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4 years ago
Paying for College

are College Financial aid packages sent out before or after you accept?

I am currently a senior in Highschool and I am trying to decide between two colleges. One of the things I looking at is who will give me the most financial aid. One school has already sent me a Financial aid package but the other hasn't. I need to know before the acceptance deadline On May 1st to pick which one will cost more and which will give me more Financial aid.

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1 answer

1
4 years ago

They may send estimates out, but no, they typically will send out the full Financial Aid Award after you’ve accepted. This is because many colleges look to see who accepts admissions first (almost like a first come first serve basis) and will offer that student what is a available on their acceptance. Meanwhile, students who are “pending” acceptance, they aren’t promised anything yet, as things may change, but they will earn what is available for them.

Honestly, I would submit an admissions deposit or claim acceptance so as to see if the aid is satisfactory. If it’s not, then you can usually opt out with explanation and get a full refund for the deposit. But before any certified action is taken, I strongly recommend looking at financial aid calculators via CollegeBoard, etc. This will attempt to give you an accurate estimate.

Hope this helps!

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