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Figure out your semester funding gap without the loan
Practice: Giving the right context. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
You want to know how much you still need for spring semester. You've decided not to take the federal loan, so leave it out of aid. Write exactly 3 numbered lines: 1) costs added up, 2) aid added up, 3) gap = costs − aid. Use actual costs where your notes have them. Plain text, under 60 words, nothing else.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Not saying you'll skip the loan. The AI counts the offered loan as aid, so the gap looks like $910. Try: Add: "I'm not taking the loan. Leave it out of aid."
- Using estimates. The AI uses the $420 book estimate instead of what you spent. Try: Add: "Use my actual $260 for books."
- Not asking to see the work. A bare gap is hard to check against the bill. Try: Add a line to copy: "1. Costs: 6,800 + 650 + 260 + 3,900 = $11,610"
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each line: "each line under 14 words."
- Forgetting where it goes. AI loves markdown tables and bold, which show up as clutter in your budget notes. Try: Add: "Plain text, no bold, headings or tables."
What a strong prompt includes
- Leaves out the loan
- Uses actual costs
- Asks to show the math
- Sets a word limit
- Asks for plain text
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