Angelyn Ansah applied to Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania as “reaches” just to see her chances, but was shocked when she received acceptance letters from both institutions on Ivy Day. She knew that financial aid would be a crucial factor in her decision, as she did not want to accrue significant student debt. However, neither of her acceptance letters included financial aid information, leading to uncertainty about the cost of attendance at each school.
Despite the challenges with financial aid, Ansah received a grant from Princeton that covered her entire cost of attendance for the first year, including tuition and living expenses. While waiting for Penn’s financial aid offer, she continued to pray for guidance in making her decision. Although Penn did not provide a financial aid package before the commitment deadline, Ansah had already made up her mind to attend Princeton.
The delays in the financial aid process due to technical issues with the FAFSA had a significant impact on Ansah’s decision-making timeline. She advises future college applicants to be patient and trust that things will work out in time. While she acknowledges that a better financial aid offer from another school may have made her decision more difficult, ultimately, the prestige and opportunities associated with attending Princeton influenced her choice.
Despite the uncertainty and challenges she faced during the college application process, Ansah is grateful for the opportunity to attend Princeton University. She emphasizes the importance of patience and trusting that things will fall into place in due time. Ansah’s experience highlights the importance of considering financial aid offers and the overall cost of attendance when making decisions about higher education.
