<p>Can someone explain how outside scholarships factor in to the Swat financial aid package? I tried to look on the website but the way it was presented on the FA site made it seem like scholarships really wouldn't count at all. Is this a correct assumption, or is there something I'm missing?</p>
<p>At Swat outside scholarships will not reduce the family contribution expectation if you have a Swarthmore Scholarship/Swat Financial Aid. However, outside scholarships can replace the student campus job and summer earnings expectations. For example, if you received a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship, the first $500 would reduce your campus work expection. Then, after the first $500 the outside scholarship is split in half- 50% reduces your contribution and 50% reduces your Swarthmore Scholarship. So, your campus work expectation is reduced from $1,800 to $300. This formula also applies to your summer work contribution. So, if you receive outside scholarships of $7,100 your entire campus job expectation ($1,800) and $2000 first year summer earnings contribution would be covered.</p>
<p>Thanks lacgrad, you explained it very well 
Still it seems like a pity that scholarships wouldn’t really ease the burden on my parents though…</p>