<p>I've read the boards, read the books, attended financial aid information sessions - all elude to this mythical 'other expenses' that would be included in a school's financial aid calculation.</p>
<p>We've received 2 financial aid offers - neither of which included books, student expenses, and/or travel in the 'cost of attendance' number.</p>
<p>So, do most schools not include it?</p>
<p>We have always considered these expenses to be extraneous and part of our out of pocket expenses, but were hoping to have them included in financial aid packages to act as a buffer between our fairly high EFC and some of the schools high tuition+room+board+req'd fees.</p>
<p>Both my kids’ colleges included an amount for books and materials (around $1000 in both cases) and for personal expenses (son’s school estimated that at $1800, daughter’s school $2400.)</p>
<p>My son’s school also includes a travel expenses amount of $1300. (We live across the country.)</p>
<p>Those are all added into the COA.</p>
<p>Both my kid’s schools include books, transportation and personal/miscellaneous expenses in their COAs. Their aid is based on the COAs including those expenses.</p>
<p>It would be nice if the federal government wants to tell schools how much I can afford to pay for school on a yearly basis, that they return the favor and require schools to calculate COA in a standard fashion.</p>
<p>Guess I got unlucky so far and found 2 that do not include these numbers in their COA (Loyola Maryland and University of Scranton for future reference for next year’s applicants).</p>
<p>According to the University of Loyola they do include allowances for books, travel and personal in their COA</p>
<p>[Loyola</a> University Maryland \ Financial Aid](<a href=“http://www.loyola.edu/financialaid/undergraduate/]Loyola”>Page Not Found - Loyola University Maryland)</p>
<p>The federal government isn’t really telling schools what you can afford to pay. They’re just determing if you are eligible for any federal aid. What schools do with that information is really up to them. The “EFC” is, they keep telling us all, only an “index number” related to federal aid programs. It would probably help if they didn’t call it “expected family contribution” – talk about mixed messages!</p>
<p>my son’s school has books in the COA. it always costs more for what my son is taking (politics and history, lots of books - hard to find used on short notice). I think I spend $800 just this semester, I kid you not!</p>
<p>I wonder if some schools that don’t meet need purposely exclude these extra costs so their fa packages seem better</p>
<p>If it’s not included in your package, this seems like something on which you could legitimately ask for an adjustment.</p>
<p>swimcat …</p>
<p>You’re right - I was mistaken Loyola does include those items (although very low estimates on transportation and personal) in the COA - it is not on the financial aid documentation, just the billables are listed. But, if I add up the fa award and our cost it comes out to more than billables - and equates to the number you linked. The flip side of Loyola is that they do not have traditional meal plans and only allow $2100 per year for board in the COA.</p>