FB: Empire 8

[Jonny Utah]

Ballston Spa is a little wierd

Yea it seemed like a nice town to me but there were still some upstate rural aspects about it that kind of scared ya.

I dont think I would like to live in those towns.  I love the fact that if I wanted to I could walk 10 minutes to any redsox game I wanted to, or go to 1000 different bars/restuarants of my liking.  Theres something about city living that Im used to.  I get my trip or two to vegas every year and Im happy.

God bless America.  And lets hope those dam ucla bruins get their heads out of their arses and start palying some godam football.

[Sir Spiedie]

You guys never did answer my original question. Do kids only know the schools aid package until after admittance? Thanks.

No, you will not know your official financial aid package until after admittance, and even if you apply early, you can change your choice based on your package.  you can usually ask the official FAFSA questions and guidelines regarding admittance and most schools FA office can give you some definitive answers regarding those packages.

Makes sense considering that there would be no aid if your kid gets rejected from the school, right?  Just kidding.

TGP's first ever job post college was in the admissions dept.  As far as TGP can recall, aid and decision letters were mailed either together or just a couple of days apart. 

After letters were received, it seemed to TGP like things turned into one big negotiation session that could last most of the summer.  There were several occassions when TGP would hear the Dean sigh after receiving yet another fax that read "Hey, College X offered us $X more in FA, but my kid really wants to go to your school.  Can you match it?"

Keep in mind, some FA depts are willing to "play" - others are one and done.  Typically leeway on adjusting the package depends on the student and their particular situation. 

The one's TGP recalls the best were the letters from parents who shouldn't even be getting aid in the first place.

TGP will never forget a father of one applicant from Colorado hemming and hawing over Hobart's (at the time $25-30K price tag) when during the course of the FA review, our guys discovered this guy earned somewhere in the neighborhood of $300K a year.  He then pulled the "well, we got $X in aid from XYZ College - why can't you guys pony up?"  The fact he even managed to get an aid package offered by some other school was unbelievable.

You may also need to review the CSS Profile guidelines as well.  Many of the Upstate and NE private colleges require this app as well as the FAFSA. 

Regardless, if you think you'll require/want some aid - establish contact with a member of the FA dept at each school early on in the process. 

Great info. You say it went on all summer. Doesn't someone that plays that game run the risk of coming up empty. Also, arent deposits due by May1 typically?

[Jonny Utah]

You guys never did answer my original question. Do kids only know the schools aid package until after admittance? Thanks.

No, you will not know your official financial aid package until after admittance, and even if you apply early, you can change your choice based on your package.  you can usually ask the official FAFSA questions and guidelines regarding admittance and most schools FA office can give you some definitive answers regarding those packages.

Makes sense considering that there would be no aid if your kid gets rejected from the school, right?  Just kidding.

TGP's first ever job post college was in the admissions dept.  As far as TGP can recall, aid and decision letters were mailed either together or just a couple of days apart. 

After letters were received, it seemed to TGP like things turned into one big negotiation session that could last most of the summer.  There were several occassions when TGP would hear the Dean sigh after receiving yet another fax that read "Hey, College X offered us $X more in FA, but my kid really wants to go to your school.  Can you match it?"

Keep in mind, some FA depts are willing to "play" - others are one and done.  Typically leeway on adjusting the package depends on the student and their particular situation. 

The one's TGP recalls the best were the letters from parents who shouldn't even be getting aid in the first place.

TGP will never forget a father of one applicant from Colorado hemming and hawing over Hobart's (at the time $25-30K price tag) when during the course of the FA review, our guys discovered this guy earned somewhere in the neighborhood of $300K a year.  He then pulled the "well, we got $X in aid from XYZ College - why can't you guys pony up?"  The fact he even managed to get an aid package offered by some other school was unbelievable.

You may also need to review the CSS Profile guidelines as well.  Many of the Upstate and NE private colleges require this app as well as the FAFSA. 

Regardless, if you think you'll require/want some aid - establish contact with a member of the FA dept at each school early on in the process. 

