Our second kid is applying to prep school as first kids love her experience. We just found out that the first prep school where older kid attends gave us more in need based aid award this year. A quite a bit more aid as we are looking for need based aid for second kid. When we filled forms, we explained that our second kid is applying to prep schools also. Kid applied to various match reaches and safety. Last time we applied we were just trying all reach schools. Does it mean that the prep school will admit the kid or they think that another prep school will give our second kid admission someplace else and in anticipation, they are giving us break? Just wondering.
I’m not quite sure what your question is. Are you asking why your first child’s school gave you more this year than last? You are wondering if it’s because they are going to admit your second child?
The schools I know about typically notify returning students of their FA renewal after new students’ FA is settled at least initially. The situation you described here sounds a little strange to me. If they do decide to admit your second child, shouldn’t they provide him/her FA as he/she is eligible for rather than increasing your first child’s FA? And it’s unthinkable that they would just assume another school would accept your kid and estimate how much FA he/she would receive. Sounds to me like that the FA office somehow misread your FA renewal application and assumed you had a new tuition cost for the second child?
If it was me, I’d read it as a positive sign but I never like to count my chickens before they hatch. Report back after 3/10 and let us know.
@panpacific - sounds like it is just because they will have 2 kids in tuition schools, which means they need more FA for each child. Makes sense to me. Probably also a good sign. Let us know M10! 
The schools have a budget for FA. They need to figure out needs of their current students before they make offers to incoming students. If you expect to have 2 kids in tuition charging institutions they will take that into account. I wouldn’t take it one way or another beyond that. Good luck on M10.
OK. Possible. Didn’t think it theough…@sunnyschool
MA2012 explained it better @panpacific – but it is stated sometimes by the schools for FA that they do consider total tuition obligations if siblings are in a tuition school.
^^ That part I knew. I just didn’t figure out why the first child’s aid would need to be increased when the second would be funded. If the school intends to meet 100% of the family’s financial need or have the family still pay the same amount out of pocket after the second child enrolled, then they should provide higher amiunts of aid to both kids.
@futurereject37 sorry for confusion. English is my secondary language. Yes I was asking why my first child’s school gave us more this year than last year? Yes, I was also wondering if it’s because school is going to admit my second child? I am very happy about it .
@panpacific our second kid while at our first daughter’s prep school was interviewed by director of financial aid. The interview was good as interviewer was praising our second child a lot. Our first kid has mad a good impression in school. This person asked us that is this prep school school was our top priority and we told them yes if kid is offered an admission kid would be love to join her sister. We have submitted all pertinent information to NAIS including tax forms and W2s.
@doschicos, first time we only applied to two school as we have no clue about prep school, As you say "I’d read it as a positive sign but I never like to count my chickens before they hatch. ". I am just crossing my fingers.
@MA2012 I hope you are right, but let us wait for M10.
Thanks everyone
Good luck!