Is Vanderbilt or Duke more affordable after financial aid?

The key difference is each school’s calculation of “demonstrated need.” Vanderbilt and Duke can assess home equity, savings, business ownership, noncustodial-parent finances, and sibling enrollment differently. A family can therefore receive materially different grants even when the colleges’ sticker prices are close. Run each school’s Net Price Calculator using the same accurate financial information; this is the most useful pre-decision estimate.

Compare the final offers using the full annual net cost, not just tuition: billed charges, housing and meals, health insurance if required, books, travel, and the expected student contribution all matter. Separate grants and scholarships from work-study, which is an earnings opportunity rather than money automatically applied to the bill, and from any federal student loan.

Once both aid offers arrive, ask each financial-aid office to reconsider if the other college provides a meaningfully lower net price, especially if your financial circumstances have changed or the offers reflect different assumptions.