I’m a bit skeptical to say that cause I don’t want them to get the wrong idea and that I’m only interested in them for the money. What if they take it the wrong way and rescind any aid since they think I’m ungrateful?? Then I’d be up a creek.
That’s not how it works, don’t worry. They admitted tou among hundreds of applicants because they want you to attend. If there’s a mistake on the CSS (* ) it’s in their interest as well as yours to check the form out or give you a chance to review it. As a full need university they want to make sure admitted Pell students can attend.
(* an extra zero in the wrong column is VERY common )
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I worked in financial aid for many years, and I had decision making authority for financial aid packages. I never once held it against a student for asking about their aid package, and there is no way I ever would have punished a student for asking. Please don’t resign yourself to borrowing a ton of money (which might not even be possible, since you would need a co-signer). Advocate for yourself. The email template provided by @MYOS1634 is a great start.
By the way, it’s possible that you only have the merit portion of your aid package right now. Does either aid notification mention the Pell Grant?
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That’s a good idea. I will check the CSS. How could my FAFSA be an SAI of 0 but be expected to pay 65k a year at Holy Cross? Especially if they say they meet 100% of demonstrated need. Here’s the thing: my HC aid letter came in before my FAFSA said “processed.” would this have anything to do with that?
With an adjusted gross income of $26,000 per year, your parents cannot afford to pay $55,000 (or $65,000) per year to attend university. It just is not going to happen unless there is something important that I am missing (such as $1,000,000 sitting in a mutual fund or bank account).
The point here is that you want to attend Holy Cross or Oberlin due to their excellent educational opportunities, they want you to attend and that is why they accepted you, but given the current financial offer you just cannot afford to do so.
They are not going to take this personally. This is a very reasonable concern on your part. Whether these two schools can give you an affordable offer you will not know until you ask.
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Yeah, you’re right. My mom said she won’t co-sign my loans, so I don’t have too many options. It’s a bit unclear, but I thought I saw for some loans, you don’t need a co-signer.
It’s very possible that you don’t have your complete aid package yet. Please call & ask.
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Your SAI likely doesn’t matter but your CSS likely does. Your parents must have assets or equity, etc.
Correct me if I’m wrong though - your Oberlin and Holy Cross money was merit, not need.
Perhaps need isn’t out yet? Could this be the issue? I’d call both tomorrow and ask - but again, neither has ChemE - and you certainly don’t want a 5th year - especially now.
But this is why a school like Arizona, with huge merit, often makes sense. But even with the top merit, you still need $25K a year, etc.
This is why budget is always issue #1a, 1b, and 1c and often times it decides where you go vs. you deciding where you go.
Too many kids are making decisions without knowing the financial situation up front.
In the end, you can’t go to a college you can’t afford - and perhaps there’s a Provincial school near you that you can (and later transfer). Or perhaps you need a gap year to work (and you can work in a state that you want to go to school so you can get in state tuition).
But you can’t really afford to wait this out - you need to have this discussion soon so that you can make the right decision.
In the end, getting an acceptance you can’t afford is simply a rejection.
And no - you DO NOT want to be in heavy debt. It is an unnecessary strangulation. And only your parents, not you, can borrow that much money and it doesn’t sound like they’d want to.
Hope you get this straightened out soon.
Yeah I think my parents have around 30k (savings since I was young) total saved in an account for my 4 year education, but that’s all I could think of. Even then I still think 55k a year would be unreasonable.
It’s quite possible the FA has not been released yet because they cant do estimates and the FAFSA is currently in incredible turmoil. 
Run the NPC on Oberlin and HC right now -what do you get ?
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The scholarships were for academic achievement. Both of them said 5k in federal student loans as well. But the 20k and 33k were grants.
Then it means need-based aid hasn’t been added in - you would typically see “institutional aid” and “Pell Grant” on top of any merit, up to cost of attendance.
Do send the message. The reply will offer clarity.
Note that this applies to “meet need” colleges only.
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What if I didn’t get any, though? How do I know if it hasn’t been released or if I just didn’t get any of it?
