Negative SAI (-1500) but no financial aid package yet - Should I pay housing deposit?

With a -1500 SAI, your daughter should qualify for a full Pell Grant and likely significant institutional aid as well. However, even with an excellent SAI, schools vary dramatically in how generous they are with their aid packages. Before paying that housing deposit, I'd recommend: 1. Email the financial aid office again explaining your situation and specifically mention your negative SAI. Ask for an estimate of when your package will be finalized. 2. Check if the housing deposit is refundable if the financial aid package doesn't meet your needs. 3. Contact the admissions office, as they sometimes have more pull than you'd expect in getting financial aid to move faster. Don't feel pressured to pay that deposit until you have the full financial picture. A negative SAI is promising, but without seeing the actual package, you can't make an informed decision.

omg my son did the same thing last yr, only applied to UMich and we ended up scrambling for other options when the money didnt come thru. negative SAI doesnt guarantee theyll give u enough!! each school has their own formula and some will still leave u with 30k+ to pay even with good SAI. dont pay that housing money until u see actual $$$ on paper!!!

As someone who works in college financial aid, I can tell you that a negative SAI does typically result in a strong financial aid package, but there are several important considerations: 1. The specific institution matters - some schools meet 100% of demonstrated need, others meet 60-70%, and some even less. 2. How they meet that need varies wildly - some will use mostly grants, while others rely heavily on loans. 3. Even with a negative SAI, the total Cost of Attendance might result in a gap you need to cover. I would absolutely call the financial aid office again to explain your timeline conflict between the housing deposit and aid package. Ask specifically if they can expedite your award letter or provide an estimated package based on your SAI. Many institutions can provide a preliminary estimate to help with these decisions. Don't pay that housing deposit without understanding your full financial picture - it's a perfectly reasonable position to take.

i paid my sons housing deposit without seeing aid package and TOTALLY REGRETTED IT!!!!! we lost $1800 when we realized we couldnt afford the school. dont make my mistake please. their trying to lock you in. negative sai is good but every school has different aid packages!!

The FAFSA/financial aid system is RIGGED against families. Colleges intentionally delay aid packages until AFTER deposits are due. It's not an accident! They want you committed financially before you realize their "generous aid package" is mostly loans that will cripple your daughter's future. Your negative SAI means nothing if the school doesn't meet full demonstrated need (and most don't). Call that financial aid office EVERY DAY until they give you answers. They're hoping you'll just give up and pay. DON'T DO IT. I've seen too many families lose thousands on deposits only to find out the school expects them to pay $30K+ per year even with great SAI numbers. The whole system is broken.

Had similar situation with my daughter and Northeastern last year! I was calling financial aid daily for weeks with no luck getting through. Someone recommended Claimyr.com to me and it was a game changer. It got me through to a real person at the financial aid office in like 15 minutes when I'd been trying for days. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. The agent I finally spoke with was able to give me a preliminary aid estimate over the phone which helped us make our decision before paying more deposits.

anyone else think it's crazy that we have to pay deposits BEFORE seeing aid packages???? like what other industry makes you commit to buying something before telling you the price 🤦‍♀️

Just wanted to add - if you do end up having to pay the housing deposit to hold her spot, make sure to ask about appeal processes for the financial aid package when it arrives. With a negative SAI, you're in a strong position to appeal if the initial offer doesn't meet your needs. Also, check if the school has a specific financial aid deadline guarantee. Some schools promise to deliver aid packages by a certain date for students who complete their FAFSA by their priority deadline. If they've missed their own promised timeline, that gives you leverage.

wait ur talking about the $2200 housing deposit but have u figured out the total COA (cost of attendance)?? even with pell grants and institutional aid ur probly looking at at least 15-20k/yr out of pocket at minimum depending on the school. make sure ur looking at full picture!

Update: I spoke with our financial aid office director about this exact situation this morning. Her advice was to have you call and specifically request a "preliminary aid estimate based on your SAI" before the housing deposit deadline. Explain your situation clearly - that you cannot commit to the housing deposit without understanding your aid package. With a negative SAI at a school with an 80% discount rate, you'll likely receive substantial aid, but the exact composition matters. Ask specifically: 1. What percentage of demonstrated need does the school typically meet? 2. What's the average grant-to-loan ratio for students with negative SAIs? 3. Are there additional university grants you might qualify for? If you still can't reach someone by phone, send an email with "URGENT: Housing Deposit Deadline and Financial Aid Package" in the subject line, and copy the admissions office and dean of students. This often gets faster results.