<p>Kelsmom, I think there’s some confusion (or maybe I’m mixed up…LOL). The family hasn’t yet seen the FA offer for ISU. They’ve only seen the FA from a different state school - Northern. That $2000 sub loan is for Northern. (Is that Northern Ill U??).</p>
<p>Buzymom3 is wondering if she should expect the same FA package from all the IL states schools. She is also wondering if she should contact ISU before their FA package arrives to help influence a better FA package. </p>
<p>According to Buzymom3, the COA for ISU is $23K…</p>
<p>…so $23k (COA) - $12k (EFC) = $11k need. So, the FA offer will likely include $5500 in sub and unsub Staffords, maybe some work-study, maybe a smallish scholarship, and then maybe a gap. </p>
<p>Perhaps Northern had a lower COA. Buzymom3, what is the COA for Northern, the school that you’ve rec’d the FA offer?
(edited to add…I see that 2Collegewego posted that NIU’s COA is $23k. So, the loans are less than they should be.)</p>
<p>Also…in your opening question, you ask: Does 0 from one state school mean 0 from another? In the world of financial aid, you didn’t get 0, you got $4k in loans. They consider loans as FA. Many state schools don’t have any institutional money to give in grants or scholarships. I don’t know if Northern is one of those. They may have a small amount that they offer to students with super stats.</p>