So you got into college!
Now it’s time to sift through your financial aid offers and make your decision! Before you accept any aid, it’s important to truly understand what the offer in front of you really means.
We’ll break down the entire process of figuring out your financial aid award letter.
The Lingo
In this blog, we’ll primarily use the term Financial Aid Award Letter, but we want you to know that it can be called a variety of things, such as:
- Aid Letter
- Financial Aid Package or Aid Package
- Merit Letter
- Financial Aid Offer
- And probably a few more!
This is not to confuse you, but just to make you aware that your institution may use another term.
What is a Financial Aid Award Letter?
A Financial Aid Award Letter is an offer from an institution that contains all the federal, state, and school aid you can access. This can include scholarships, grants, work-study opportunities, and federal subsidized and unsubsidized loans. If you listed multiple schools on your FAFSA, you will receive financial aid award letters from each school you are accepted to.
When to Expect a Financial Aid Award Letter
The timeline of receiving financial aid award letters can vary. Typically, they arrive in March or April after you’ve received an acceptance from an institution. Some schools are more prompt than others, so make sure to be on the lookout for your award letters and keep track of who you’re still waiting on.
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Understanding Your Financial Aid Award Letters
Before we can compare any financial aid award letters, we’ll want to understand what they all mean independently. Each institution will use a different format for their letters, but they will all contain roughly the same information.
Let’s use an example from CollegeCovered as a frame of reference.
In this award letter, you will see three separate sections.
- Financial Aid
- Estimated Cost of Attendance*
- Total Estimated Balance
Financial Aid
This section shows both the scholarships and loans this student was awarded.
Estimated Cost of Attendance
This section shows the total estimated cost of attendance. This particular university broke this cost into two sections — the billable costs (ones that are concrete) and the indirect costs (what they estimate students will spend on other items).
Some of these costs you may not incur. For example, if you are choosing to live off campus, you would not incur the $8,020 per year housing cost. Oftentimes, universities will add campus health insurance to the estimated COA. But, many students choose to opt out of this and remain on a parent’s plan. Thus, the COA ends up lower. If there is a cost listed in the COA that you 100% will not incur, make adjustments where you see fit when examining the aid offer.
*Not all financial aid award letters will show the Cost of Attendance. This is often a category that gets left out. If this isn’t on your financial aid award letter, make sure to call the institution to verify the number or ask for a full breakdown before making any calculations or comparisons. Don’t rely completely on what is online as the information could be outdated.
Total Estimated Balance
This is the amount left over if you accepted all of the financial aid and incurred all of the costs listed in the COA. This is what the institution estimates that you would pay yearly.
Note that this estimated balance will likely not be 100% accurate for you unless you plan to accept all of the financial aid offered to you and incur all of the listed costs.
Figure Out the Net Price
Because the total estimated balance won’t always be what you’d actually pay, we recommend recalculating the net price. To do this, subtract the costs you would incur from the aid you would accept. Make note of these new net prices if they differ from the original calculations.
A Very Important Note:
If you are going to make any alterations to reflect what you’d actually pay, make sure to verify those costs before using them in your calculations. One example of this is housing. If the COA uses on-campus housing in its calculation but you plan to live off campus, don’t use one flat housing estimate across the board for all institutions.
For example, rent might cost $600/month in a small, rural town in Connecticut, but it likely won’t cost that in downtown Boston. Always call the university and ask for an estimate of what the average student spends on something before making your own estimates.
How to Compare Aid Offers
Now that you’ve calculated the net price of each institution, it’s time to take all the information you have and compare aid offers. We recommend the following steps:
- Create a spreadsheet with a column for each school.
- Record the following information for each school:
-
- The COA
- The free aid you won’t have to pay back (scholarships, grants, etc.)
- The aid you would have to pay back (loans)
- The cost to attend after subtracting the free aid
This will give you an idea of the overall cost to attend each school, how much free aid you’ve been awarded at each, and how much you would potentially have to take out in loans for each school.
Is My Financial Aid Offer Good?
Most institutions don’t meet 100% of the student’s financial need. Additionally, most institutions will have loans somewhere in their aid package. So, if your award letter only covers a portion of your need and part of that aid is through loans, your offer isn’t far off from the norm.
A few facts and figures to keep in mind:
- On average, institutions meet 86% of student financial need.
- The average need-based grant is $28,448.
- The average aid package is $29,916 for a school where tuition and room and board total to $40,580.
You may also be able to find information about the average aid awarded at each specific institution via their website. This information can be helpful in seeing how your aid offer compares to their average. Ultimately, you’ll want to ask yourself what makes sense for you individually.
How and When to Appeal a Financial Aid Award
When comparing offers, you may notice that one institution offered significantly more aid than another. This is common and can happen for a variety of reasons.
While it may seem like a solid idea to negotiate the aid offered, experts don’t recommend pitting one institution against another. The only time you should do this is if you’re positive the institution will consider appeals where financial situations haven’t changed.
More often than not, institutions will only accept appeals on aid where a financial situation has changed since the FAFSA was submitted. For example, divorce of parents, death, unexpected medical expenses, and natural disasters are all circumstances that would warrant an appeal of a financial aid offer.
