Declining spot due to not enough aid -- ok to apply later?

[Anonymous]

We got an acceptance into our first choice, but with no aid. We can't afford it. We can continue to save up and apply again in a couple years and might be able to afford it without aid, if need be. If we decline a spot citing the lack of aid being the reason, will we have a shot for a later date if we apply?

[Anonymous]

Well, there isn't much you can do. I would just tell the school (in writing) exactly what you said here. I mean, what is the alternative? If they're not compassionate, they're not the school for you.

[Anonymous]

Why don't you talk to the financial aid office before declining? Maybe there is something they can do? I wouldn't decline without giving them a chance to help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you talk to the financial aid office before declining? Maybe there is something they can do? I wouldn't decline without giving them a chance to help.

+1

[Anonymous]

We had a school accept DC, but us on a FA waitlist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you talk to the financial aid office before declining? Maybe there is something they can do? I wouldn't decline without giving them a chance to help.

+1

By phone or email?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you talk to the financial aid office before declining? Maybe there is something they can do? I wouldn't decline without giving them a chance to help.

By phone or email?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We got an acceptance into our first choice, but with no aid. We can't afford it. We can continue to save up and apply again in a couple years and might be able to afford it without aid, if need be. If we decline a spot citing the lack of aid being the reason, will we have a shot for a later date if we apply?

We did a FA appeal which included talking through our financial aid situation with the FA director. Our FA went from 10% to 20%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you talk to the financial aid office before declining? Maybe there is something they can do? I wouldn't decline without giving them a chance to help.

By phone or email?

Phone! Talk to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you talk to the financial aid office before declining? Maybe there is something they can do? I wouldn't decline without giving them a chance to help.

+1

After June 1, some more aid may free up from those who decline.

Returning students generally get more aid

Most schools won't guarantee continued aid at the same level for the following years but they should at least say they generally are able to meet the same level of aid - here you want to be focused on percentage of aid you are receiving since tuition will continue to rise

if your child is in elementary, take a moment to consider the additional costs besides tuition and see if the cost is really sustainable for as many years as you are thinking you would like your child to attend. We made the mistake of not doing this and by the time our child left in 8th grade the cost of tuition which went up every single year plus all the extras each year were overwhelming. This included an activity our child did outside of school that we started at the rec level when she was young and swore we would not get caught up but 3 years in we were paying for private lessons and so on. I can admit now that there was some peer pressure that I really thought we would be big enough to avoid, but nope, in the thick of it, it is really hard. All my child's classmates were doing something similar.

[Anonymous]

Aid is negotiable. I’d call the financial aid office and just be straightforward and gracious. It would be fine to reapply when your financial situation changes as long as you don’t burn bridges. For what it’s worth, I negotiated my children’s aid by about 5K.

[Anonymous]

You can cal the FA person. I got them up 10K. I had to wait and see if more money became available based on people declining.

[Anonymous]

remember the threshold for aid it 30/70 split. No school will give you more then that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:remember the threshold for aid it 30/70 split. No school will give you more then that.

While this may be a general rule, there are special cases in which FA goes beyond 70% pending on demonstrated need and other factors important to the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, there isn't much you can do. I would just tell the school (in writing) exactly what you said here. I mean, what is the alternative? If they're not compassionate, they're not the school for you.

+1