Fill this sheet for one school's award letter. How to read a letter lives in how to read a college financial aid award letter and how to compare financial aid awards. Net cost on this page is Cost of Attendance (COA) minus grants and scholarships only. Do not subtract loans or work-study. After this decoder is filled, compare up to three schools on the toolkit (link after the yes/no decision below).
This school's letter
- School name:
- Award letter date:
- Cost of Attendance (COA) as printed, or from the school's site:
Free money (grants and scholarships)
Write every line that is gift aid: you do not repay it. Leave loans and work-study out of this section.
- Grant or scholarship 1 (name + amount):
- Grant or scholarship 2 (name + amount):
- Grant or scholarship 3 (name + amount):
- Grant or scholarship 4 (name + amount, or write none):
- Total grants and scholarships:
Loans (keep separate; do not subtract from net cost)
- Subsidized loan amount:
- Unsubsidized loan amount:
- PLUS or other parent/private loan amount:
- Total loans on this letter:
Work-study (keep separate; do not subtract from net cost)
Work-study is an earnings cap if you find a qualifying job. It does not reduce the bill unless you earn it.
- Work-study amount on this letter (or write none):
Estimated family cost (net cost)
Net cost = COA minus grants and scholarships only. Do not subtract loans or work-study. That number is the family gap you still cover with savings, income, later borrowing, or work.
- COA I used:
- Minus total grants and scholarships:
- Net cost (family gap for this school):
Unclear or conditional items (flag them)
Write anything you cannot classify, or any award that looks one-year, estimated, or tied to a GPA or enrollment rule you cannot find on the letter.
- Lines I will ask about (names and amounts):
Questions for this school's financial-aid office
Check each question after you ask it for this school only.
- Date I contacted this office, or the answer I still need:
Ready to compare? (yes / no)
This offer is ready for multi-school comparison only when every dollar is classified and net cost uses free money only. If the answer is no, stay on this sheet until the unclear lines are resolved. If the answer is yes, open the three-school toolkit next.
- My decision (write yes or no):
After yes, compare this decoded offer with other schools on the Financial Aid Award Comparison Toolkit. If you will ask this school for more grant aid, use the negotiation email. For help reading a letter, work with an Ivy Ready expert.