Is this a good financial aid package?

Paying for College
1

<p>This is what Austin College gave me. Our EFC is about 19000 and the COA is $33,281. Can anyone help me make sense of this? How should I compare other schools' offers-- the higher the grant money and lower the loan amount, the better the fin aid? </p>

<p>Founders Scholarship: $9,000
Grant: $2,990
Subsidized Stafford Loan: $1,370
Unsubsidized Stafford Loan: $1,255
Parent PLUS loan: $18,666</p>

<p>Total: $33,281</p>

<p>Also, is the grant amount normal for someone who didn't have very good HS stats?</p>

<p>I'd appreciate any help I can get.</p>

2

<p>$21,291. in loans.</p>

<p>
[quote]
**Tuition & fees - $23,540
Room & board - $ 7,741

[/quote]
**</p>

<p>
[quote]
**Costs: Tuition & fees: $20,495; room & board: $7,376. These costs are offset by a generous financial assistance program that includes grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study

[/quote]
**
slightly out of date figures but they do mention generous financial aid. Grants you don't pay back.........loans you do.</p>

3

<p>well...i think thats a really good package because the "Parent PLUS loan: $18,666" is pretty much the 19,000 your family is "expected" to contribute....they are just giving you the opposition of more loans if there is a need to.... the actual package (which i usually think of as COA-EFC) only has about 2,500 in loans</p>

<p>"$21,291. in loans"...thats like worst case scenario....with "19000" as EFC...im guess you will be contributing at least a little....which means you would have to take out less loans</p>

4

<p>Considering your EFC, I would say that is an excellent offer, especially if your HS stats aren't that good. Your personal amount of loans is pretty small.</p>

5

<p>It looks like a fair offer to me.</p>

6

<p>Austin's track record is
100% need met
66% free
34% self-help</p>

<p>You received (less the PLUS loan):
102% need met
82% free
18% self-help</p>

<p>I would call that offer pretty darn good.</p>

7

<p>Thank you everyone, for all of your help!</p>