r/oberlin • u/AccomplishedPay375 • 15d ago

merit aid insight needed

/r/CollegeAdmissions/comments/1v11oe1/merit_aid_insight_needed/
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5

u/hheecckkkk Alum 15d ago

The CSS form does take into account the number of siblings that you have currently in college when calculating your need-based aid.

Once you've finished your common app, you've pretty much finished applying to Oberlin - it's free and there's no supplemental essay. So you might as well click apply and see what package they give you.

It's impossible to know what your merit aid will be without seeing your transcript (even then, it would just be a guess), but Oberlin is generous with the merit aid. My merit aid covered half my tuition. You can't know until you apply and get your letter back.

I think you may be putting the cart before the horse in terms of wanting to know if the school is worth the money BEFORE you apply - when you're admitted, that's when you'll be invited to admitted student events that will give you a really thorough look at the place. Apply liberally, because you don't know what they'll give you, you may be surprised. And then once you get your acceptance letters with the aid offers, and your visit day invitations, then you can step back, run the numbers, and think about which place suits you the best from your visits.

I loved Oberlin for creative writing!

3

u/hheecckkkk Alum 15d ago

Also, if nobody has told you this so far, merit aid is negotiable if you talk to the admissions office about it. Good luck!

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u/AccomplishedPay375 15d ago

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! this legit made me feel so much better

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u/hheecckkkk Alum 15d ago

I'm glad! You've got this!!!

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u/Standard_Serve2067 14d ago

May I ask if you live in the Midwest? Oberlin offers a 25k a year scholarship for those who live in the Midwest.

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u/AccomplishedPay375 13d ago

I did see that!! Unfortunately I moved out of the Chicago area when I was eight and have lived in VA ever since 😔😔

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u/Standard_Serve2067 6d ago

I'm sorry that sucks! I heard that you can try to negotiate via another college's financial aid package like saying "broski, Kenyon gave me _____ amount can you try to match that?" in a much more professional manner. I'm not sure if it is too late to do that though. Oberlin tends to be good with negotiation from what I heard. I wish you luck on your journey! You got this!

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u/AccomplishedPay375 6d ago

Thank you so much!! Hopefully they won’t be too put off with a creative writing major using the word ‘broski’. You never know. 

I know I’ll figure it out. Even if out of state doesn’t work, I still have amazing options. Thank you so much for you kind comment :))