I’m going to largely repeat a prior post. Once you get the FA offers (or non-offers) from both schools, you need to contact them and lay out exactly what is left each month after basic expenses (PITI on the house, food. commute, etc.) are taken care of. Ignore the people on this site who think that 200K income means you’re not entitled to anything. Maybe you’re helping an elderly parent. None of us knows your circumstances, and I do not believe that you are required to bare your soul in order to ask for advice here.
Folks, can we stop being so critical of people who ask for advice? Okay, I’ve been guilty of that on occasion, but I will turn over a new leaf if you will. 
The OP can certainly ask the colleges to reconsider the financial aid offers for these twins.
I don’t think the schools will consider money spent on taking care of a grandparent. That is viewed as a choice…and that money could be used for college costs.
With two in college, I DO think the Ivy bound student could receive some need based aid with a family with $200,000 income. Remember that the EFC will be bout 60% of what it would,have been for only one student. Some of the Ivies are very generous…and need based aid could be there for that twin.
It’s the Wake Forest kid…that twin most likely will see less need based aid simply because Waie Forest does not have as generous need based aid as the Ivies.
But sure…ask…nothing wrong with that.
By now the OP should have received the aid offers.
“I don’t think the schools will consider money spent on taking care of a grandparent. That is viewed as a choice…and that money could be used for college costs.”
It was just an off-hand hypothetical, but I would think less of a school that would take your approach. Whatever.
Not infrequently, people posting on CC write about hoping that the college will give them more aid and take into consideration that the family in the US is supporting grandparents (aunts, uncles, cousins) in the old country and that without such support the relatives back home would starve (lose their home, live in a shack, lack medical care).
That’s certainly a kind and generous personal choice to send money to relatives - though I see no reason why, in effect, colleges should subsidize a student’s relatives by providing more aid.
Then you should think less of pretty much all schools – taking care of elderly relatives isn’t factored into how much your family has available for college at any US college that I am aware of. Welcome to the business side of college admissions and finances.
I would be delighted to see updates on the posts about wealthy families receiving FA. We never see those.
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"I don't think the schools will consider money spent on taking care of a grandparent. That is viewed as a choice...and that money could be used for college costs."
@AboutTheSame
It was just an off-hand hypothetical, but I would think less of a school that would take your approach. Whatever.
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Well then, you’re not going to like many schools then.
You need to look at this from the school’s viewpoint. Not only would the school be essentially supporting the grandparents if the school gave more money, but this is an area that could easily be manipulated. Imagine if someone were to claim that they were supporting grandparents and even showed that they were sending $1000 checks each month. This could be a total joke because the grands may be giving the money back each month, but just creating a scenario where it “looks” like support is being given in order to get more aid. This would become an area of common scam.
Either way, a family’s first responsibility is to their kids. If they want to help grandparents and that means that the family can’t pay for college, then the family needs to direct their child to affordable schools.
There was a post a few days ago from a student who felt that he should get more aid because his parents are paying for his older brother’s med school debt (brother is now in residency). No. The school is not going to give more for that.
Another student expected more aid because his parents tithed 10% of their gross income to their church.
Everyone can find noble causes to give money to. Schools aren’t going to subsidize.
I wonder how parents who are proponents of colleges giving more aid to families who support relatives would feel if their own children were made to pay several thousand more per year, since there isn’t an inexhaustible amount of financial aid available.
I am shocked and appalled by these responses. May you never need your children to take care of you. May you never need your children to choose between your welfare and other expenses.
@AboutTheSame You’re missing the point. If anyone needs to support their parents, then do so if you can. But, don’t expect colleges to then hand you money.
If you choose to give money to others, then have your kids find affordable choices.
@AboutTheSame - I don’t think anyone here is saying one shouldn’t take care of one’s family They are simply saying that colleges are NOT going to take that into consideration when it comes to FA.
You can be as appalled as you want to be. But that is how US colleges treat it.
@AboutTheSame - Many of us absolutely do know about choosing between supporting family members and sending our kids to “dream” schools. It’s what put some of us on the pathway to learning as much as we now do know about the financial aid process and about finding affordable colleges/universities.
It can be any worthy cause, like tithing to a church or giving to a charity. Very nice, but a personal decision. Most schools feel the same way about private school tuition for younger kids or paying for tier hockey or music lessons for a very talented sibling. The colleges want you to do all those things, and support the grandparent, but those are personal decisions on how to spend your money.
Hi there, sorry for butting into your thread! I’m a rather clueless international student seeking info on financial aid.
I was wondering, when I applying for financial aid, do I have to apply for financial aid for ALL the colleges i apply for? or can i apply for financial aid selectively?
You need to start your own new thread, not hijack someone else’s. Yes, you apply at each college for FA. But there is some common paperwork that many colleges request. You can apply for FA at just some, but there is no point in applying to a college you can’t afford for 4 years if you don’t get FA and are not asking for it. Most colleges frown on students trying to come back after the first year and asking for it, too. If you have more comments or questions, please start another thread.
@intparent sorry. I sstarted my own thread also but gained no response. i needed an urgent reply so I hope you’ll excuse me. i apologise to the thread-starter!
It is the middle of the night in the US. Cool your jets, you will get answers tomorrow.
@AboutTheSame, I’m a student in my 20s and I help support my disabled parents. It’s hard but I do it out of love.
I would never, ever expect schools to take into consideration that I’m making the choice to help. That’s not their problem. I’m lucky to be in a position to help now after growing up in poverty. I’d much rather aid go to people like the younger me who can’t pay because of income rather than spending choices.
I guess I have a different world view than many of you. Thank you for your responses. I still think schools should take that kind of thing into account. Happy holidays to all!