Spring is in the air, and letters announcing college financial-aid awards are in the mail.
This year, those letters are likely to cause confusion and concern among the college-bound and those who pay their bills. Congress has tinkered with aid eligibility in recent years, allowing more middle-income families to apply for aid. Yet Washington has not authorized anywhere near enough money to pay for all the eligibility it has created. And as colleges have become less able to meet everyone's needs, they've become less forthcoming with details about what aid they are offering, says Jack Joyce, director of guidance services at the College Board in New York. It's a rare situation where a school can meet full need anymore.