S2 received an outstanding grant - 20k - from a great private university.
But a line I noticed in the documentation gave me pause. It was something
to the effect that they assumed his brother’s college would be roughly
the same cost as this private 70k/year school. S1 is actually at state
university that’s only about 33k/year. Will the grant likely be substantially
reduced when they get the actual numbers for bro?
I think they should already know where the brother goes? Isn’t that a question on the FAFSA or CSS Profile? If the brother drops out this kid’s costs will very likely go up. Regardless, you have to tell them, so I would call and ask.
@redpoodles Ok - will do. I can’t remember what all was in the FAFSA and CSS. All a bad dream. 
I was shocked that the numbers came in very close to EFC when you factored in loans and student work. But I need to get beyond that “tentative” aspect of that initial offer.
Older brother won’t drop out. He’s on a tear. And security blanket - there’s an S3 entering two years hence.
The school will ask you for documentation of the cost of S1’s school and FA. They may adjust if the cost are considerably lower
Thanks Sybbie719. I’ll get that sent out tonight. .
@redpoodles the fafsa asks for number of kids in college…not the specific schools.
The schools will need to provide documentation that the sibling is enrolled when the time comes for that.
Some schools DO consider the cost of the sibling school, as Sybbie noted.
Some schools (I think usually CSS) schools do care how much the sibling’s school costs, but some don’t care. The FAFSA just asked if a sibling is in school (only exception is a service academy) but doesn’t ask how much the other school costs. I have had to answer which school the sibling goes to on a verification form, but not the amount it costs or how much I pay.
One of my kids has all her costs covered, but she still counts as a sibling in school for the other child’s EFC.
I found the CSS form and I see they were quite detailed in asking which school, how much, when enrolled and so on.
https://profileonline.collegeboard.org/prf/P8PreAppWorksheetServlet/P8PreAppWorksheetServlet.srv
Here’s the text and where it gets confusing: “This award assumes there will be at least one other sibling attending an undergraduate program next year. We divided the Parental Contribution based on the assumption that the expenses for each student will be similar. Enrollment verification may be required…”
I don’t know why they would make that assumption of similar cost when the CSS clearly asks exactly what the costs of the sibling’s college are. Just don’t want the rug pulled out.
You really need to contact the financial aid department and ask.
I know that at my D’s college, the grant was based on actual COA up to a certain amount, but because son was in a state public with significantly lower, it ended up that D’s grant was increased to roughly the same as son’s full tuition costs.