How do I determine whether USC or Boston College is more affordable after financial aid?

The more affordable choice is the school with the lower four-year net cost after subtracting only grants and scholarships that you can realistically renew, not the school with the lower published price. Compare USC’s and Boston College’s actual award letters line by line, using the same definition of cost and excluding loans, parent borrowing, and work-study from “aid.” A larger scholarship at one school can be erased by higher housing, travel, health-insurance, or annual tuition-increase costs.

For each college, start with billed charges: tuition, mandatory fees, housing, and meal plan. Then add realistic non-billed expenses: books and course materials, personal spending, transportation home, and health insurance if you will not waive the school plan.

Subtract institutional grants, federal or state grants, and named merit scholarships. Do not subtract federal loans, PLUS loans, private loans, or work-study wages, because those either must be repaid or must be earned through a job.

Then project the result for four years. The comparison should be: four years of estimated total expenses minus four years of renewable grants and scholarships. The lower resulting number, along with the lower amount you would need to borrow, is the financially preferable offer.