go to
College Search - SAT Registration - College Admissions - Scholarships
type the name of the college into the quick college finder
for example: Boston University (click find it, or the arrow)
click the tab Cost and financial aid
for most schools you will find the FA statistics:
Quote:
Financial Aid Statistics
Full-time freshman enrollment: 4,163
Number who applied for need-based aid: 2,410
Number who were judged to have need: 1,933
Number who were offered aid: 1,928
Number who had full need met: 987
Average percent of need met: 88%
Average financial aid package: $28,032
Average need-based loan: $4,736
Average need-based scholarship or grant award: $19,069
Average non-need based aid: $13,379
Average indebtedness at graduation: $24,939
Financial Aid Distribution
Percent of total undergraduate aid awarded as:
Scholarships / grants: 71%
Loans / jobs: 29%
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If your school has a Common Data Set
Links to the Common Data Sets Posted by Colleges
or you may have to check the office of institutional research at the school you are looking for:
Check section H Financial aid
If you purchase the US new online edition (probably one of the best $15 you will ever spend, you can compare the data from different schools side by side)
remember any school that does not meet 100% will have a gap
some schools package their FA where the loan portion of the package will be larger than the grant /scholarship (free money ) portion of the aid package. You want try to get the highest ratio of grants to loan/work ratio.
Link to the college board EFC calculator
EFC Calculator: How Much Money for College Will You Be Expected to Contribute?
Calculate your numbers using both the Federal (FAFSA) Methoology, the Institutional Methodology (CSS Profile) and both (try to have all of your financial information because the calculation is only going to be as good as the information you put in).
Also keep in mind, if the school raises your package, you definitely want to know (if you have doubts get it in writing):
Is this increase only for this year
Barring any major fluxuations in income (loss of income, hitting the lottery, etc) can we expect to receive the same package year over year.
If it is a straight $$ amount will the school increase the award to reflect increases in tuition (tuition increases at a rate of ~ 5% a year).