<p>Went to NC State last year but Transferring to the University of Richmond next year was happy to get 44K in Grants along with 1500 in work -study and 6k in loans;So I confirmed my enrollment. Yet I got my FA package from NC State yesterday but it was vastly underwhelmed by my 1k grant and loans and Parent Loans to cover the the remaining 18k !!!(Which I may add was 4k grant reduction from last year with no change in income !!! ) Has this happen to any one (reduction in aid after freshmen year and having a Private school over FAR Better than a instate Public? makes little sense !</p>
<p>My D’s expensive private school cost us less than our in state public flagship would have cost. It definitely can happen. Public schools do not have a ton of money for aid, and they do their best with what they have. Grants at public schools can vary from year to year, depending on state aid, student population, etc.</p>
<p>People say that a private school can offer better aid than an in-state public. That being said, our in-state public schools are $18,000-21,000 per year for everything, and we fall in that fuzzy area where we are not wealthy but do not qualify for much FA, if any. If an OOS private or public throws us some FA it will still not bring the cost down enough to come close to our in-state. My daughter has a much much better chance with merit money. When my older daughter was applying to schools we got zero FA from all 8 that she applied to- both in state and out, 7 public and 1 private. We are far from wealthy. Congratulations- sounds like you got a great offer from Richmond and it’s a great school!</p>
<p>This situation can happen when a student with a good amount of need gets accepted to a private that meets need. </p>
<p>However, if you had been accepted to a private that doesn’t meet need, then likely you would not have had this result.</p>
<p>As to the reduction in grant from your public, did you have a sibling in college last year? What was the name of the grant that was reduced? Was it a one time scholarship?</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids :Thats the troubling thing I have the same FAFSA efc (when up like $250 ) yet the grant was Reduced. it was called a campus based tuition offset so maybe the University changed policies …Guess it doesn’t matter because I am transferring but had i not been I would have been LIVID!!! know FA isnt a right but seems a little unfair to get a student to enroll based on aid package then Change it so greatly after a student has made connections and after all the transfer deadlines !</p>
<p>Absolutely, one can end up paying less at privates than even in state publics,as you have personally learned. Hardly any public schools meet full need, and their need packages are heavily loan laden many times, and they depend heavily on what the state and federal government give.</p>
<p>Most all schools do expect the students to take on more of the cost each year. Even the most generous ones. The costs also go up.</p>
<p>What is your EFC?</p>
<p>mom2collegekids: About 6300</p>
<p>Congrats on your acceptance to URichmond. A fine school.</p>
<p>cptofthehouse: thanks!!! I am so excited!</p>
<p>"
Most all schools do expect the students to take on more of the cost each year. Even the most generous ones. The costs also go up. "</p>
<p>Could you expand on that? I was under the impression that usually, when aid is offered, it would be stipulated that it would be the same each year, provided te student meet certain goals (gpa, credit hours) for merit, or have demonstrate the same need for need based aid. Are you saying that both of these would typically change?
And, what would cause the costs to go up while still an undergrad?</p>
<p>
See [U.S</a>. Colleges Raise Tuition 4.8%, Outpacing Inflation - Bloomberg](<a href=“http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-24/u-s-colleges-raise-tuition-4-8-outpacing-inflation.html]U.S”>Bloomberg - Are you a robot?)</p>
<p>As college costs increase, student loan amounts go up, “summer earnings” expectation goes up, etc.</p>