Key student aid terminology
These terms appear often in aid offers and school websites.
- Cost of attendance: a school's estimate of tuition, fees, housing, food, books, and other costs.
- Student Aid Index: a figure from the FAFSA that schools use in their aid calculations.
- Net price: cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
- Work study: part time work that helps cover education expenses.
Reading an aid offer
Separate the offer into gift aid, loans, and work study. Subtract only gift aid from the cost of attendance to see what remains. Our comparison templates follow this same structure.
When to contact the financial aid office
Reach out if your family's circumstances have changed, if an offer is unclear, or if you are unsure about deadlines. Only the school can explain its own decisions.