1. Financial Aid Packages
Grants? Work-study?! LOANS?! How to read award
packages successfully

2. Grants
Loans
Work-Study
Scholarships
Types of money offered

3. Grants
Scholarships
Money that’s free

4. Loans: must pay back
Work-study: work on campus for
tuition + fees
Money that’s not free

5. Subsidized: No interest until you begin
repaying
Unsubsidized: Begins accruing interest
immediately
Different types of loans

6. Read the letter through carefully.
Locate all necessary information, including
the awards and the total cost of
attendance.
How to read your award letter

7. Total Cost of Attendance=
tuition + fees for the entire year
How to read your award letter

8. Is the Cost of Attendance listed on the
letter?
If not, you can find it online.
www.collegeportraits.com
www.careercruising.com
www.bealonghorn.com
How to read your award letter

9. Add up all of the money that you don’t
have to pay back (grants, scholarships,
work-study)
Subtract this amount from your Total Cost
of Attendance.
This is how much you will have to
ultimately pay for one year at this
institution.
Do the Math!

10. Requirements of grants + scholarships: are
they achievable?
Loans are not always bad.
Cost of living in the school’s city can vary
greatly: New York City v. Austin, Texas
Things to Consider When
Comparing Award Packages

11. Activity Time!