Quick question about contacting your future department

Colleges & Universities Yale University
1

<p>Well, I am not personally nor was it my idea, but when one of the professors I’ve had in the past at my current college (an amazing guy that encouraged me to apply, and generally has come to be one of the most inspiring and easy-to-connect-with teachers I’ve had) heard about me getting in, he insisted on contacting the department of my major and inquiring about financial issues (we ended up talking about how expensive the school is and how broke and indebted I am).</p>

<p>Do departments really even have a say in these things? Is he referring to research opportunities and scholarships? I’m flattered he’d take that time, but I also don’t want to come off as an entitled nag to my potential future professors. </p>

<p>My former teacher has all the best intentions and, obviously, knows the undergrad and school system game far better than I do, but I just want to make sure I personally have an informed idea of what kind of funds or opportunities he is referring to. And no, I wish I could but can’t really ask him to clarify - neither of us has that much time or opportunity to check in with one another, and he’d probably be just as vague as today, anyway.</p>

2

<p>Did you apply for financial aid and submit your fafsa?</p>

<p>I don’t think that academic departments have any influence in helping undergrads with the regular school tuition and fees, but they CAN help out with summer funding for research and trips abroad. You will be able to find out what’s available in your department when you land there. If you need more finaid, you should probably contact the finaid department.</p>

3

<p>asap is right, the academic department will not help with school tuition and fees</p>

4

<p>Yeah, that’s what I figured. So I’m worried it’ll all just come off as a strange request that’ll single me out were they to remember me. And not in a good way. Sigh.</p>

<p>I’m an international transfer and yeah, I already did contact the finaid department, I’ll need to take even more loans for my time there but it’s not something I’m wasting sleep over. I’ll figure it out.</p>

<p>Hopefully he won’t have time to call them before we bump into each other again and I can tell him it’s not a good idea.</p>