Williams Financial Aid

[elgreco]

Hi all,

Does anyone have experience with the financial aid at Williams' grad art program? 

I was waitlisted yesterday with the following email: "You are currently wait-listed for admission to Williams, including financial aid. Your chances for admission are pretty good." It sounds like, if a spot opens up, they won't be offering me a merit fellowship, but I will be eligible for need-based financial aid.

For context, I'm financially independent from my parents (meaning I won't file their tax returns on my FAFSA and won't provide them unless Williams asks), and my income last year was just under $30k. It seems like a long shot to expect a full need-based scholarship, but I don't really have any money to pay for grad school, and my parents aren't contributing anything. This is definitely not a degree I'm willing to take out loans for.

So can anyone vouch for the quality of the program's financial aid? I have a full fellowship at a good but less prestigious master's program, but obviously I would like to pursue Williams if there's a possibility it will be financially feasible. Thanks for any insights y'all can offer.

[arboreal05]

From my understanding, Williams funds many of their students. Even those admitted off the waitlist sometimes get funding if people from the initial wave of funded applicants decide to go elsewhere. 

[atrevidinha]

Currently in the Williams grad program and I can confirm that the vast majority of us don't pay tuition; a slightly smaller group are fully funded with stipends. Among both groups are people who got in off the waitlist. Your financial situation sounds similar to mine and I'm fully funded. Come visit for the open house and we can chat about it, and feel free to dm me in the meantime. Congrats on waitlist!

Edited March 5, 2017 by atrevidinha

[elgreco]

I just wanted to follow up on this for any future applicants who might be reading this. After going up for a visiting day, I called the DGS to follow up about my spot on the waitlist and ask about the possibility of funding. I mentioned that another program had offered a fully funded spot. He was sort of cagey but encouraging in response, said they would try to offer a competitive aid package. And then a few days later they offered me a spot in the program with a tuition waiver and $18k stipend, no questions asked. I was really pleasantly surprised by how accommodating they were (also overjoyed that i never had to fill out a FAFSA). So, there is hope for prospective students, even if you're not an aristocrat.