The Financial Aid & FAFSA Literacy Guide
SPECIFICATION
COLL-03
CATEGORYCollege Admissions
FOCUSStudent Aid Index mechanics, gift-aid-only net price comparison & subsidized vs. unsubsidized loan basics
BEST FORActually understanding a financial aid offer and comparing packages apples-to-apples
METHODOLOGYFAFSA Simplification Act / SAI changes · Net Price Calculator method · Federal loan-type distinctions
FORMAT.md + .txt
COMPATIBLE MODELS
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SKILL LEVELIntermediate
GENERAL ASSISTANT
School A offered us $28,000 total aid, School B offered $19,000. School A's total cost is $72,000/year, School B's is $58,000/year. Which is actually cheaper?
Financial aid can be confusing! Make sure to fill out the FAFSA and compare your offers carefully before deciding.
COLL-03 — THE FINANCIAL AID & FAFSA LITERACY GUIDE
School A offered us $28,000 total aid, School B offered $19,000. School A's total cost is $72,000/year, School B's is $58,000/year. Which is actually cheaper?
The right comparison isn't the total aid number, it's the net price using only gift aid (grants/scholarships), not loans.
Can you check how much of each package is actually grants versus loans/work-study?
Once you separate loans out of both offers, the real cost comparison often looks different than the total 'aid' numbers suggest - I'd get that grant/loan breakdown from both award letters before deciding.
Can you check how much of each package is actually grants versus loans/work-study?
Once you separate loans out of both offers, the real cost comparison often looks different than the total 'aid' numbers suggest - I'd get that grant/loan breakdown from both award letters before deciding.
