<p>lillymom: i was just looking at those samples yesterday, and I too was under the impression that loans were not part of the equation. Thank you, that is very good to know!</p>
<p>Bowdoin meets full demonstrated need with no loans in aid package.</p>
<p>I have one daughter at Davidson College (senior) and a daughter at Smith College (Sophomore). They both give amazing aid, although Smith did offer loans. Davidson is no loan and was the best financial aid we received out of the 9 schools (all private) that my daughter was accepted to.</p>
<p>Colby College meets full demonstrated need with no loans</p>
<p>Williams started adding a small amount of loans per year (about 3K?) for the class of 2015. But, “no loan” doesn’t necessarily mean better financial aid or “debt free.” Williams with a small loan (D is the class of 2014 and still “no loan”) would still have made Williams significantly more affordable than Swarthmore and Haverford, both “no-loan” schools. With the William’s book grant, a package with a loan from Williams would have been about the same as Davidson’s “no=loan” package. It just goes to show that you should cast your net wide and don’t make assumptions and rule-out a school based on pre-conceived notions about affordability.</p>
<p>It all comes down to the bottom line of what you pay, including in the future (loans). Not what you get.</p>