You can typically submit an appeal through the school’s financial aid office website. If you do, be prepared to provide additional information. Some institutions may ask for a detailed outline of your typical expenses, a written statement, or to see the other aid letters you received from other universities.
Accept Aid Intentionally
When you decide to accept aid, always accept it in the following order:
Scholarships/Grants (free money) → Work Study (earned money) → Loans (borrowed money)
Scholarships and grants don’t need to be repaid, so you’ll want to accept those first. (who doesn’t love free money?!) If offered work-study, it’s a good idea to accept that second. While it doesn’t guarantee you a job, work-study would provide you with the opportunity to have a part-time job on campus to help fund your education. Always accept loans last as they need to be repaid and will accrue interest over time, meaning you’ll pay more than what you’re borrowing.
Other Important Notes
Don’t guess on anything. Before accepting any financial responsibility of this scale, it’s important to understand what you’re agreeing to.
Financial aid award letters might have abbreviations or language you’re unfamiliar with. Always contact the institution’s financial aid office to ask what this means if you’re confused.
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Ascent
Ascent’s undergraduate and graduate student loans are funded by Bank of Lake Mills, or DR Bank, each Member FDIC. Loan products may not be available in certain jurisdictions. Certain restrictions, limitations; and terms and conditions may apply. For Ascent Terms and Conditions please visit: www.AscentFunding.com/Ts&Cs. Rates are effective as of 12/1/2024 and reflect an automatic payment discount of either 0.25% (for credit-based loans) OR 1.00% (for undergraduate outcomes-based loans). Automatic Payment Discount is available if the borrower is enrolled in automatic payments from their personal checking account and the amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. For Ascent rates and repayment examples please visit: AscentFunding.com/Rates. 1% Cash Back Graduation Reward subject to terms and conditions. Cosigned Credit-Based Loan student must meet certain minimum credit criteria. The minimum score required is subject to change and may depend on the credit score of your cosigner. Lowest rates require full
principal and interest payments, the shortest loan term, a cosigner, and are only available for our most creditworthy applicants and cosigners with the highest average credit scores. Actual APR offered may be higher or lower than the repayment examples above, based on the amount of time you spend in school and any grace period you have before repayment begins.
Ascent’s undergraduate and graduate student loans are funded by Bank of Lake Mills, or DR Bank, each Member FDIC. Loan products may not be available in certain jurisdictions. Certain restrictions, limitations; and terms and conditions may apply. For Ascent Terms and Conditions please visit: www.AscentFunding.com/Ts&Cs. Rates are effective as of 12/1/2024 and reflect an automatic payment discount of either 0.25% (for credit-based loans) OR 1.00% (for undergraduate outcomes-based loans). Automatic Payment Discount is available if the borrower is enrolled in automatic payments from their personal checking account and the amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. For Ascent rates and repayment examples please visit: AscentFunding.com/Rates. 1% Cash Back Graduation Reward subject to terms and conditions. Cosigned Credit-Based Loan student must meet certain minimum credit criteria. The minimum score required is subject to change and may depend on the credit score of your cosigner. Lowest rates require full
principal and interest payments, the shortest loan term, a cosigner, and are only available for our most creditworthy applicants and cosigners with the highest average credit scores. Actual APR offered may be higher or lower than the repayment examples above, based on the amount of time you spend in school and any grace period you have before repayment begins.
LendKey
1 – Terms and Conditions Apply
Loan products, terms, and benefits may be modified or discontinued by participating lenders at any time without notice. Rates displayed are reserved for the most creditworthy consumers who enroll to make automatic monthly payments. Your initial rate will be determined after a review of your application and credit profile. Variable rates may increase after consummation. You must be either a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident in an eligible state and from an eligible school, and meet the lender’s credit and income requirements to qualify for a loan. Certain membership requirements (including the opening of a share account, a minimum share account deposit, and the payment of any applicable association fees in connection with membership) may apply in the event that an applicant wishes to apply with, and accept a loan offered from, a credit union lender. If you are not a member of the credit union lender, you may apply and become a member during the loan application process if you meet the lender’s eligibility criteria. Applying with a creditworthy cosigner may result in a better chance of loan approval and/or lower interest rate. Loans for exam preparation classes, including, but not limited to, loans for LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, and GRE preparation, are not available via LendKey.com.
2 – Cosigner Release
Some lenders participating on LendKey.com may offer the benefit of cosigner release. Cosigner release is subject to lender approval. In order to qualify, the borrower, alone, must meet the following requirements: (1) Make the required number of consecutive, on-time full principal and interest payments as indicated in the borrower’s credit agreement during the repayment period (excluding interest-only payments) immediately prior to the request. Any period of forbearance will reset the repayment clock; (2) The account cannot be in delinquent status; (3) The borrower must provide proof of income indicating that he/she meets the income requirements and pass a credit review demonstrating that he/she has a satisfactory credit history and the ability to assume full responsibility of loan repayment; (4) No bankruptcies or foreclosures in the last sixty months; and (5) No loan defaults.
