We recognize that most students are considering a wide variety of net prices when they make their college selection. At Macalester, our goal is to provide financial aid that makes affording Macalester feasible, but we understand that we are not always the lowest price option. Although we do our best to take into account each family's special circumstances, we do not adjust Macalester packages based on the amount of financial aid offered by another school. Occasionally, families see a variety of financial aid results because the information in their financial aid application was interpreted differently by each school. If you think this is the case, let us know. We'll be happy to talk with you if you have questions about how your application was analyzed.

If your family's financial circumstances have changed significantly since you applied for financial aid, or if your family has circumstances that were not presented in the original aid application, it may be necessary to ask for reconsideration. Job losses and major medical expenses are examples of circumstances that are often grounds for reconsideration.

In lieu of a significant change or new information, financial aid results will not change.

Please contact us if you have questions about your circumstances and how to request reconsideration based on new or additional information.

Merit scholarships are awarded based on the student's qualifications as evaluated during the admission application process. As such, merit awards are determined at the same time that admission decisions are made and may not be increased at a later date. Macalester delivers notices of merit scholarships to eligible students within several days of the admission decision.

If you complete your financial aid application on time, you should receive your financial aid award within a few days of hearing that you've been admitted. If your financial aid application is completed after your admission, we should be able to send you a result within about one week.

Outside Scholarships will reduce any need-based grant from Macalester College, according to our Outside Scholarship Policy.

Macalester's bills twice per year. Fall semester bills are delivered electronically in mid-July with payment due in mid-August. Spring semester bills are delivered in mid-December with payment due mid-January.

Financial aid applications are carefully reviewed so that results are appropriate to each family's circumstances. If you have questions about how your own financial aid eligibility was calculated, or if you have special circumstances that you think we should know about, please contact us. We'll be happy to talk with you about the results.

Students who participate in Macalester-approved programs may apply for and receive financial aid. Macalester is committed to providing financial aid to ensure that students who want to participate in off-campus study programs may do so, regardless of family finances. [more]

Students who have received a financial aid package that includes student employment will be placed in a job for the first year. The four largest campus employers are the library, athletics, food service, and facilities management. Many students are placed with these employers in the first year. After the first year, students may seek employment with any campus employer or apply for an off-campus community service position.

Students typically work 9 to 11 hours per week to earn the full student employment award. You'll be paid on a bi-weekly basis. If you would like to have your wages applied to your tuition bill, you may do so through an agreement with Macalester's Student Accounts Office.

Students who do not receive financial aid may participate in the student employment program, but employers are asked to give priority to students who have been awarded student employment as part of their financial aid package. Students who do not have a student employment award are not automatically placed in a job.

The grant portion of a student's financial aid package usually stays about the same each year. Loan and student employment eligibility will increase as you progress toward graduation.

Changes in the undergraduate enrollment of siblings and significant changes in family income may alter financial aid eligibility in subsequent years.

Merit scholarship are renewable for eight semesters. There are no minimum GPA requirements for renewal of merit scholarships.