Oh, they were grants - grants are typically need based.
How much were the scholarships for? Do they stack on the grants?
You might call and ask for an assessment - how / why they calculated what they did.
Something triggered a # like that - and at a need aware school, if they had to cover the entire bill, it’s possible they would have rejected you.
So they are seeing something, either from an error in how it was filled out or in something illiquid that you aren’t aware of.
Certainly call each, set an appointment, and find out - and I’d have your folks there.
You really need to find out from your folks - what’s your true budget - because if you only applied to financial reaches, then you have to go in a different direction which may (or may not) include a four year school next year.
But hopefully there’s a correctible error somewhere - but if it requires more aid from the two meets need schools, it could also change their decision…but that’s ok - they’re already rejections since you can’t go so best to see if it can be altered (assuming something is off - it may not be).
Call and ask to explain -
when i see the word “grant”, I think need aid.
It should be clear on your letter though - what they are.
But hopefully they haven’t released need aid yet. But ask…
Many official federal numbers have not been sent to colleges due to the FAFSA fiasco and some were sent with mistakes, so FA is in turmoil everywhere. (HC or Oberlin could have provided you with an estimate or a letter explaining need based aid is upcoming but many colleges havent released FA packages yet.)
That’s why most colleges are pushing the enrollment deadline to June 1.
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Call, or if you’re intimidated/afraid of not handling this well, send the email that I formatted for you.
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I’m pretty confused about it. At Holy Cross, I got the “Faber Scholarship” under the category “scholarships and grants” on my bill. That’s what I meant.
Faber is a merit scholarship that stacks (is added to your need based package). It means they recognize you as having high financial need but haven’t released your FA award yet.
- Faber Scholarship: Faber Scholarships are awarded each year to students identified through the admissions process in recognition of strong academic achievements and commitment to personal growth and responsibility coupled with demonstrated financial need. Named for St. Peter Faber, one of the first Jesuits, the Faber Scholarship is renewed each year for four years provided students are maintaining good academic progress and a satisfactory disciplinary record.
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Honestly it’s hard to tell - but I think it’s merit - but according to the website, they have little merit. They list merit scholarships - but this one is right above it so it might be need.
Holy Cross institutional funding is primarily need-based, although a limited number of merit-based scholarships are available to students who qualify.
Simply call and ask - does my letter include all funds awarded to me - or is it merit only and need based is still to come?
If it’s all, then make an appointment for your family to go over your submission.
It’s a pretty simple follow up I think.
- Magis Scholarship: Magis Scholarship recipients are among the most talented applicants to Holy Cross each year, and have distinguished themselves in their school and community as top scholars, model citizens, and leaders. Magis, Latin for “more,” reflects the Jesuit invitation to dig deeper, pursue excellence and allow space for attentiveness, and we are confident that Magis Scholarship recipients will embrace that ideal and make the most of the gifts and opportunities with which they have been blessed. Magis Scholarships are renewed each year for four years provided students are maintaining good academic progress and a satisfactory disciplinary record.
- Faber Scholarship: Faber Scholarships are awarded each year to students identified through the admissions process in recognition of strong academic achievements and commitment to personal growth and responsibility coupled with demonstrated financial need. Named for St. Peter Faber, one of the first Jesuits, the Faber Scholarship is renewed each year for four years provided students are maintaining good academic progress and a satisfactory disciplinary record.
- Tuition Scholarships: These are merit-based scholarships offered at the point of admission, with student eligibility determined by the Admissions Office:
- The Ellis Scholarship is a full tuition scholarship that is offered to a Worcester resident entering their first year at Holy Cross. It is renewable for all four years. There is no separate application for the Ellis Scholarship, and all applicants to to College who reside in Worcester are considered. Finalists will be invited to campus by the scholarship committee for an interview in February.
- The Brooks Scholarship is a full tuition scholarship offered to a major in the music department.
- The Bean Scholarship is a full tuition scholarship offered to a major in the classics department.
- The Fitzgerald Scholarship is a full tuition scholarship offered to a major in the classics department.