<p>University of Boston has been very public, even talking to the NYTimes, regarding their decision to offer more “need-based” aid (if it could even be called that at this point) to those more-accomplished students than those students who are academically average.</p>
<p>Is Syracuse like this?</p>
<p>I know Collegeboard.com states 95% of a student’s need is met by the school; I would like to think all students receive this amount.</p>
<p>Need-based is what it is–based on need. So they look exclusively at your parents EFC (tax forms). Merit based aid are also rewarded at SU. Some students can receive a combination of need-based aid and merit aid. If you’ve done really well in school and come from a less affluent background then you may receive both.</p>
<p>In my personal package my son received Founders scholarship + grant + loans, but I don’t believe 95% of need was met. Maybe close, but when part of that is met with loans - it is less appealing.</p>
<p>Thank you for your reply, HoL</p>
<p>@Callmomof2</p>
<p>I am am not too well-read about financial aid. If a college counts “loans” as financial aid, at the very least, they are 0% interest, right?</p>
<p>Up until now, I thought financial aid meant the dollar amount the college was willing to give to the student’s tuition. I presume this isn’t the case because they are counting loans, which are intended to be paid back, as financial aid?</p>
<p>Generally speaking very few students are offered financial aid packages with NO loans included. Those packages tend to be offered to students from very low income families, and an EFC of 0 or highly gifted students (with ivy league stats) considering attending one of their safety schools.</p>
<p>This is my second child going through the process. I have never seen a financial aid package that does not include loan. I do not know if there are loans with 0% interest, but I have not seen it.</p>
<p>They do, however offer at least 2 kinds of loans to students Subsidized and
Unsubsidized. Subsidized loans have lower interest. Sometimes parent loans are made available in addition.</p>
<p>Subsidized stafford loans are interest free until 6 months after graduation, part time status or drop out happens. Merit based aid is seperate from need based aid. They are not tied together in any way.</p>