What Is a High Student Aid Index (SAI)?

February 12, 2026 – In a Credible article about the high Student Aid Index (SAI), Shannon Vasconcelos, senior director of college finance at Bright Horizons College Coach, shares insights on the topic.

Shannon Vasconcelos, senior director of college finance at Bright Horizons College Coach, points out that what’s considered a high SAI depends on the school’s cost of attendance. 

“If a student’s SAI is $30,000 and they’re applying to an in-state public college that costs $30,000, their SAI is too high to qualify for any need-based aid,” Vasconcelos says. “If that same student applied to a private college that costs $90,000, however, they would still qualify for $60,000 in need-based financial aid. So what’s considered a high SAI is relative.

Read the full article here.