Daniel Barkowitz | July 26, 2006
"Were am I! Where are You? Weary are We!"
Another catchy title (I hope)! Well, you'll let me know...
I've been reading lately Jim Butcher's excellent series of novels about the magician Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, beginning with Storm Front and working my way through Proven Guilty. For those of you who may not have heard of the Dresden Files series, Harry Dresden is a modern wizard who lives in an alternative version of Chicago, where magic is real, and - as the only practicing wizard with a entry in the yellow pages, and a contract with the Special Investigation department of the Chicago Police - where all kinds of trouble always seems to show up at Harry's door. In the three novels I have read so far, Harry has dealt with demons, ghosts, vampires, and werewolves, not to mention his Fay godmother, and a whole host of other creatures, both magical and mundane. What I particularly enjoy about the series is Harry's narrative voice. Droll, sardonic, self-effacing, Harry takes me as a reader through the adventures in his life and I have to say that I am enjoying the journey. I wish I could write half as well...
Speaking of writing (and reading), what novels or non-fiction are you making your way through this summer? What's on the top of your pre-MIT reading list?
So, I've addressed the "were am I" in my title. Off to the "weary are we." At this point among those of us in financial aid, we are at about our busiest time in the year. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we haven't reached it yet!
As an update, we have so far read and reviewed:
- 1073 Freshmen applications (including admitted student who ultimately decided to attend elsewhere),
- 1,713 returning undergraduates, and
- 645 graduate students.
We still have in front of us:
- 250 returning undergraduates applications (which doesn't include another 200 or so of you we still expect to complete),
- 28 graduate students (we still expect another 300 or so of you to complete),
- determining the ACG and SMART Grant funding status for approximately 480 of you,
- processing Self-Help forms for another 299 students, and
- a whole lot of follow up and clean up to get ready for the coming year.
And who said summer was supposed to be a relaxing period of time? We are still pushing along in our office, but we are growing weary (hence, "weary are we"). Here's to a nice relaxing October... (smile, my admissions friends are VERY busy in October!).
Now how about the "Where are You" portion of this post. I'm back, so I am hopeful you will be too. What information would you like to see from me here on the blog? What general policy or process questions can I help answer? Feel free to comment below (note that due to excess spam I am moderating my comments, so your comment may take a little bit of time to appear). I look forward to resuming our dialogue.
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Responses To This Entry:
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What type of financial aid is availible for accepted transfers? Is the financial aid application any different?
Posted by: Brendan on July 27, 2006 11:49 AM
There is no difference in the financial aid application for accepted transfers at MIT, and all the same aid is available to transfer students that is available to entering Freshmen.
Thanks for the question!
Posted by: Daniel Barkowitz on July 27, 2006 01:16 PM
Hi! I was just wondering how outside scholarships affected our aid package, since I've been seeing different things online...after our Self Help is reduced, is our Student Contribution reduced? Or is our MIT Scholarship reduced?
Posted by: Ritu on July 27, 2006 01:52 PM
This is one of the items we changed recently (along with our Pell Match Program) so I am not surprised if you are seeing mutiple answers online.
The answer (new this year) is that Outside Scholarships and Awards will reduce Self Help first and then Student Contribution (a.k.a. Summer Earnings) before it reduces other grants or scholarships.
Great news for students and parents!
Posted by: Daniel Barkowitz on July 27, 2006 02:14 PM
Wow, that's a huge number of applications you're dealing with.
And 300 self-help forms to process? Okay, that's slightly reassuring. I sent in a revised self-help form about two weeks ago, and I'd gotten two updated Financial Aid Statements since then - but neither included the new information from the self-help, so I was considering sending it in again. Should I do so anyway, or is it just that it hasn't been processed yet?
Posted by: The Keri on July 27, 2006 05:06 PM
I would say it just simply is in the "pile". Give us a week or so, and then get back to us if it isn't done.
Posted by: Daniel Barkowitz on July 27, 2006 05:28 PM
Well, that's reassuring. Thank you!
Posted by: The Keri on July 29, 2006 12:12 AM
Just finished reading "Summer Knight", 4th book of the Dresden Files... Excellent series, really have enjoyed it so far.
Highly recommended. I've read 12+ hours in the last 2 days. Quite an original series.
Well.. Time to start the 5th book. :)
-Adam
Posted by: Adam on July 30, 2006 01:03 AM
i recently finished the "Scanner Darkly" by P. Dick - a rather weird but interesting book about drug-addicts. Before that i read "The Devil Wears Prada" without knowing anything about the movie. It was very funny and instructive and full of information. right now i'm on "Something Wicked This Way Comes" by Bradbury.
Posted by: Meder Kamalov on July 30, 2006 12:06 PM
despondent. applied for fall 06 but didnt make the cut. planning on applying as transfer. worked my butt off academically in HS. working my butt off my first year somewhere else. understand the cost of attending. told my parents the worst case would be if i got accepted but could not afford it. or is there light at the end of the financial aid tunnel?
should i just not bother?
Posted by: anonymous on July 31, 2006 05:27 PM
I can't comment on the Admissions process, but for financial aid, we are happy to continue to work with you as a transfer applicant to ensure full financial aid eligibility.
In fact, unlike many institutions, our financial aid for transfer students is exactly the same as our financial aid awards for freshmen or upperclassmen.
Posted by: Daniel Barkowitz on August 1, 2006 06:28 PM
