$ave Dat Money - Unofficial 2016-2017 Financial Aid Discussion Forum

[Dr.Degrees_Cr.Cash]

Welcome to the 2016-2017 Financial Aid Discussion Thread. This thread is for discussions about the financial aid process. Post your Questions/Comments about FAFSA, CSS, Stafford Loans, School Specific Need and Merit Aid, etc.

I will be updating this comment with details about the school specific aid process, and will link to any posts offering a comprehensive run down of the General FAFSA or CSS process.

Thanks,

The Accountant you all deserve, but not the one you need right now.

School Specific Information Below:

Yale:
Harvard:
Chicago:
Columbia:
Chicago
NYU:

• Regular aid packet to be sent sometime in January
  Named Scholarship applicants will be notified of EITHER continuation or denial

Boalt:
Penn:
Michigan:
UVA:
Duke:

• Apply for Scholarship email was sent out for those already admitted, will be sent shortly after acceptance going forward
  Complete FAFSA 002920 (not a requirement for aid interview, but recommended by the school)
  Complete CSS Profile
  Apply though Duke email for scholarship interview (15 minutes)
  • Why Law?
    Why Duke?
    Information not in application

NU:
Cornell:
Georgetown:

[Kopetz]

What's the better financial aid plan: sinking my savings into krugerrands, or stuffing my mattress full of nonsequential twenties?

[Sarastro]

[+] Spoiler

[airwrecka]

For the purposes of being a contribution to this thread:

NYU says it will send out information re: applying for financial aid sometime in January. As far as I know, it has not gone out yet (i.e. I haven't gotten it). For those applicants who have been admitted and applied to one of the named scholarships (AnBryce, Root-Tilden-Kern, etc), you will be notified EITHER WAY if you are moving on to the next round (interview) by the end of March. Prior to finding out whether or not you move on, I do not believe you will receive any other scholarship offers. If you are dinged for a scholarship, you'll receive a separate scholarship offer later (if you receive anything at all).

Michigan will send you a merit-aid scholarship offer via email after you have been admitted without needing to fill out any other apps or forms. Need-based aid is separate.

[lawlzschool]

Thank you so much for this

[The_Pluviophile]

My new favorite place on the internet

[jbagelboy]

This will be the most important part of your law school application process and the first 3-7 years of your career as an attorney. Far more important than where you are admitted. Choose wisely, friends.

[Gitaroo_Dude]

This will be the most important part of your law school application process and the first 3-7 years of your career as an attorney. Far more important than where you are admitted. Choose wisely, friends.

Should I use about half my savings, roughly $40k, towards COA or just use loans on everything?

[jbagelboy]

This will be the most important part of your law school application process and the first 3-7 years of your career as an attorney. Far more important than where you are admitted. Choose wisely, friends.

Should I use about half my savings, roughly $40k, towards COA or just use loans on everything?

I would use all my savings to replace loans except a very small rainy day fund, unless you are a very sophisticated investor and you can get greater than 6-7% returns.

[ashrice13]

Checking in. Thanks for this!!

[Kaziende]

Pls pls pls someone give me a full ride.

[Pozzo]

Thanks for doing this Cash! Checking in.

[20170322]

Does anyone know when federal COL loans hit your bank account? A little bit worried about not being able to afford the first month's rent.

[Earlskies]

Does anyone know when federal COL loans hit your bank account? A little bit worried about not being able to afford the first month's rent.

I'm also interested in this.

[Chipotle85]

When you visit schools for individual visits or ASW, and have the option to meet with the financial aid office is this a good time to bring up negotiating a scholarship offer? Or is this considered too pushy and not the right time?

[btruj777]

When you visit schools for individual visits or ASW, and have the option to meet with the financial aid office is this a good time to bring up negotiating a scholarship offer? Or is this considered too pushy and not the right time?

Would also like to know

[cavalier1138]

When you visit schools for individual visits or ASW, and have the option to meet with the financial aid office is this a good time to bring up negotiating a scholarship offer? Or is this considered too pushy and not the right time?

If your visit involves a one-on-one meeting, that's a fine time to bring it up. ASW does not usually involve that, so I would avoid trying to corner a financial aid rep after one of their group sessions for negotiations. It's perfectly reasonable to negotiate via e-mail, and most financial aid offices basically force you to do it that way anyway.

[Dr.Degrees_Cr.Cash]

Hey Guys, I didn't realize I had to subscribe to a topic I created and thought no body was responding to this thread :/

I updated the OP a little, I'm going to keep looking for info on T14 and beyond if there's demand

[ashrice13]

Any idea about when to complete FAFSA? I thought I had to wait until tax information was available for 2016 but some school deadlines are approaching quick and i've seen people on here talking about doing it now...are we able to do it now based on our 2015 data?

[cavalier1138]

Any idea about when to complete FAFSA? I thought I had to wait until tax information was available for 2016 but some school deadlines are approaching quick and i've seen people on here talking about doing it now...are we able to do it now based on our 2015 data?

Yes. You'll be putting in estimates for 2016, so just be aware that you might have to come back and make changes. But as long as the numbers aren't wildly different, you're fine.

[addie1412]

Just FYI I don't think fafsa is required for Duke need based, just CSS

Also for Cornell: there's a one page scholarship application form where you indicate whether you want to be considered for merit or need + merit aid. In the latter case, you need to submit CSS as well as your 2015 tax returns and your parents' tax returns

[Dr.Degrees_Cr.Cash]

Any idea about when to complete FAFSA? I thought I had to wait until tax information was available for 2016 but some school deadlines are approaching quick and i've seen people on here talking about doing it now...are we able to do it now based on our 2015 data?

Yes. You'll be putting in estimates for 2016, so just be aware that you might have to come back and make changes. But as long as the numbers aren't wildly different, you're fine.

Based on the language in FAFSA this year I don't think you have to estimate or change your numbers. It's just asking for 2015 numbers now

[ashrice13]

Any idea about when to complete FAFSA? I thought I had to wait until tax information was available for 2016 but some school deadlines are approaching quick and i've seen people on here talking about doing it now...are we able to do it now based on our 2015 data?

Yes. You'll be putting in estimates for 2016, so just be aware that you might have to come back and make changes. But as long as the numbers aren't wildly different, you're fine.

Based on the language in FAFSA this year I don't think you have to estimate or change your numbers. It's just asking for 2015 numbers now

Awesome, thanks!

[tncats]

Fafsa asks about ours and our spouse's assets. My husband is a partner at his firm, and we have no idea how to answer what his company is worth. The question just seems too vague. Does anyone know how to calculate that?

[Gitaroo_Dude]

I filled out my FAFSA this weekend but noticed it only allowed me to choose 10 schools. I might need to add two more; can we just go back to the site and send it off to additional schools after the initial FAFSA is sent in?