Great info. You say it went on all summer. Doesn't someone that plays that game run the risk of coming up empty. Also, arent deposits due by May1 typically?

Yea.  TGP might to be able to answer your question better as he seems to really know what hes talking about, but I have some experience as well.

But you can get money from a school at any time, even after you are enrolled.  you never know if a parent loses a job or something like that either.  Often times you have to call the FA department and almost beg for money.  Sometimes its just like "Listen, I really cannot afford even 10 thousand dollars a year.  Can you just give a few thousand more?"  Often times, FA directors can give money when its needed at will.  You have to ask though.

[Senor RedTackle]

Ballston Spa is a little wierd

Before I bought the RT Crib in Saratoga last Dec, I lived 5 miles down Rt.9 in the town of Malta which is really part of Ballston Spa but closer to Saratoga Lake and not downtown B.Spa.

The downtown itself is interesting...the Main St. in the village is quaint and looks like it was quite something 75-100 years ago with all the brick storefronts lining the street and the mansions bordering town. It was also a tannery town so there are some crummy old houses and boarding house type structures (ie, Johnstown, Fonda, Booneville, or any other mill/tanning type place).

There's definitely money in town because it's a suburb of Albany and pulls from both Saratoga and Albany housing money due to the abundance of land for new construction. However, it doesn't have the culture...there's a nice spa, The Medberry, that had an appearance in 'The Way We Were' (Streisand/Redford), as well as a few little restaurants/cafe's worth a try...however, most of the B.Spa residents give their entertainment business to Saratoga which is only a few miles up the road. It's a really nice compromise to feel like you're living in Saratoga without paying the inflated Saratoga prices (like I did)

....and I know of that townie bar that is being mentioned. It's on the north end of town close to said borading houses and run down homes....

[Jonny Utah]

HA!

RT, you and I shall have a beer in said bar someday.

[Senor RedTackle]

RT -

Very interesting run down on the dumpiest places in Upstate. 

Kinda hurts you threw Geneva in there, but there is some truth to that.  Haven't been back in many years so TGP is not sure whether or not G-Town has improved it's game.

TGP would nominate Auburn, NY to the dumpy list.  Once played a gig (filling in for a buddy on bass) at this bar DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE FEDERAL PEN!  The mullets, mesh trucker hats and black leather jackets were in full effect at this joint.  No joke.

As far as quality spots go, it's tough to beat all that Saratoga offers.  Still, TGP thinks his all time fave for Upstate towns is Skaneateles.

Yes..I thought of what Pumpkin sensitivities I'd ruffle w/ the Geneva mention but I had to throw it in there. I probably could've subsituted Auburn or Weedsport.

Funny thing...I have been giving this some thought since I have first published my NY Crummy Town list. I would like to rename it the "RT's NY Dive Town" List and I would like to organize it by region because there are just too many candidates to name.

So tonight, I'm going to do the 'North Country' first:

1) Chazy
2) Malone
3) Pulaski
4) Massena
5) Watertown
6) Fulton
7) North Creek
9) Peru
10) Glens Falls

[Jonny Utah]

WTF is chazy!?

[Jonny Utah]

RT -

Very interesting run down on the dumpiest places in Upstate. 

Kinda hurts you threw Geneva in there, but there is some truth to that.  Haven't been back in many years so TGP is not sure whether or not G-Town has improved it's game.

TGP would nominate Auburn, NY to the dumpy list.  Once played a gig (filling in for a buddy on bass) at this bar DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE FEDERAL PEN!  The mullets, mesh trucker hats and black leather jackets were in full effect at this joint.  No joke.

As far as quality spots go, it's tough to beat all that Saratoga offers.  Still, TGP thinks his all time fave for Upstate towns is Skaneateles.

Yes..I thought of what Pumpkin sensitivities I'd ruffle w/ the Geneva mention but I had to throw it in there. I probably could've subsituted Auburn or Weedsport.

Funny thing...I have been giving this some thought since I have first published my NY Crummy Town list. I would like to rename it the "RT's NY Dive Town" List and I would like to organize it by region because there are just too many candidates to name.

