How should I compare financial aid offers from UVA and Boston College?

Choose the offer with the lower guaranteed four-year net cost after separating gift aid from borrowing and work expectations; a similar first-year family contribution is not enough to make the packages equivalent. Grants and scholarships reduce what you owe, while loans must be repaid and work-study must be earned through a job. Start by comparing the total direct bill from UVA and Boston College: tuition, mandatory fees, housing, and meal plan, minus only grants and scholarships.

Next, treat loans differently by type and amount. Federal Direct Subsidized Loans are usually preferable because interest does not accrue while you are enrolled at least half time; unsubsidized federal loans begin accruing interest sooner. Any parent loan, private loan, or larger loan component should weigh heavily against that offer, even if it makes the first-year out-of-pocket amount look lower. Check whether either college included a loan that your family would need to apply for separately rather than aid already guaranteed to you.

Do not count federal work-study as a tuition discount. It is eligibility to apply for a qualifying campus or community job, and you receive wages as you work; it may help with books and personal expenses, but it does not reduce the bill due at the start of the term. Compare the expected work-study amount with the realistic availability and hourly pay of jobs, especially if you would need earnings for required expenses.

Then ask each financial aid office for the renewal terms and a projected second-, third-, and fourth-year estimate. Confirm whether each grant is renewable automatically, requires a particular academic standing, or could change if a sibling leaves college or family income changes.

Finally, compare what remains after aid with the schools’ estimates for books, travel, health insurance, and personal expenses. If the difference is still small, the more favorable package is the one with more renewable grant aid, less required borrowing, and a payment amount your family can meet without relying on uncertain outside scholarships or work income.