>>What I always hear at Brown is that the the financial aid offices at >Ivy League universities do not give preferential treatment to students >on the basis of either athletic or scholarly ability. In other words, >financial need is the only criterion. Nevertheless, since I've never >worked in the financial aid office of any of these universities, I >can't be sure. If someone has information (i.e., facts, not impressions) >to the contrary, I'd like to know. > >I believe this is a valid topic of discussion for hockey-l. > >Luiz F. Valente I have worked closely with the Financial Aid Office at Cornell (as project leader in charge of maintenance and enhancement of their information management systems for 6 1/2 years). Luiz is correct when he says that financial need is the only criterion on which financial aid is awarded at Ivy League institutions. The calculation of that need is standard across all students. The creation of an aid package to meet that need, however, can vary for categories of students, as Diane Munzer Fisher said. When I was in charge of the systems (1983-1990), each student was assigned to one of a number of "packaging categories". Aid packages for students in the more-favored categories contained more grant aid (usually institutionally-based) and less loan and work-study aid (usually federally- or state-based). Aid packages for students in the less-favored categories received less grant aid and more loan and work-study aid (euphemistically called "self-help" here at Cornell). I can't speak to whether this method is still in place. The details of what constitutes each type of aid, the criteria used to classify students in each category, and how financial need is calculated in the first place are beyond the scope of this list. The rules for calculating need, for example, are explained in a book published by the College Scholarship Service that runs into the hundreds of pages, and includes policies that each institution can vary as it sees fit at every step of the way. ---------- Arthur C. Mintz [log in to unmask] (607) 255-1487 Senior Project Leader Cornell Information Technologies / Information Resources "Never confuse motion with progress."