3 – Autopay Rate Reduction
Subject to floor rate and may require the automatic payments be made from a checking or savings account with the lender. The rate reduction will be removed and the rate will be increased by 0.25% upon any cancellation or failed collection attempt of the automatic payment and will be suspended during any period of deferment or forbearance. As a result, during the forbearance or suspension period, and/or if the automatic payment is canceled, any increase will take the form of higher payments.
4 – AutoPay Discount & Lowest Interest Rate
Subject to floor rate and may require the automatic payments be made from a checking or savings account with the lender. The rate reduction will be removed and the rate will be increased by 0.25% upon any cancellation or failed collection attempt of the automatic payment and will be suspended during any period of deferment or forbearance. As a result, during the forbearance or suspension period, and/or if the automatic payment is canceled, any increase will take the form of higher payments. The lowest advertised APR is only available for loan terms of 10 years and is reserved for the highest qualified applicants, taking into consideration the applicant’s credit and other factors.
1 – Terms and Conditions Apply
Loan products, terms, and benefits may be modified or discontinued by participating lenders at any time without notice. Rates displayed are reserved for the most creditworthy consumers who enroll to make automatic monthly payments. Your initial rate will be determined after a review of your application and credit profile. Variable rates may increase after consummation. You must be either a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident in an eligible state and from an eligible school, and meet the lender’s credit and income requirements to qualify for a loan. Certain membership requirements (including the opening of a share account, a minimum share account deposit, and the payment of any applicable association fees in connection with membership) may apply in the event that an applicant wishes to apply with, and accept a loan offered from, a credit union lender. If you are not a member of the credit union lender, you may apply and become a member during the loan application process if you meet the lender’s eligibility criteria. Applying with a creditworthy cosigner may result in a better chance of loan approval and/or lower interest rate. Loans for exam preparation classes, including, but not limited to, loans for LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, and GRE preparation, are not available via LendKey.com.
2 – Cosigner Release
Some lenders participating on LendKey.com may offer the benefit of cosigner release. Cosigner release is subject to lender approval. In order to qualify, the borrower, alone, must meet the following requirements: (1) Make the required number of consecutive, on-time full principal and interest payments as indicated in the borrower’s credit agreement during the repayment period (excluding interest-only payments) immediately prior to the request. Any period of forbearance will reset the repayment clock; (2) The account cannot be in delinquent status; (3) The borrower must provide proof of income indicating that he/she meets the income requirements and pass a credit review demonstrating that he/she has a satisfactory credit history and the ability to assume full responsibility of loan repayment; (4) No bankruptcies or foreclosures in the last sixty months; and (5) No loan defaults.
3 – Autopay Rate Reduction
Subject to floor rate and may require the automatic payments be made from a checking or savings account with the lender. The rate reduction will be removed and the rate will be increased by 0.25% upon any cancellation or failed collection attempt of the automatic payment and will be suspended during any period of deferment or forbearance. As a result, during the forbearance or suspension period, and/or if the automatic payment is canceled, any increase will take the form of higher payments.
4 – AutoPay Discount & Lowest Interest Rate
Subject to floor rate and may require the automatic payments be made from a checking or savings account with the lender. The rate reduction will be removed and the rate will be increased by 0.25% upon any cancellation or failed collection attempt of the automatic payment and will be suspended during any period of deferment or forbearance. As a result, during the forbearance or suspension period, and/or if the automatic payment is canceled, any increase will take the form of higher payments. The lowest advertised APR is only available for loan terms of 10 years and is reserved for the highest qualified applicants, taking into consideration the applicant’s credit and other factors.
Earnest
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College Ave
College Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply.
(1) All rates include the auto-pay discount. The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as a valid bank account is designated for required monthly payments. If a payment is returned, you will lose this benefit. Variable rates may increase after consummation.
(2) As certified by your school and less any other financial aid you might receive. Minimum $1,000.
(3) This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Flat Repayment Option with an 8-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 7.78% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 54 monthly payments of $25 while in school, followed by 96 monthly payments of $176.21 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $18,266.38. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary.
Information advertised valid as of 12/2/2024. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of the Flat Repayment Option with the shortest available loan term.
College Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply.
(1) All rates include the auto-pay discount. The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as a valid bank account is designated for required monthly payments. If a payment is returned, you will lose this benefit. Variable rates may increase after consummation.
(2) As certified by your school and less any other financial aid you might receive. Minimum $1,000.
(3) This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Flat Repayment Option with an 8-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 7.78% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 54 monthly payments of $25 while in school, followed by 96 monthly payments of $176.21 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $18,266.38. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary.
Information advertised valid as of 12/2/2024. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of the Flat Repayment Option with the shortest available loan term.
Final Thoughts from the Nest
This phase of the college application and acceptance process can certainly be overwhelming. However, it’s one of the most important parts of the process. Understanding the financial responsibility you are about to take on is important, so make sure you take your time deciphering your financial aid award letters before committing to any one institution.
If your financial aid package doesn’t cover your total cost of attendance, it may be time to look into private student loans. When the time comes, we’ve got you covered. Fill out the free Sparrow form to see what private student lenders you pre-qualify with.