<p>Can you negotiate with these schools on financial aid? Will, for example, Harvard match Yale's EFC?</p>
<p>Never use the word “negotiate,” as it is a dirty word in financial aid offices everywhere. Generally, most colleges will “reevaluate” your aid package based upon a documented offer from a competitive institution. </p>
<p>Keep in mind though that the student (and parent) must reapply for financial aid every year. So, while Harvard may match Yale’s offer for the first year (or vice-versa), there is no guarantee they will continue to do so throughout your chid’s four years of college. For that, you must request a side letter stating that if your family’s income remains the same, the college will grant you the same (or better) percentage of aid for your child’s entire four years of school. Some schools will grant you such a letter, others will not.</p>
<p>For schools such as Harvard and Yale, which have almost identical financial aid policies, there isn’t going to be that much of a difference in aid. But for other schools, such as Harvard and Dartmouth, or Harvard and Brown, there can be tens of thousands of dollars in difference per year – so, it’s best to try to get a side-letter from the FA office for your child’s sophomore, junior and senior years.</p>