jcassidy81

That's extremely frustrating - sorry to hear that. Depending on what your degree is in, I guess it's not completely out of the question - the one program I am waiting for the fin aid package from told me straight up in my interview that there's no money to be given (which I appreciated). Did anyone tell you prior to your acceptance (i.e. in your interview) that assistance was or was not an option? Otherwise, I would start tracking down alternative ways to pay for the program (i.e. scholarships, grants, loans). Unless you're already aware of them, Fastweb.com is a great resource, as well as The Foundation Center (http://foundationcenter.org/). Best of luck!

I'm having the same difficulty. One of my programs has advised in my acceptance letter that it would be coming "in a few weeks" (that was on 2/28), and the other advised that I wouldn't receive one until AFTER I accept (which is bizarre to me). Have you tried contacting the financial aid department directly? This was helpful for me.

Hi All - I've been accepted to two great MA programs, and am in the process of deciding between them. The financial scenarios have become a bit tricky, and I am hoping you can provide some feedback/thoughts on this current situation. Background: I currently have a 9-5 job that could potentially reimburse 50% of my tuition (if I am able to successfully argue why the degree is related to what I do - frankly, it has nothing to do with what I do, but is a means for me to eventually leave me job!). This job cannot be done part-time or on a free-lance basis. I am financially independent (paid for my BA on my own via scholarships, etc) and have no backing. Both schools are the same tuition (roughly 60K total for a 2 year full-time program). School A has yet to send me my financial package (but is OK with waiting for me to accept until I receive this package), and School B is eager for me to make a decision BEFORE I receive any information from them regarding the financials. School A: This is great program and I am excited by the prospect of studying there. It is a LARGE institution and, therefore, there is NO money to be had departmentally. Therefore, I should not expect any financial assistance - they have been honest about this from the beginning (which I appreciate). They offer an EXTREMELY flexible part-time program that would allow me to keep my current 9-5 job (which, again, could potentially reimburse 50% of my tuition). However, after my first semester/year, if I find keeping my job and doing 6-9 credit hours per semester is too much, I would have to leave my job. That means I cannot depend on the school to provide me with any supplemental monies. I could look for a part-time job if I find the 9-5 is too much, and, would continue to look for funding elsewhere (i.e. scholarships/grants). School B: Also, an equally great program and I am excited by the prospect of studying there. It is a smaller program and they have advised that they DO have departmental money allotted for the students in their program. They also have a part-time program, however, it is not flexible enough to keep my current 9-5 job (I would have to get a part-time job). This would all be fine, however, I cannot petition to receive any of their departmental money until AFTER I accept their offer and pay the enrollment fee. This, to me, seems out-of-the-ordinary - a bit like being offered a job, but being told I can't find out how much I would make until AFTER I accept. OVERALL: I love both programs and could see myself at either. I also am trying to embark on this career change as fiscally responsibly as I can (even if it takes 4 years). I am 30, I have no financial backing, and would rather not put myself into 60K of debt immediately without any income - especially since the kinds of jobs I'll most likely be walking into are in the 40-50K/year range (the MA is in a social science) and MOST IMPORTANTLY because of the state of the current economy/job market. I would rather NOT make this decision all about money, but, unfortunately it has become the paramount thing in this decision-making process. Any thoughts on this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi All - I just received my acceptance letter from NYU Steinhardt MA in Art Therapy (crazy excited!), but the letter indicates I will receive my financial aid package "in the next few weeks", and that I must accept by 3/15 for my spot to be held. However, I may not hear from the School of Visual Arts (the other program I am interested in) until early March and, if accepted, may not receive my financial aid package until well after 3/15. Has anyone else dealt with a situation like this and, if so, am I just SOL or are graduate programs (like NYU) flexible in these dates? I just want to have all the necessary information in front of me so I can make an educated and thorough decision - THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY I also plan on contacting NYU directly about this as well...but, am looking for for "street level" assistance! Thanks for any information/advice you may have!