<p>YES loans count as "Financial Aid" in schools' financial aid statistics and they DO like to use them. S got into a state school (not my musician) and we got a "financial aid package" which was some loan applications. I ignored it and close to the deadline, a financial aid officer called and demanded to know why I wasn't taking out these loans. After some talking it became apparent that the only reason they were hawking the loans was for their financial aid statistics.</p>
<p>I'm from the simple school of financial aid, it's only aid if it reduces the total cost, not if it defers cost to another time...</p>