How do I compare whether Emory or Duke will be more affordable after financial aid?

Compare each school’s official cost of attendance against gift aid first: institutional grants, need-based grants, and outside or merit scholarships. Do not treat federal loans, parent loans, or work-study as reductions in price, because loans must be repaid and work-study requires the student to earn the money through a job. The lower net price is the school with the smaller remaining amount after gift aid, provided the underlying cost categories are comparable.

Build one side-by-side calculation for Emory and Duke using the same categories: tuition and mandatory fees, housing and meals for the actual residence/meal plan offered, books and supplies, transportation, personal expenses, and required health insurance if applicable. Then subtract only grants and scholarships. For example, an award that includes a $5,500 federal loan and $2,500 work-study is not $8,000 more affordable than another award; it creates borrowing and an earnings expectation.

Next, identify what each college expects your family to pay this year. FAFSA now uses the Student Aid Index rather than the older “expected family contribution” term, but each school may also use institutional financial-aid information in determining need. Compare the stated family contribution or remaining billed balance, and ask the aid office to clarify any unexplained gap between that figure and your calculated net cost.

Check the conditions that affect all four years. Confirm whether each scholarship is renewable, its GPA or enrollment requirements, whether need-based aid is expected to remain similar if family finances do not change, and whether annual tuition or housing increases are reflected. Also distinguish direct billed charges from estimated expenses: a higher travel allowance, for instance, does not necessarily mean you will pay that full amount.

If one offer includes more borrowing or work-study, calculate two figures: the immediate out-of-pocket bill and the four-year debt total. That comparison will show affordability more clearly than the headline award amount.