant funding. So that’s also something to potentially consider.
For those accepted and considering other options, my son is Class of 2027. He struggled with his choice, but he is very, very glad now that he chose Brown. So many opportunities, such a great community, and definitely a kinder, gentler place than most other schools in this category. The policies are designed so that students feel collaborative rather than competitive. Admittedly, he is not pre-med, so there may be more of that in those classes, but he says that the faculty in general do everything they can to encourage all students to achieve to the best of their ability rather than pitting everyone against each other. Its reputation as a happy campus is more than rumor - it’s a fact. Good luck with your decisions - and I second the comment above that the parent FB page is very helpful.
My son got in and also looking for advice on financial aid. My Daughter is in GT sophomore as well. Any financial information will be very helpful in terms college conversation. He is also NMS Finalist and also Missouri 100 as well
Is there any history of Brown helping with financial aid in light of better packages from state flagships? I don’t know if that’s “prestigious” enough. My package is, unfortunately, about $20k too large.
They also have historically matched top LACs like Amherst and Middlebury (which I am currently trying to do with Amherst and Wesleyan – will report back).
Our Brown financial estimate is about $20K more than expected, based on numbers we’d run with their calculators, the EFC calculated in a package by a top LAC, and even based on the estimated SAI from this year’s FAFSA. Even if we were to successfully appeal and include the package from the LAC, would that only get us through the first year? Is it accurate to assume we’d end up in the same predicament of being unaffordable years 2-4?
Financial aid is reapplied for each year with current data (income, assets and special circumstances).
If you appeal this year because you have circumstances that they were not aware of this year and if those circumstances persist, then your financial aid for future years should take those circumstances into account.
But best to appeal and then also ask them about the future. They want to help accepted students commit, so they will work with you to make sure they didn’t overlook anything they should have taken into account. Definitely ask them about the discrepancy between the NPC and the actual award.
So, they didn’t quite match Amherst – they only got about halfway there. They didn’t come close to Wesleyan’s package, which is even better than Amherst’s. We’re going to try to negotiate again.