What a great offer! I’m so thrilled I’ll be able to attend XYZ U! Before you sign, though, you must ask one question: “Is this scholarship for all four years?” If the answer is yes, then you need to ask this: “Are there any conditions?” A great aid award is only great if it is for the duration of your student’s education.

And speaking of “great,” you should find out if it really is a great award. How? By comparing your offer to what the school typically offers. Two sites make this easy: the College Board’s college search site (just type your school’s name into the search box and scroll down to where it says the average percent of need met) or COLLEGEdata (type in your school’s name and look in the “Financial Friendliness” column to see the percent of need met).