Ivy League colleges offer free tuition to certain students - here's how financial aid packages stack up

College acceptance letters to Ivy League schools will be sent to many high-school seniors Thursday at 5 p.m., and students will have to select schools based on a number of different factors, including fit, program quality, and financial aid packages.

While comfort level and college prestige are quite subjective, financial aid packages are an objective measure that students can assess if they are having a difficult time picking their top choice.

Financial aid decisions are, of course, determined exclusively by each respective financial aid office, and students should note that free tuition and no family contribution toward the cost of education are two separate things.

While free tuition cutoffs are highlighted on school websites, that typically means families still must pay room and board costs.

Below are the financial aid offerings that the eight Ivy-League schools and Stanford provide to students on their financial aid websites.