How do I compare the affordability of Boston University and the University of New Hampshire after financial aid?

Compare the two schools using the same one-year cash-flow worksheet built from their official financial-aid offers, not their published tuition. For Boston University, separate BU grant or scholarship aid from federal and private loans, since loans reduce this year’s bill but must be repaid. For the University of New Hampshire, check whether your offer reflects in-state or out-of-state tuition, because residency can be a major driver of the final difference.

Start with each school’s direct billed costs: tuition, mandatory fees, housing, and meal plan. Subtract only grants, scholarships, tuition benefits, and outside scholarships that can actually be applied to the bill. Keep work-study off this line; it is an opportunity to earn wages through a job, not guaranteed aid deposited toward tuition.

Then add realistic indirect costs for each option: books and supplies, personal expenses, health insurance if you will not waive it, and transportation. BU’s Boston location can mean higher day-to-day spending and potentially more expensive off-campus housing in later years, while UNH’s Durham location may create a different transportation calculation, especially if you would need a car or frequent trips home. Price your actual travel pattern rather than using either school’s standard allowance.

Look beyond freshman year before treating a scholarship as four-year aid. Read each award’s renewal terms: required enrollment status, academic progress or GPA conditions, whether the amount is fixed, and whether tuition or housing increases could outpace it. Also ask how likely you are to live on campus after the first year and what housing and meal-plan options you would realistically choose.

Finally, compare borrowing separately from net cost. List federal student loans, parent borrowing, and any private loans for each school, then estimate the total debt after four years. A useful final comparison is: annual family cash cost after grants + annual student borrowing + realistic indirect expenses. The lower number is meaningful only if the aid is renewable and the housing, travel, and spending assumptions match how you would actually live at BU or UNH.