<p>Using the aid calculators at collegedata.com, I’m finding that our estimated out-of-pocket costs at American are far higher than at any of the other private colleges we’ve been looking at. The others are falling between $13K (full need met) and $20K; AU is at $31K.</p>
<p>Does this sound right? If it is, we can wipe American off our list, which is too bad, because it looks like it could be a good fit in some other regards.</p>
<p>I don’t know what the aid situation is in your particular case but AU has continued to raise the amount that it is spending on financial aid (while many others are being forced to cut back due to their endowments being hit). I mean I definitely wouldn’t write any school off the list until you at least see their aid package offer.</p>
<p>For us, it wasn’t great. On the other hand, strangely enough, we were offered virtually exactly the same amount of aid at my d’s top three choices (all not 100% of need schools).</p>
<p>P.S. Having said that, I have to take it at least partially back. We got my d.'s new aid award today, and it was much more generous than we had expected.</p>