Hi! Starting the thread for next cycle (this cycle already? good lord) with some important information for anyone (like myself) who knows they will need to make their decisions based on the financial aid they receive. Yale's financial aid system is based on a unit loan. In the 2024-2025 application year, the unit loan was $10,000.
Fin Aid is very clear in saying that everybody must take the loan out. If you, like me, end up having a full offer somewhere else, you might think well damn why even apply to financial aid at Yale. But if you are like me and can expect to get a good amount of aid (family income under 125K), please know there is an additional merit scholarship (the YSM access scholarship) you can be selected for, from the pool of people getting full financial aid, that waives the unit loan and replaces it with a grant. (this is separate from the dean's scholarship selection. idk anything abt that)
Apply for aid the week you get in.
TLDR a complete COA award at Yale is possible, despite the emphasis on the unit loan from financial aid! if financial aid is important to you, you should apply asap after getting in.
(Please do not ask me about this until you have been accepted to Yale. It is not something you apply for separate from the normal financial aid process.)
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