An article in the New York Times provided an insider view of how financial aid award offers are made at a private university.  Reading the article will help you understand why you may receive radically different offers from different colleges.  You will see that much depends on how the admissions office evaluates your application.  They decide how hard the institution will chase each admitted applicant with their limited financial aid resources. Of course, reading my book will help you understand how to make it more likely that colleges will chase you with generous offers.  That could make it the best twenty two dollar investment you ever make.