Making heads or tails of Common Data Sets

<p>I have read that you can get a better idea of financial aid through the College or University, Common Data Sets. </p>

<p>I can't make heads or tails of them, can anyone of you math geniuses out there help?</p>

<p>I guess what I am asking is, can I get a better idea of aid that I can expect through CDS's
I have pasted one below.</p>

<p>H. Financial Aid
Aid Awarded to Enrolled Undergraduates
Enter total dollar amounts awarded to enrolled full-time and less than full-time degree-seeking undergraduates (using the same cohort reported in CDS Question B1, "total degree-seeking" undergraduates) in the following categories. (Note: If the data being reported are final figures for the 2008-2009 academic year (see the next item below), use the 2008-2009 academic year's CDS Question B1 cohort.) Include aid awarded to international students (i.e., those not qualifying for federal aid). Aid that is non-need-based but that was used to meet need should be reported in the need-based aid columns . (For a suggested order of precedence in assigning categories of aid to cover need, see the entry for "non-need-based scholarship or grant aid" on the last page of the definitions section.)
H1 2009-2010 estimated 2008-2009 final
H1 Indicate the academic year for which data are reported for items H1, H2, H2A, and H6 below: X
H3 Which needs-analysis methodology does your institution use in awarding institutional aid?<br>
H3 Federal methodology (FM) X
H3 Institutional methodology (IM)<br>
H3 Both FM and IM<br>
H1 Need-based $ (Include non-need-based aid used to meet need.) Non-need-based $ (Exclude non-need-based aid used to meet need.)
H1 Scholarships/Grants
H1 Federal $13,029,906<br>
H1 State (i.e., all states, not only the state in which your institution is located) $20,452,425<br>
H1 Institutional: Endowed scholarships, annual gifts and tuition funded grants, awarded by the college, excluding athletic aid and tuition waivers (which are reported below). $34,483,833<br>
H1 Scholarships/grants from external sources (e.g., Kiwanis, National Merit) not awarded by the college $3,977,629<br>
H1 Total Scholarships/Grants $71,943,793 $0
H1 Self-Help
H1 Student loans from all sources (excluding parent loans) $59,362,150<br>
H1 Federal Work-Study $613,248<br>
H1 State and other (e.g., institutional) work-study/employment (Note: Excludes Federal Work-Study captured above.) $231,418<br>
H1 Total Self-Help $60,206,816 $0
H1 Other
H1 Parent Loans $11,985,429<br>
H1 Tuition Waivers
Reporting is optional. Report tuition waivers in this row if you choose to report them. Do not report tuition waivers elsewhere. $328,148<br>
H1 Athletic Awards $8,028,369<br>
H2 Number of Enrolled Students Awarded Aid: List the number of degree-seeking full-time and less-than-full-time undergraduates who applied for and were awarded financial aid from any source. Aid that is non-need-based but that was used to meet need should be counted as need-based aid. Numbers should reflect the cohort awarded the dollars reported in H1. Note: In the chart below, students may be counted in more than one row, and full-time freshmen should also be counted as full-time undergraduates.
H2 First-time
Full-time
Freshmen Full-time
Undergraduate
(Incl. Fresh.) Less Than
Full-time
Undergraduate
H2 a) Number of degree-seeking undergraduate students (CDS Item B1 if reporting on Fall 2009 cohort) 4079 17267 1324
