<p>Counting other people’s money is not a very productive activity when you are not given all the facts. That this family or that got financial aid is not something easy to figure out when you are not given the financial info the school got. I know many, many well to do families that were eligible for aid. They may be living in a house paid by Grandmom and a lifestyle subsidized by family. Their reportable and/or reported income could be very low. They could be cheating on the forms. The possiblities can go on and it really doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is whether there is anything about your situation that can net you more aid legally. I would not be looking over others’ shoulders trying to figure out how they got the money when they are not going to be upfront and complete with you about their situations.</p>