Updated financial aid package LESS?

[anxiousmom]

<p>

The difference is not merely $1,000. Do you really think I’d be ranting and raving about a measly $1,000? Given my family’s finances, I’d be incredibly lucky if my parents could contribute $3,000 a year. If the EFC is $9,000, this leaves me with a $6,000 per year to make up.

But you state in your first post

I got into Rice ED and received a preliminary package of $38k a year. Yet, I am now being offered only $37k.

I only see a difference of $1000. And preliminary financial packages are preliminary based on the previous year’s tax returns. All colleges make adjustments when the current year’s tax forms are filed. </p>

<p>Your problem is still that your parents don’t think that they can meet their EFC of $9000. Or their original EFC of $8000 from the preliminary package you were offered in December or whenever ED results came out. I truly am sorry for your situtation, but did you not see the problem with the financial aid package back then? Are your parents expecting you to take out private loans to finance the gap between what they are willing to pay? </p>

<p>Basically, with an EFC of $9000 - you should be able to earn $3000 this summer, parents should be able to contribute $3000 (they should realize at least $2000 in savings by not having you eating/showering/shampooing at home - even more if they pay for car insurance for you), and they take out ParentPlus loans for the other $3000. (I believe that if they don’t qualify for Parentplus loans, you may be eligible for additional Stafford or Perkins loans - but you’ll have to check with Rice about that.)
And, the endsputrid,

Around 70,000 a year is so ridiculously close to 80,000 dollars, if you were really that hell-bent on not having to take out any student loans, you should have applied regular decision.

You are still misunderstanding. She is not being asked to take out student loans. She is saying that she will have to take out loans to help her parents meet the EFC. This would be the case whether she applied ED or regular decision. Financial aid packages don’t cover the cost of family’s EFCS!></p>