How should I compare financial aid offers from Duke and the University of Rochester?

The biggest practical tradeoff is whether either offer leaves you with more borrowing or out-of-pocket cost after four years, not which school lists the larger total aid award. Compare Duke and Rochester using each college’s own full cost of attendance, because tuition, housing, meals, health insurance, and estimated personal expenses may not be identical. A package can look larger simply because the school started with a higher published cost.

For each offer, make a four-year worksheet: total billed charges minus scholarships and grants equals the amount your family must cover through cash, savings, payment plans, and loans. Treat grants and scholarships as true discounts. Treat work-study separately: it is an opportunity to earn wages through a campus job, not money that automatically reduces the bill, and students may not earn the full amount or may need those earnings for personal expenses.

Count federal or institutional loans as a cost, even when they are included in “financial aid.” List the annual loan amount, whether it is subsidized or unsubsidized, and the projected four-year total; then compare repayment terms and interest. Also check whether any merit scholarship or need-based grant has renewal requirements, such as full-time enrollment, satisfactory academic progress, a GPA threshold, or annual financial-aid re appeals.

Ask both financial-aid offices to clarify any line that is unclear, especially the expected family contribution, whether grants are renewable at the same level, and whether health insurance, travel, books, and likely housing increases are included in your estimate. If one package has a documented gap or relies materially more on loans, submit the other school’s offer and explain any changed family circumstances in a professional appeal.

If the totals are close, Duke’s and Rochester’s academic, campus, and program fit can reasonably break the tie; but a meaningful difference in non-loan aid or borrowing should carry substantial weight.