H2 b) Number of students in line a who applied for need-based financial aid 2815 9732 586
H2 c) Number of students in line b who were determined to have financial need 1882 7144 502
H2 d) Number of students in line c who were awarded any financial aid 1847 6731 395
H2 e) Number of students in line d who were awarded any need-based scholarship or grant aid 737 2924 184
H2 f) Number of students in line d who were awarded any need-based self-help aid 1159 4915 302
H2 g) Number of students in line d who were awarded any non-need-based scholarship or grant aid 1688 4926 169
H2 h) Number of students in line d whose need was fully met ( exclude PLUS loans, unsubsidized loans, and private alternative loans ) 378 1163 48
H2 i) On average, the percentage of need that was met of students who were awarded any need-based aid. Exclude any aid that was awarded in excess of need as well as any resources that were awarded to replace EFC ( PLUS loans, unsubsidized loans, and private alternative loans ) 79.1% 78.9% 67.0%
H2 j) The average financial aid package of those in line d . Exclude any resources that were awarded to replace EFC ( PLUS loans, unsubsidized loans, and private alternative loans ) $ 13,180 $ 13,029 $ 9,713<br>
H2 k) Average need-based scholarship and grant award of those in line e $ 5,188 $ 5,074 $ 3,240
H2 l) Average need-based self-help award ( excluding PLUS loans, unsubsidized loans, and private alternative loans ) of those in line f $ 3,424 $ 4,196 $ 6,742
H2 m) Average need-based loan ( excluding PLUS loans, unsubsidized loans, and private alternative loans ) of those in line f who were awarded a need-based loan $ 3,287 $ 3,302 $ 4,073
H2A Number of Enrolled Students Awarded Non-need-based Scholarships and Grants : List the number of degree-seeking full-time and less-than-full-time undergraduates who had no financial need and who were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. Numbers should reflect the cohort awarded the dollars reported in H1. Note: In the chart below, students may be counted in more than one row, and full-time freshmen should also be counted as full-time undergraduates.
H2A First-time
Full-time
Freshmen Full-time
Undergrad
(Incl. Fresh.) Less Than
Full-time
Undergrad
H2A n) Number of students in line a who had no financial need and who were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid (exclude those who were awarded athletic awards and tuition benefits) 910 3348 118
H2A o) Average dollar amount of institutional non-need-based scholarship and grant aid awarded to students in line n $ 4,891 $ 5,579 $ 2,737
H2A p) Number of students in line a who were awarded an institutional non-need-based athletic scholarship or grant 119 504 11
H2A q) Average dollar amount of institutional non-need-based athletic scholarships and grants awarded to students in line p $ 14,274 $ 15,742 $ 8,577
H3 Incorporated into H1 above.
Note: These are the graduates and loan types to include and exclude in order to fill out CDS H4, H4a, H5, and H5a.
Include: * 2009 undergraduate class who graduated between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009 who started at your institution as first- time students and received a bachelor's degree between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009.
* only loans made to students who borrowed while enrolled at your institution.
* co-signed loans. </p>

