9 distinctive paths: 5 are approachable (yet exceedingly perplexing), 2 have been extinguished, and the final 2 are indefinite

Looking back at the chaotic first half of my senior year, I am very buoyant of my current status. It appears as though I was on streak for nearly a month. I was subsequently admitted to five institutions; The Ohio State University, The University of Wisconsin, Case Western Reserve University, and the most recent: Colgate University and Carleton College. Nevertheless, I was dismayed by word from three of my primary intuitions. First, I was waitlisted by my dream school: the University of Chicago. This situation leaves me in a predicament that I will discuss in the near future. Next, I received word that I was deferred from both Yale & Duke University, earlier this week. Although this was very disappointing, I was not outright shocked because I knew that there were many qualified student competing for selection into a mere number of positions at both institutions. I truly wish to thank my mentors once again, for I wouldn’t have been accepted to many of my colleges without their assistance.

Currently, I am fascinated by my financial aid packages that came along with (or after) the five bulky admission envelopes.

From OSU, I was awarded the Morrill Excellence Scholarship, which covers in-state full tuition. With a sound Federal Pell Grant, Work Study and an OSU grant, most of my fees are covered; what remains is a $3,500 subsidized loan.

The University of Wisconsin, also gave me a very good package by wavering most of my tuition costs; now I my tuition is equivalent to that of Wisconsin resident. Nonetheless, I still have a $4,000 loan.

Case Western Reserve University awarded me the Provost scholarship, which is $20,000 yearly. Although the university is in the state of Ohio, it is private; thus, its tuition is parallel for all students that apply. Although another $20,000 is covered by other means, I still have to take $11,500 in loans; since the cost of attendance (COA) is over $52,000.

Colgate University gave me an outstanding financial aid package; the institutional grant was over $45,000 (nearly 85% of my COA). My family is expected to contribute $500 dollars to my education and I am informed to take $1,500 in loans. This intuition also offered me the opportunity to attend a summer institute program for free. The program will allow student to become familiar with the intuition, make acquaintance with the faculty and fellow students before school initiates, and take 2 full courses that are taught by actual professor at the University, in 5 weeks.

My most recent financial aid package from Carleton College has truly perplexed me. To begin with, the COA is similar to Case Western—over $52,000—and nearly all of my cost are covered by either federal or institutional grants. What puzzles me is the amount of loan I have to take because the package delivers the information in a complicated manner. I am sure that the institution expects me to take a loan because the amount I was awarded doesn’t equal my COA, even after adding my work study.

I still have one additional college which I am awaiting word from—the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor)—so I will continue to wait (now I am fairly relieved) and weigh out my options as the deadline gets closer. Although I am informed to take loans by all my admitted institutions, I expect to acquire some outside scholarships and grants that could aid me in funding my college education. Currently, I am completing more scholarships and I am inquiring about how to take loans in Islam at mosques (Islamic place of worship). Earlier, I had stated that taking loans (that accrue interest) are not permitted in Islam—I still uphold this statement—but I wish to acquire more information from knowledgeable scholar’s because the Quran can be interpreted in many ways. To further clarify, this is not just my personal interpretation of the Quran; most Muslims know that Riba (Arabic for interest) is not permitted.

Muhammad Abdi

Accepted To

• The Ohio State University (Main Campus)
• The University of Wisconsin (Madison)
• Case Western Reserve University
• Colgate University
• Carleton College

Waiting For

• The University of Chicago (Waitlisted)
• The University of Michigan (Ann Arbor)

Differed From

• Yale University
• Duke University