<p>Yale does not put loans in their aid packages, so students can use the $6500 of Direct Loans available sophomore year to meet the minimal student contribution. They do put work study in the packages but I don’t know if it’s to meet any of the required student contribution or if that required amount has to be raised IN ADDITION to the work study during the year. I know I was surprised to see some high WS amounts in Harvard and other highly selective school packages for some low EFC students and a counselor told me that even those with Zero EFCs get them. I find it no coincidence that the sophomore contribution expectation is so close to what the Direct Loan allotment is by the way. $4k Freshman year requires, so the student can borrow the full $5500, most likely, to with the extra money to be used for seed money to get to the school and set self up there. </p>
<p>UCB if a school’s aid formula states a minimum student contribution, say Yale’s of 4K freshman year, doesn’t Common Data consider full need met if the aid package meets all but that min student required contribution whether or not the subsidized loans are available to meet it or not? Some schools do have that min required contribuiton AND also have the full subsidized part of the Direct loans in the aid package, I know. I’ve seen that. Not sure about the unsub part, but will go with what you say are the Common App rules–just didn’t personally check that out or read/hear anything about that, and don’t remember. </p>