MA Humanities Financial Aid Package Advice

[hardkore]

Hello there,

I received a package for a MA that I very much want to pursue - the program is a perfect fit for my interests which are somewhat specific so to have found a school that offers a specialization in my interest is amazing. That said, I received my financial aid package. As an undergrad, honestly, my parents paid for everything so I never dealt with financial aid. I'm sad that I'm so naive about this process. So please help!

Question 1: My package includes a scholarship for $6500. Tuition is a little under 30K. I've already asked the coordinator if this scholarship has the potential to increase should more funding become available but is this scholarship "average"?

Question 2: Including my scholarship, I'm eligible for Federal Work Study, a Stafford Loan, a Stafford Unsubsidized Loan and a Plus Loan. I added all of these together and it comes to 42K. Why does my package include more than tuition? Is this package including cost of living loans as well?

I certainly hope that I may be able to break into the 10K mark scholarship if the program is open to negotiations. Otherwise I may not be able to go. Thank you for any advice !!

[engguy]

hardkore:

the short answer -- I wouldn't go into this much debt for a degree in the humanities.

the long answer -- I dunno. I'm a bit confused by your post. Is that 30K tuition for the entire degree, or per year, or what? The scholarship sounds decent to me, but obviously it's quite inadequate for what you're paying out. Generally scholarships do not "increase," but really it depends on the school, the program, the resources they have, and whether they're willing to supplement what you're getting as you go along.

As for the loans, yes, unless you get some kind of outside work, you will need money to live on, and that will have to come from somewhere. But here's another point of confusion: you mention a financial aid "package," but it sounds to me like the $6500 IS your package; are you getting some kind of tuition waiver along with that? Is there no possibility of doing a TA to earn money on top of the s-ship and getting a tuition waiver? More info is needed here.

[smellie]

My funding package includes TAship+health insurance+15K stipend+tuition remission.

I'm also going into MA program in humanities (art history).

That said, it seems like it'll be a lot of loans for the MA. Have you contacted the department and negotiated your funding? Ask if they have TA positions available, or if there's possibilities for more funding. Let them know you'd really like to attend and that financial aspect worries you.

[hardkore]

It's a two year program. 30 K a year. 6500 a year in scholarship money and 3000 in federal work study a year. I contacted the grad coordinator who is meeting me next week to discuss possibilities.

Good job Smellie.

[SocGal08]

I get what you're saying, hardkore. As I understand it, your tuition for the year is $30k, but your total expenses, including books, room and board, etc. is $42k. Thats why your financial aid package, which includes the $6500 scholarship, your work study, and your loans, totals $42k. Engguy, I think you might be mistaken in your understanding of what a "financial aid package" is. The scholarship would just be one component of a financial aid package.

That said, I am in a somewhat similar position with a masters program and I chose to go. Like yours, my program was a perfect fit for what I wanted to do, but meant taken out more in loans than I wanted. I thought about what the degree would get me in terms of my interests and career, and what it would cost me. How much in loans will you be taking out? How much will you make with this degree? How long do you think it will take to pay them back? Have you looked at all of the scholarship , TA and fellowship opportunities? To get some perspective on this, I talked to a current student in my program who had great advice. I'm sure someone from your program would be willing to talk to you.

Then, think about the program and what you might get out of it. For me, the bottom line was that this was what I want to do and it's worth it to me. Take your time, and think about it. Since you're coming straight from undergrad, might you be able to defer for a year to work? Hope that helps.

[hardkore]

OOp! Sorry "As an undergrad" was meant to be "when I was an undergrad"

I've been out of school since 06 working as a Fellow in a museum. Many thanks for your considerate post.

I get what you're saying, hardkore. As I understand it, your tuition for the year is $30k, but your total expenses, including books, room and board, etc. is $42k. Thats why your financial aid package, which includes the $6500 scholarship, your work study, and your loans, totals $42k. Engguy, I think you might be mistaken in your understanding of what a "financial aid package" is. The scholarship would just be one component of a financial aid package.

That said, I am in a somewhat similar position with a masters program and I chose to go. Like yours, my program was a perfect fit for what I wanted to do, but meant taken out more in loans than I wanted. I thought about what the degree would get me in terms of my interests and career, and what it would cost me. How much in loans will you be taking out? How much will you make with this degree? How long do you think it will take to pay them back? Have you looked at all of the scholarship , TA and fellowship opportunities? To get some perspective on this, I talked to a current student in my program who had great advice. I'm sure someone from your program would be willing to talk to you.

Then, think about the program and what you might get out of it. For me, the bottom line was that this was what I want to do and it's worth it to me. Take your time, and think about it. Since you're coming straight from undergrad, might you be able to defer for a year to work? Hope that helps.

[smellie]

It's a two year program. 30 K a year. 6500 a year in scholarship money and 3000 in federal work study a year. I contacted the grad coordinator who is meeting me next week to discuss possibilities.

Good job Smellie.

I've seen people who successfully negotiated from no-funding to full tuition. There is hope! Good luck!