<p>Sylvan, at this point it doesn’t have to make sense. If the OP can’t come to a resolution with the college, s/he should get the ED release. After discussing it with financial aid director/officer who made the need determination, s/he should get a better idea as to how this school and most likely other such schools will assess the business, and if that is the case, other schools need to be put on the list if not already there. It is highly unlikely, IMO, that if Middlebury, won’t ante up to an ED accepted student, other colleges using PROFILE are going to be using similar methodology, and such school will be coming up with like packages which do not meet the family need. A FAFSA only school, might look at the need differently and if the student is a top applicant in their pool, such schools can meet fool need better than PROFILE schools even if they do not meet full need for most of their students. Some kids do get full need met at even the stingiest schools. The figures are just averages. That Middlebury meets 100% of need does not help this applicant a whit since they define need in a way that does make this family eligible for what they need.</p>