How should I compare the financial aid value of Brown and Cornell?

Compare Brown and Cornell by your net price for the exact academic year and program, not by published tuition. Start with each school’s financial-aid offer and calculate direct out-of-pocket cost: tuition, required fees, housing, and food, minus grants and scholarships only. Do not count federal loans, parent loans, or work-study as aid that reduces the price today.

Brown may fit a student seeking an aid package built around Brown’s commitment to meet demonstrated financial need. Check whether the grant amount leaves your family with a manageable expected contribution, plus realistic costs for travel to Providence, books, and personal expenses.

Cornell requires a more program-specific comparison. Its tuition can vary by undergraduate college; New York residents in certain state-supported contract colleges may have a different tuition rate from students in Cornell’s endowed colleges. Compare the offer against the cost of attendance for your particular Cornell college, not against a university-wide figure.

Use the schools’ net-price calculators before offers arrive, then place the final letters side by side. Note each grant’s amount, any loans or work-study, required family payment, health-insurance charges if applicable, and whether the award is expected to renew under the same financial circumstances. A lower net cost over four years, after allowing for likely annual cost increases, is the more meaningful measure of value.