<p>It should be clarified that the aid promise does not apply to international students.</p>
<p>Also, keep in mind that “meeting need” understandably includes offers of work study jobs and federal student loans. You are not required to accept the work study job during the school year if you can make up the difference some other way. UVa tries to avoid a student needing private loans. Some students will waste more money than others, and some may have extraordinary travel expenses, which may not be considered.</p>
<p>Some of the people who feel that UVa financial aid is inadequate live in very high cost metropolitan areas. The aid formula does not take into account cost of living. (Go ahead and try to find a $300,000 house in San Francisco.) Aid also does not take into account private primary and secondary school tuition for siblings. In some big cities, some parents feel that sending their kids to a religious or private school is a necessity and not a luxury.</p>
<p>Ok well thank goodness I’m not international. And also if my EFC is zero (which it is) does that mean I have demonstrated that my need is dire? If they also look at assets then we dont have any business or farms, we are just living abroad in a relatively cheap country from our savings in the US.
Also, are there classes in the summer,? Or do we have summer holidays</p>
<p>UVa runs on a two semester secedule (fall and spring terms) with an optional ‘J-term’ (January term) between New Years and the start of spring term. There are courses in the summer. As UVa requires students to complete their degrees in 8 semesters you will find Charlottesville rather busy in the summer months with students picking up extra courses towards a minor, double major, doing research, and working. Other students will head home or to other cities to internships, or overseas on study abroad and service trips.</p>
<p>In my discussions with FA office so far (quite a few) it has been made pretty clear that “Demonstrated need” really comes down to exactly your 2012 FAFSA EFC. Period. Doesn’t matter the circumstances of 2013, they will not be taken into consideration for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year. Private schools DS applied to have re-submitted our FAFSA themselves with the 2013 numbers (which dropped our EFC 50%) and have adjusted FA offers based on that. UVa FA said they will not do that. While I can’t say I like that answer as it puts us personally in a bind for 2013, it at least is an answer: Go in debt a bit more the first year and hope to catch up next year when the FAFSA based on 2013 is filed. As UVa is DS’s first choice school, that’s a deal we may have to take - his college experience is worth more than the few $K difference. Still, it is disappointing that current circumstances aren’t taken more into consideration up front.</p>
<p>okay so is it necessary to take classes in the summer? or can we try to take up small summer jobs to earn money and pay for our yearly tuition, and during summer breaks does everyone go home or do they stay on campus?</p>
<p>Back to the topic of the thread…from the perspective of a 4th year on the inside, many people are struggling to find jobs. Even some majors that traditionally job grabbing majors like Chemical Engineering and Electrical Engineering are struggling to find jobs. Most of the Humanities/Pure Sciences/Social Sciences (excluding Econ) majors I know have NOTHING unless they’re doing TFA. Coming out of college the majors that lead to the greatest likelihood of landing a job are Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, some form of Engineering, Commerce and Education…maybe Public Policy? Anyway, many Humanities/Pure Sciences/Social Sciences (excluding Econ) majors within my friend circle are questioning whether or not it was worth it now. Be very careful about what you major in when you get here. The Political Science English double major may sound good on paper but unless you have a serious plan that actually utilizes those skills you may be hurting later on.</p>
<p>No, summer term is not required. The degree programs are arranged so that you can complete your degree in 8 semesters, generally four fall and four spring terms. Some people choose to intern/work during the summer, some stay at the university and do research and/or take a couple of courses.</p>