It is the time of year that many students are receiving acceptance letters to colleges.  With that comes navigating the financials involved with paying for it.  Below is an article from EFC Plus with an explanation on how to read a Financial Aid Award Letter.  The most important part of analyzing the information is in separating the merit-based aid and the self-help financial aid, which will give you a better view of your true cost of education.

http://www.efcplus.com/financial-aid-award-letter-analysis/

Or, for those who prefer, here’s a quick video tutorial.

http://www.efcplus.com/project/financial-award-letter/