Interesting conversation with Admissions Office

BassDad
Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:30:08 +0000

Pattijoa-

Credit is tight these days. The only loan you can count on being offered is the Stafford Loan - $5500 for freshman, $6500 for sophomores and $7500 for juniors and seniors. These are routinely included in any package for which a merit or talent scholarship does not provide a full ride. Schools often offer a work-study component that can be worth $2000 or so a year. Beyond that, it varies a lot by the school, what they thought of your daughter’s audition relative to the competition and how much they need a particular voice or instrument. Female vocalists are never in short supply, so that will not help.

While nearly everyone is stunned by how high their EFC numbers are, it sounds like you may have a case to make. At this stage in the game, it is essential that you communicate directly with the financial aid officers at each college to explain and document your situation. This is crunch time for them and every day you delay means that they may have sent out offers to other candidates and hence have fewer resources at their disposal to help you. Call them first thing tomorrow.

If nothing works out in the end, you might consider a gap year with your daughter working to help put aside some money for another attempt next year.