Financial Aid Award Comparison Toolkit

Fill this worksheet for up to three offers. Net cost is COA minus grants and scholarships only. Do not subtract loans or work-study. How to read a letter lives in how to compare financial aid awards. The email you send lives on financial aid negotiation email.

Side-by-side comparison (finish this first)

Ask each financial aid office (check when asked)

• Is this aid renewable for all four years, and what are the conditions?
• Does the institutional grant rise if tuition rises, or does my share grow?
• What share of students graduate in 4 years?
• Are there more merit awards I have not been considered for?
• What does a typical Year 2–4 package look like for students like me?

If a competing offer or a changed circumstance means you will ask for more aid, use the copy-ready negotiation email. For admissions advice on list and fit, work with an Ivy Ready expert.

Talk through your college list and next steps →