“We received a TERRIFIC Financial Aid Package for our student…………”

How many times have you heard this comment from a friend or acquaintance??
Recently I was discussing the high cost of attending college with a friend.
When he mentioned the college his daughter was attending, I responded how expensive that particular school was (almost $50,000 per year!!). My friend replied that she would never have gone to that school but “they offered her a terrific financial aid package”.

That caused me to think, has anyone ever told you that their son or daughter received a TERRIBLE financial aid package? Perhaps one of the reasons we have not heard this, is that the college ALWAYS says that we are offering you a GREAT financial aid package!!

In analyzing our clients’ college financial aid packages, we have found that the offers that most parents feel are good--------------are MEDIOCRE at best.

The ONLY way to truly understand the worth of a college financial aid offer is to compare it to offers given in the past to students and families in similar situations.
Of course, our statistical database allows us to do that, and also empowers the family to negotiate with the college in an effort to increase the financial aid package.

So the next time you hear about a “terrific financial aid package”----------a GREAT response would be------------------“compared to what??”

How much is a college student worth?

Have you ever wondered how much a studen is "worth" to any college??

Using this as a premise can take one through an interesting exercise in exactly how any college attributes heir financial aid awards to a specific student.

Is a talented female worth more than a talented male? What does it "cost" to recruit a talented minority student who is gifted in music?

If you apply the corporate Human Resources model, the incoming freshman class will consist of a variety of talents and skills----AND the colleges will be willing to "pay" for the appropriate match. Understanding this as a parent/consumer can save unbelievable sums of money and MUST always be taken into consideration when choosing a college.

Great insight can be obtained as to your student's "attractiveness" by comparing financial aid offers from colleges that rank themselves similarly.