A need analysis determines a student’s eligibility for financial aid at a particular institution. The need analysis establishes how much a family is expected to contribute from its own income and assets and compares that to the price of attending. If the price of attending is greater than the expected family contribution, the difference between the two represents the student’s financial need. If the expected family contribution is greater than the price of attending, the student is not eligible for need-based aid, but may still qualify for merit aid and can take out unsubsidized loans.