My daughter is a tour guide at a University that is known for being expensive. On multiple occasions parents have asked her if she gets good financial aid and when she’s deflected by telling them where they can find financial aid info and even offering to make them appointment at the FA office. But all too often a parent will push to ask about my daughters aid. And when she said that she doesn’t get aid they’ve asked about her loans ( which she doesn’t have). Some people are she says very persistent. Some have even said “You’re rich aren’t you”. This certainly doesn’t happen every tour but she’s been a guide for three years and said at least once or twice a month it does! I don’t know why I’m shocked, but I am. Who does this sort of thing?
Nothing shocks me - people can be so obnoxious. We were on a tour with a mom who kept asking “but what about the athletes?” These are the dorms? “What about the athletes?” This is dining? “What about for athletes?” Here’s the gym - “ for athletes?” It was truly unbearable. I always wonder if the tour guides or admissions folk make a note about some people.
Wow, that’s incredibly rude. I can’t imagine asking a kid whether they receive financial aid. It’s just plain no one’s business.
That is plain rude, but not surprising. I think some people want to know how extensive the FA is, or what % are ready to be full-pay or whatever ?!
Your daughter is doing a great job. She could mention that she is not eligible for FA and leave it at that.
She could just say something like, “I get wonderful financial aid.” She doesn’t need to mention that aid is from you. 
@Leigh22 What ABOUT them?? Was there an implication they should live and eat somewhere different?
People never cease to amaze me
I’d encourage her to tell parents that everyone’s situation is different and keep referring people to the financial aid office instead of answering personal questions. Repeat as often as necessary.
Having been a tour guide at my private HS, I can tell you that this question, and many other inappropriate questions, have often been asked. For this instance, I recited the school’s canned response about financial aid and suggested they contact the FA office with questions about their own unique situation.
I will tell you that the response I wanted to give was, “I’m considering career options; what do you do and what’s your salary and bonus?”
My son was a tour guide as an undergraduate and from the stories he told me I am not the least bit surprised.
That is terrible but I am not surprised that there are inappropriate questions. She may want to mention it to someone who works for Admissions and ask how they want her to answer these questions (given that she has no desire to disclose personal financial information on tours).
Perfect answer for last day as tour guide: “Unless they are playing, we keep them chained up in the basement!”
I think this should be mentioned to the Admissions office, and someone there should craft a line or two to be added to the script. E.g., “We know that almost everyone is interested in X College’s financial aid. You can get more information at the financial aid office, which we will pass on the tour.”
People…insert eye roll.
My favorite on tours are the alumni parents (usually annoying dads) who say at least 15 times on the tours, “When I was here” and then ramble on about something not pertinent to the tour nor interesting to anyone but himself. After about the 10th time I just want to ask, “Oh, did you go here? We would’ve never known”
Seems like the parents should have run the college’s net price calculator long before the visit to get an idea of what the college’s financial aid may be like for them (and should have looked up College Navigator if they wanted to get an idea of the college’s student SES distribution). Asking a random student tour guide about his/her personal financial aid situation is not only likely to be taken poorly for reasons given above, but gives no useful information.
Sorry your daughter gets uncomfortable comments. Tour guides, student counselors, dorm guides and the like get a lot of more person questions because they are current students. I did this job back in the day and even then they asked a lot of personal questions. I did not really mind and continued to redirect them but I tried to help the group with what mattered to them. Parents and students alike think that the financial aid or admission departments will give them canned answers and that students will be frank. The rich comment is inexcusable. The parents with “what about the athletes” sound entitled and clueless but the others may just not know that the questions they ask are too intrusive. The parents may have very little money and want to know if kids actually get aid and could their kid afford it on x amount that the guide gets. If I didn’t want to share I would say I don’t share my personal situation but this person or that person may. I often took people to places I knew kids would be likely to give the parents a personal perspective. People come from different ways of life and sometimes the questions mirror that
I would just tell them that “I refer all financial aid questions to the financial aid office.”
If someone persists, then I’d tell them straight out that “Hey, I don’t want to be rude, but it’s ABSOLUTELY NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!”
Wow - that’s obnoxious. I might encourage your daughter to give a pat answer like “I cannot discuss my financial package. You are welcome to stop into the financial aid office or give them a call if you have questions about your situation.” She should have a firm boundary on that! Yikes!
On the other hand, I do think elite schools are WAY over the top with the aid generosity marketing. MANY people are full pay at these schools and that’s not at all obvious from the marketing. Many people new to college shopping don’t really understand the SES of these schools. Dartmouth as an example …
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/college-mobility/dartmouth-college
That said, a parent’s lack of research never will justify being that nosy. So rude!
I recall a tour when parents asked about the guide’s sex life. 
People will push as long as she lets them and they will also back off if she lets them know where she draws the line. She should just say, “The school is very generous with FA and I would encourage you to have a conversation with our FA office if it is of interest to you.” If they persist I would let them know that it is not something she could discuss per the admission office’s instruction. After that she should just smile and nod, or rinse and repeat.