My son has decided on a school, a private LAC. Their financial aid offer came back at $38k, which is more than our FAFSA EFC of $32k, but less than the school’s NPC at 40k. His package includes a 10k merit award, $5500 in sub/unsub loans, and a 10k parent plus loan. We won’t do parent plus or unsub, but he may do sub just in case. Our original hope was 30-35k, but since this is his top school, we will make it work.
At the upcoming admitted students weekend, they offer optional 30 min appointments with the financial aid office. Would there be a benefit to meeting with them? I am not sure we will appeal the award, but maybe there are other reasons to meet with them? He is our first to graduate, and we don’t have a clue how this all works.
What questions should I ask the FA office?
Definitely meet with them- and work through your numbers carefully before you go. Have a clear idea of what exactly you would like them to do. If he has a better offer from a comparably ranked school, bring that as well. Also be sure to ask about what happens in years 2-4: what could make his package go up- or down.
Yes, take the meeting. Ask your questions about ‘how this works.’ Show them the printout of the NPC and ask why your award is different. There may not be answers, but then again there may be.
My daughter’s NPC readout showed a different merit level than what she was given after acceptance. The first 3-4 people said “Duh, I don’t know, that’s what it is.” I then talked to someone in admissions and she said, “Well, this is the information we have, GPA is X.x, ACT is XX…” Stop! Wrong ACT scores. Oh, that made a big difference. She was still admitted to the school with the lower score, just didn’t get the better merit award. It turned out that she had two files in the admissions office. The coach had opened one when she first toured the school and DD had sent in an official application. Sometimes information would go in file #1, sometimes in file #2. I did not figure this out until she went to register her second semester and they had no high school transcript showing graduation, which had been sent at least twice. The new and improved ACT scores were in the wrong file too.
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