College cost and financial aid are top-of-mind issues for students and their families, yet most aid award letters—the first communication families receive from you on the topic—are difficult to understand and often missing critical information. Your award letter must be transparent and accessible as well as clearly communicate the true cost of attending your institution. Additionally, the letter serves as a valuable recruiting touchpoint through which you can emphasize the kind of care and attention to detail that students can expect from your institution. In other words, it helps demonstrate your value proposition.
This toolkit identifies three key areas for improvement and provides resources to rethink the way you share financial aid award information with students. At the end is a checklist you can use to make sure your new award letters fully incorporate these recommended best practices.
Download the full toolkit or explore each section below.
Recommendation One: Present Clear Numbers
The typical aid letter has too many numbers and no clear roadmap, confusing families about the aid offered and the contributions expected. See how aid letters typically go wrong and read four guidelines to creating a more cost-transparent aid letter.
Recommendation Two: Use Accessible Language
Financial aid language is complex and nuanced, often making it incomprehensible to families. Schools that take care to write clear, approachable aid letters will stand out to families as transparent and responsive. Use your aid letter and other financial aid communications to educate students and parents on what these terms mean.
Recommendation Three: Make the Layout Inviting
Typical aid letters are crowded, monochromatic, and difficult to skim. Read how one small liberal arts college redesigned their aid package to look more approachable.
Assessing Your New Letter
Follow our four guidelines to make your letter transparent and easy to read.
This resource requires EAB partnership access to view.
Access the tool
Learn how you can get access to this resource as well as hands-on support from our experts through Strategic Advisory Services.
Learn More