Home / Guides
8 questions to ask before you enroll
An offer letter shows freshman year. These eight questions reveal what all four years will actually cost. They fall into four things worth pinning down with every financial aid office before you commit.
The scholarship itself
Is my scholarship guaranteed for all four years?
Why it matters. Many merit awards are; need-based aid is often re-evaluated every year. This single answer decides whether your cost erodes.
What GPA or conditions must I keep to renew this award?
Why it matters. Renewal conditions can cut aid mid-degree. Know the exact threshold before you count on the money.
Is this award one-time or renewable, and is it front-loaded?
Why it matters. Some packages are heaviest in year one to look competitive, then thin out. Ask for the four-year schedule.
How fast the price rises
What was your average tuition increase over the last five years?
Why it matters. This is your real cost driver. Ask for the number, not reassurance: a 5% average doubles a bill's growth versus 2%.
How much did room and board rise last year?
Why it matters. Housing and meals are often the fastest-growing line, and rarely covered by merit aid.
Whether your aid keeps pace
Does my aid increase if tuition rises, or stay fixed in dollars?
Why it matters. A flat-dollar award covers less every year as tuition compounds. A percentage-of-tuition award keeps pace. The gap is thousands of dollars.
Does my scholarship apply to required fees, or only tuition?
Why it matters. Fees compound too and are frequently excluded from aid, a quiet line that grows unchecked.
If the offer falls short
Can I appeal my aid offer, and how does that work?
Why it matters. Appeals are common and often succeed. Free money (grants and appeals) always comes before loans.
See the numbers for your school
Enter your school and aid offer to project all four years in about 90 seconds.
Start with your school