Accept Admission Offer Before or After Fin Aid Award?

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

So .. for those of you that have accepted offers of admission to nursing schools, have you made your decisions before or after you get a financial aid award letter? I currently have an open offer of admission to one nursing school. I prefer to actually have some idea as to what my financial aid is going to look like before I accept, but that's really not going to happen since the FAFSA that would be required is the one that needs my 2010 taxes. So in essence this one school wants me to accept their offer with a $500 deposit by early Oct, and am uncomfortable doing that because what if I find that I can't afford to attend their program, then I am out $500. Have not been able to get an extension of this either.

Also, how do you deal with multiple acceptances at once? Does financial aid come through as quickly enough to make a decision?

[tammy1974]

"Does financial aid come through as quickly enough to make a decision?"

If you apply for aid RIGHT now, it shouldn't take long to come through, not in my experience anyway. I usually have gotten a response within a month to a month and a half, tops. If the initial award is less than what you will need to cover the cost attendance, you may be eligible for special circumstances aid. Talk to a financial aid counselor.Also, if you go to the FAFSA website, there is an award calculator which will estimate the amount of aid you might recieve, ususally you can get a pretty good idea of the funds available. I definitely wiould do this right away, the faster the better before funding runs out.

[mspontiac]

I would accept the offer...it may not be extended again. It's risky, but worth it in my opinion. Nursing programs are difficult to get into, and it's getting tougher each year because more and more people are applying.

[happy2learn]

I didn't apply to multiple schools, however, I didn't receive my financial aid package until I became an admitted student.

[CuriousMe]

So .. for those of you that have accepted offers of admission to nursing schools, have you made your decisions before or after you get a financial aid award letter? I currently have an open offer of admission to one nursing school. I prefer to actually have some idea as to what my financial aid is going to look like before I accept, but that's really not going to happen since the FAFSA that would be required is the one that needs my 2010 taxes. So in essence this one school wants me to accept their offer with a $500 deposit by early Oct, and am uncomfortable doing that because what if I find that I can't afford to attend their program, then I am out $500. Have not been able to get an extension of this either.

Also, how do you deal with multiple acceptances at once? Does financial aid come through as quickly enough to make a decision?

You can fill out your FASFA without your 2010 taxes. All you need to do is estimate your income. You will of course need to update it once you've completed your taxes....but you can get things started by estimating. (all perfectly legal....it's explained on the FASFA website)

To answer your question though, I did accept the offer of admission before getting my financial aid offer. However, I had already been awarded a private scholarship that would cover 90% of my unmet need....so I know I was covered before getting the Financial Aid offer.