How can I compare the affordability of Johns Hopkins and Notre Dame?

Neither Johns Hopkins nor Notre Dame is automatically the less expensive choice; the meaningful comparison is each school’s estimated net price and, ultimately, its written aid offer. Both schools use need-based institutional aid, and both ask domestic applicants seeking that aid to submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile.

Run both schools’ official net price calculators using the same tax-year income, assets, household size, and number of children in college. Record four figures from each estimate: grants and scholarships, your expected family contribution, student work expectation, and any federal loans. Compare the resulting annual amount you would actually need to pay, not the published tuition, housing, or “total cost of attendance” alone.

Notre Dame says it meets demonstrated financial need for admitted students, but its calculation of need may not match Hopkins’s. Its need-based package can include grants, work-study, and, depending on the student’s circumstances, federal student loans.

After admission, compare the official award letters line by line. Separate renewable institutional grants from one-time scholarships, check whether aid is guaranteed for all four years under similar financial circumstances, and add indirect expenses such as travel, health insurance, books, and personal costs. If one package has a gap between the calculated cost and what your family can realistically pay, submit a professional aid appeal with documentation of changes such as job loss, medical costs, or a parent’s reduced income.