Who Gets What?
An inside look at how colleges gauge your financial need
The bottom line for applicants to the class of 2007: Students who show the greatest need under financial guidelines while convincing colleges that they will bring something special to the campus will most likely receive generous offers. Average and even above-average students from middle-class families who don't stand out will probably get less.
Jeffress, now a University of Delaware freshman, says he is all too aware of the dangers of expecting colleges to meet what he thinks his financial need is. By appealing to Delaware and receiving a larger loan, then scouring Web sites to find merit scholarships, he has reduced the cost to his family by about $5,000. He is planning to be even more disciplined about his aid and scholarship applications next year. Who knows, learning how to pay for tuition may be one of the most important lessons of his college education.
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