<p>^^^I agree.</p>
<p>wow you’re so lucky to be in your position… and I am SO envious</p>
<p>Chicago seems like a happy medium maybe? and it is such a lovable school!</p>
<p>my advice: beg your dad. What do your parents want you to do?</p>
<p>Asking a possibly politically incorrect question:</p>
<p>Does Yale finaid feel pressed to match funds for students like the OP who can easily document a prestigious and generous award like the Boettcher? </p>
<p>Lots of Yale admits have been offered “full rides” to their state universities and other state and private schools around the country. Is this ever a lever that can be used to get a better EFC from Yale?</p>
<p>I’ve seen it work the other way around where state schools are so eager to hang on to their top students that they will match outside offers, or make sweet deals for kids who they know will otherwise go to prestigious private colleges.</p>
<p>unless you are confident about your salary after graduation (which you are probably not) paying full price for Yale is pretty heavy. Unless you are a Yale addict… It’s like those hoboes spending their money on cigarettes and weed. You don’t care if you starve, but at least you got Yale!</p>
<p>I talked to a Yale financial aid officer and she said that they can’t match a merit scholarship because it’s merit based, not need…
Maybe they just don’t want me enough :(. </p>
<p>We’ll see, she was really nice to me on the phone. We’re talking to her again Monday about our financial situation.</p>
<p>P.S. I meant add-ons before, not ass-ons. Haha, I just about died when I read that typo!</p>
<p>If I were you I would take the UChicago deal. 10k in scholarships a year in a stimulating educational environment.</p>
<p>Talk to Yale, talk to your parents, talk to people in general…no matter how lovely other unis are, it’s Yale after all, so it’s worth struggling for it!!</p>
<p>If all else fails, take the scholarship, graduate, and then go do Journalism at Columbia as grad…</p>
<p>Okay… I don’t know how this happened, but Williams gave me a financial aid offer for $25,000! </p>
<p>How could Yale have said I’m ineligible for aid and Williams says I’m eligible for $25,000? I realize different schools use different formulas, but that’s a BIG difference. </p>
<p>Is Williams consider a “peer” school to Yale enough so that Yale would consider matching this or at least giving me some money?</p>
<p>WOW! Your head must be spinning!</p>
<p>Unless Williams gives merit aid (and I don’t think it does), Yale should consider matching them. I’m not sure what would have produced such drastically different results, but you should definitely bring it to Yale’s attention.</p>
<p>If you can reduce your family’s EFC at Yale, are your parents willing to split the reduced amount with you? Or do you get to call the college’s contribution your half? I know what my daughter would say…</p>
<p>My child had a nearly full ride to UVA but went to Williams. I have never seen a person happier with their choice (might have been happy at UVA but we’ll never know). Loves the school. Yale and Williams are 568 schools so in theory the offers should be quite similar.</p>
<p>$25k/year in grant aid, not loans? I’d be calling Yale back. Chicago, too.</p>
<p>On the other hand…there is an opportunity for you at Colorado College if your goal is journalism. Take the newspaper and MAKE something of it. You won’t have money worries hanging over your head and you can get summer internships that will hone your skills, even if they don’t pay.</p>
<p>I’ve emailed the financial aid person we’ve been in contact with about the Williams offer, and yes, it was grants, not loans. I’ll fax the letter to her tomorrow. It’s perfect timing because she’s meeting with the financial aid committee on Wednesday about our situation anyway. </p>
<p>I’m still considering Colorado College. It’s definitely far from out of the picture. </p>
<p>Whatever happens with this financial aid situation and my Yale visit next week will make my decision. </p>
<p>My dad still expects me to pay half of whatever our EFC is. But if we can get $25,000 in financial aid, that’s only $12,000 a year for me (unless our situation drastically changes… eek!). Sounds much more doable!</p>
<p>blindkite, you’re golden.</p>
<p>Attending Yale is the honor of a lifetime - go for it.</p>
<p>Dude full ride at colorado is very prestigious.</p>
<p>How many times do I have to say: it’s not about prestige. It’s about the quality of the experience.</p>
<p>Have you even visited Williams?? Are you going to their previews?? You seem fairly dismissive of their wonderful offer.</p>