✍🏽 STEP 1: Fill This Out First
(When you’re done, copy and paste everything—including your answers—into ChatGPT and say this:
“Based on my answers, can you break down this financial aid offer using the Onyx Guide format?”)
College Name: []
My Major (optional): []
Total Cost of Attendance (COA): $[__________] per year (includes tuition, housing, meals, books, and more)
Where I Live Now (City, State): []
Where My College Is Located (City, State): []
Preferred Travel Method: [Drive / Bus / Fly / Train / Other: ________]
Max Hours I’m Willing to Drive (if applicable): [__________]
Transportation Estimate:
Round-trip cost home (estimate): $[__________]
Trips home per year (holidays, emergencies, breaks): [__________]
Total estimated transportation cost: $[__________] per year
Climate Prep:
Will I need to buy a winter coat or boots? [Yes / No]
Will I need a new summer wardrobe (hotter climate)? [Yes / No]
Estimated cost of climate-related purchases: $[__________]
Relocation Factors to Keep in Mind:
If you’re changing climates or have high transportation costs, that can impact your overall budget.
If you're staying close to home or within a few hours’ drive, your costs may be lower long-term.
These hidden costs can matter more than people think—especially if you’re planning to go home during breaks.
Surprise or Hidden Costs (optional):
Housing deposit or enrollment fee not covered by aid: $[__________]
Admissions deposit (to hold your spot): $[__________]
Health insurance (if required or not waived): $[__________]
Laptop/tech or software requirements: $[__________]
Orientation, program, or activity fees: $[__________]
Meals or groceries not covered by meal plan: $[__________]
Emergency fund or safety net I’ll rely on (if any): $[__________]
What's in My Financial Aid Letter (Copy the Line Items Below):
Tuition and Fees: $[__________]
Room and Board: $[__________]
Books and Supplies: $[__________]
Personal Expenses: $[__________]
Transportation: $[__________]
Grants/Scholarships: $[__________]
Loans (Subsidized): $[__________]
Loans (Unsubsidized): $[__________]
PLUS/Private Loans: $[__________]
Work-Study: $[__________]
Do I plan to apply this to tuition or use it for personal expenses?: [__________]
External Scholarships: $[__________]
✅ When you finish STEP 1, copy everything above and say to ChatGPT: “Based on my answers, can you break down this financial aid offer using the Onyx Guide format?”
To help ChatGPT understand the format, you can also paste this line underneath your answers:
The Onyx Guide format includes: a breakdown of free money, work-study, good vs. bad debt, scholarship displacement risk, relocation/travel costs, and an estimated repayment plan. Please include observations about what looks solid and what might raise concerns.
✅ When you finish STEP 1, copy everything above and say to ChatGPT: “Based on my answers, can you break down this financial aid offer using the Onyx Guide format?”
To help ChatGPT understand the format, you can also paste this line underneath your answers:
The Onyx Guide format includes: a breakdown of free money, work-study, good vs. bad debt, scholarship displacement risk, relocation/travel costs, and an estimated repayment plan. Please include observations about what looks solid and what might raise concerns.We’ll generate a full report breaking down:
Free money vs risky loans
Scholarship displacement risks
Work-study usage
Estimated debt and repayment time
Travel and relocation impact
What looks solid vs what to watch out for
Plus: you'll get linked tools like the College Scorecard, appeal guidance, and scholarship displacement warnings.
Ready when you are!
✌🏽STEP 2: Want to Add Another Offer or Compare?
Now that you’ve entered one college, you’ve got a few options:
📌 Want to analyze another school individually? Paste the next set of answers below your current one and say:
"Can you break down this second school using the Onyx Guide format too?"
🔁 Want to compare two offers side-by-side? Paste both completed templates and say:
"Can you compare these two schools using the Onyx Guide comparison format, especially cost, debt, and Black student support?"
You can repeat this process as many times as you want!
Here’s a helpful line to include when comparing or adding more:
I’d like you to either break this one down, add it to my other school(s), or compare offers using the Onyx Guide format. Please include notes on cost, hidden risks, and overall support for Black students.
✨✨ STEP 3: Want ChatGPT's Judgment?
After reviewing the breakdown and comparison of both schools, you can ask ChatGPT for a fair analysis of the offers. This will highlight the best points and provide warnings about the risks.
Ask ChatGPT for this by saying:
"Can you give me a judgment of these two offers based on cost, debt, support for Black students, and my personal priorities? Please avoid making a final conclusion but offer guidance on what looks more advantageous for my situation. Highlight the best points and any major risks or concerns."
This way, you’ll get a summary that will help you weigh the pros and cons without a final decision, just the relevant points to consider.
Onyx Guide to College Search©
Financial Aid Breakdown Template for Black Students (Copy + Paste into ChatGPT)
Please note: This is a 3-step process, not just one step.
Want to truly understand how your financial aid package stacks up before you commit?
This free breakdown tool—designed specifically for Black students and families—helps you dive deeper than just loan amounts or scholarships. You’ll get a comprehensive analysis of what's free money, what’s risky debt, and what you should watch out for—including transportation costs, relocation expenses, and more. Just fill in a few details, copy and paste it into ChatGPT, and get clear insights that help you make an informed decision.
For more tools and guidance on navigating the college process as a Black student, check out our full collection of resources here.
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This is original, copyrighted work.
You’re welcome to share or repost the template—but please credit Jenn the Tutor and link back to www.jennthetutor.com. Don’t copy, rebrand, or redistribute it without permission. This resource was created to protect Black students, not to be repackaged.