<p>Exclude: * those who transferred in.
* money borrowed at other institutions. </p>

<p>H4 Provide the percentage of the class (defined above) who borrowed at any time through any loan programs (institutional, state, Federal Perkins, Federal Stafford Subsidized and Unsubsidized, private loans that were certified by your institution, etc.; exclude parent loans). Include both Federal Direct Student Loans and Federal Family Education Loans. 33.4%
H4a Provide the percentage of the class (defined above) who borrowed at any time through federal loan programs--Federal Perkins, Federal Stafford Subsidized and Unsubsidized. Include both Federal Direct Student Loans and Federal Family Education Loans. NOTE: exclude all institutional, state, private alternative loans and parent loans. 30.3%
H5 Report the average per-undergraduate-borrower cumulative principal borrowed of those in line H4. $22,943
H5a Report the average per-undergraduate-borrower cumulative principal borrowed, of those in H4a, through federal loan programs--Federal Perkins, Federal Stafford Subsidized and Unsubsidized. Include both Federal Direct Student Loans and Federal Family Education Loans. These are listed in line H4a. NOTE: exclude all institutional, state, private alternative loans and exclude parent loans. $19,371 </p>

<p>Aid to Undergraduate Degree-seeking Nonresident Aliens (Note: Report numbers and dollar amounts for the same academic year checked in item H1.)
H6 Indicate your institution's policy regarding institutional scholarship and grant aid for undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens:
H6 Institutional need-based scholarship or grant aid is available<br>
H6 Institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid is available X
H6 Institutional scholarship or grant aid is not available<br>
H6 If institutional financial aid is available for undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens, provide the number of undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens who were awarded need-based or non-need-based aid: 119
H6 Average dollar amount of institutional financial aid awarded to undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens: $10,645
H6 Total dollar amount of institutional financial aid awarded to undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens: $1,266,711
H7 Check off all financial aid forms nonresident alien first-year financial aid applicants must submit:<br>
H7 Institution's own financial aid form X
H7 CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE<br>
H7 International Student's Financial Aid Application<br>
H7 International Student's Certification of Finances<br>
H7 Other (specify): </p>

<p>Process for First-Year/Freshman Students
H8 Check off all financial aid forms domestic first-year (freshman) financial aid applicants must submit:
H8 FAFSA X
H8 Institution's own financial aid form<br>
H8 CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE<br>
H8 State aid form<br>
H8 Noncustodial PROFILE<br>
H8 Business/Farm Supplement<br>
H8 Other (specify):<br>
H9 Indicate filing dates for first-year (freshman) students:
H9 Priority date for filing required financial aid forms: 2/15
H9 Deadline for filing required financial aid forms:<br>
H9 No deadline for filing required forms (applications processed on a rolling basis): X
H10 Indicate notification dates for first-year (freshman) students (answer a or b):
H10 a) Students notified on or about (date):
H10<br>
H10 b) Students notified on a rolling basis: Yes<br>
H10 If yes, starting date: 4/1<br>
H11 Indicate reply dates:
H11 Students must reply by (date):<br>
H11 or within _______ weeks of notification. 3 weeks </p>

<p>Types of Aid Available
Please check off all types of aid available to undergraduates at your institution:
H12 Loans<br>
H12 FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOAN PROGRAM (DIRECT LOAN)<br>
H12 Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans X
H12 Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans X
H12 Direct PLUS Loans X
H12 FEDERAL FAMILY EDUCATION LOAN PROGRAM (FFEL)
H12 FFEL Subsidized Stafford Loans<br>
H12 FFEL Unsubsidized Stafford Loans<br>
H12 FFEL PLUS Loans<br>
H12 Federal Perkins Loans X
H12 Federal Nursing Loans<br>
H12 State Loans X
H12 College/university loans from institutional funds X
H12 Other (specify): X
H13 Scholarships and Grants
H13 NEED-BASED:
H13 Federal Pell X
H13 SEOG X
H13 State scholarships/grants X
H13 Private scholarships X
H13 College/university scholarship or grant aid from institutional funds X
H13 United Negro College Fund<br>
H13 Federal Nursing Scholarship<br>
H13 Other (specify):<br>
H14 Check off criteria used in awarding institutional aid. Check all that apply.
H14 Non-Need Based Need-Based
H14 Academics X X
H14 Alumni affiliation X X
H14 Art<br>
H14 Athletics X<br>
H14 Job skills X<br>
H14 ROTC X<br>
H14 Leadership X<br>
H14 Minority status X X
H14 Music/drama X X
H14 Religious affiliation<br>
H14 State/district residency X X
H15 If your institution has recently implemented any major financial aid policy, program, or initiative to make your institution more affordable to incoming students such as replacing loans with grants, or waiving costs for families below a certain income level please provide details below:</p>

<p>For a thread that looks at merit aid based on the information provided in common data sets, go to: </p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/696637-merit-aid-percentage-common-data-set.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/696637-merit-aid-percentage-common-data-set.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>As I said. can’t make heads or tails, sorry.</p>

<p>It gives information but this information may or may not be relevant to you.</p>

<p>From above:

</p>

<p>The first number is full time freshmen, second number is full time students (incl freshmen), third number is part time.</p>

<p>So a) tell you that this college had 4079 degree seeking full time freshmen and 17,267 full time students. They only had 1324 less than full time under grad.</p>

<p>Out of 4079 freshmen 2815 applied for financial aid or 69%. Of those 2815 who applied 1882 were determined to have financial need and 1847 were awarded financial aid.</p>