@toowonderful If your EFC was under $72k this year, by even a bit, NYU would consider you as qualifying for financial need. That might explain a variation in her aid. Once you qualify for any aid, NYU will give you more or less money depending on how much they wanted D to attend. When older d attended NYU she recd an $11k talent merit award (through Steinhardt). Our EFC was above cost of attending and the award didn’t vary year to year. When she was awarded the scholarship we had not even filed our FAFSA. Steinhardt’s website discusses these merit awards, whereas Tisch say they only give $ to thise with need.