Award letters are in and now is the time to analyze the various offers. There can be a lot of information to digest, such as the form and amounts of student financial aid, the total cost of attendance, PLUS Loans, as well as the family’s funding options and budgeting.
The Award Letter Evaluation Tool from Strategies For College (MS Excel) allows you to break down financial aid awards from each college, and help decide which offer best meets your needs.
The spreadsheet includes a tab providing straightforward instructions, covering the following elements:
- Gathering cost information for each school.
- Enter up to 4 schools.
- Cost of Attendance
- Award Package data
- Award Package analysis
- Estimated Family Responsibility
The worksheet then helps you calculate, analyze and compare:
Total Cost Of Attendance (Annual)
- Billed costs by the school (ex. tuition, board, fees)
- Other expenses (ex. books, travel)
Financial Aid
- Gift Aid
- Self Help (loans and work study)
Family Financial Responsibility
- Balance due by the family
Financial Comparisons
Funding Sources to cover remaining balance
Feel free to share the Award Letter Evaluation Tool from Strategies For College with anyone who is in the process of making their final decision on college selection.
And good luck to all!