So tonight, I'm going to do the 'North Country' first:

1) Chazy
2) Malone
3) Pulaski
4) Massena
5) Watertown
6) Fulton
7) North Creek
9) Peru
10) Glens Falls

RT, if you had to throw the "nicest towns" of the same regions, wouldnt the same towns be on that list?

[Senor RedTackle]

WTF is chazy!?

http://www.city-data.com/city/Chazy-New-York.html

...all you ever cared to know about Chazy. I'm surprised that some of the demographics are so flattering. It's a pit stop on the may to Montreal...

[Jonny Utah]

WTF is chazy!?

http://www.city-data.com/city/Chazy-New-York.html

...all you ever cared to know about Chazy. I'm surprised that some of the demographics are so flattering. It's a pit stop on the may to Montreal...

yea, never even heard of it.  How do you even pronounce it?  Chay-zee.....or Chaw-zee?

[labart96]

RT -

TGP's good buddy (aw) Chad and Bart's starting FB (#32) during my years in Geneva was from good ole Pulaski.  He also happened to play a mean trombone and do a pretty good James Brown with the Rebluevinized band on "Sex Machine" and "Papa Don't Take No Mess".  Chad's 230 lbs renaissance man.

FLA2 -

Deposits are "due" but in reality, many schools will take apps (and deposits) well past their regular deadlines depending on their yields (as in how many students admitted actually enrolled) as well as the quality of the student.  Trust TGP, there were many instances in which we discovered after the fact that a family put down multiple deposits with several schools in order to negotiate over the summer on aid and (in some cases) the kid's "reach" school to try and move them from the WL to the accepted pool.

There are exceptions to the rule - although keep in mind that after May 1 getting aid becomes tougher since most of the big money went towards getting the ED and other "top prospects".  Regardless, each case is individual so TGP doesn't want to give you the wrong impression (and most schools will play the "our deadlines aren't negotiable" etc.) but if you are willing to play some hardball, you wouldn't be the first (or last) to do so. 

[Senor RedTackle]

WTF is chazy!?

http://www.city-data.com/city/Chazy-New-York.html

...all you ever cared to know about Chazy. I'm surprised that some of the demographics are so flattering. It's a pit stop on the may to Montreal...

yea, never even heard of it.  How do you even pronounce it?  Chay-zee.....or Chaw-zee?

Shay-zee

[JQV]

Florida2, out of curiosity, where are you in Florida and what E8 schools are you looking at?

[AUPepBand]

RT -

Very interesting run down on the dumpiest places in Upstate. 

Kinda hurts you threw Geneva in there, but there is some truth to that.  Haven't been back in many years so TGP is not sure whether or not G-Town has improved it's game.

TGP would nominate Auburn, NY to the dumpy list.  Once played a gig (filling in for a buddy on bass) at this bar DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE FEDERAL PEN!  The mullets, mesh trucker hats and black leather jackets were in full effect at this joint.  No joke.

As far as quality spots go, it's tough to beat all that Saratoga offers.  Still, TGP thinks his all time fave for Upstate towns is Skaneateles.

AUPepBand would agree on Skaneateles....with the lakefront is a very posh Upstate town. Pep enjoys Saratoga (nice public library), new Y opening soon, "Ripe Tomato" Bar & Grill nearby in Malta and "Cherry Tomato" near Lake George, but another favorite Upstate town for Pep is Cooperstown. Found a copy of the 1974 Sports Illustrated issue with a two-page feature on Alfred's legendary Coach Alex Yunevich in the used book store there....but usually visit in springtime before the summer crowds. Great town and Pep doesn't even care much for baseball!

[AUPepBand]

WTF is chazy!?

http://www.city-data.com/city/Chazy-New-York.html

...all you ever cared to know about Chazy. I'm surprised that some of the demographics are so flattering. It's a pit stop on the may to Montreal...

AUPepBand believes this year's Alfred-Almond boys soccer team had its sights set on meeting Chazy's team in the state Class D finals but stumbled in a Far Western Regional contest with Panama, a 1-0 loss in which A-A outshot the Panthers about 20-2. Pep believes Chazy stumbled as well.