A few more PFS questions...

<p>in previous years, we got ONE parent statement with both kids listed. This year there is one for each child.<br>
Our parent contribution is split equally between children.</p>

<p>We do have one statement with a total EFC. One child adds their own earnings but both are listed the same, i.e. it’s not split. I know the tuition for child 2 is “hidden” because I didn’t apply for both at the same time (didn’t know I could), so I hope they dig. Not long to wait now. Fingers crossed.</p>

<p>Old thread, very helpful information.</p>

<p>Yes, I read the whole thread, thanks for digging it up…and it is helpful especially this time of year. thanks</p>

<p>Ughhh. SSS and NAIS has been having UNENDING problems with my PFS. I really hope that the schools will take it late, as they say they will.</p>

<p>SSS shown no FA needed. An applicants still got FAs from several schools with significantly different amount. So PFS does not matter that much. It boiled down to whether the school really wants you.</p>

<p>I’ve just saw the PFS results and am astonished.
I won’t give much details, but by the guidelines of every school I’m applying to, I qualify, even guaranteed, for a full scholarship. According to the estimate, I still qualify for aid, but THERE IS STILL NO WAY MY FAMILY CAN AFFORD TO PAY the amount suggested. And it’s not because of assets, either, because we have exactly none. I can’t see any wrong numbers, at least none that I am aware of. But still, the numbers on the PFS suggest a completely, utterly ridiculous and insane amount of contribution…</p>

<p>So now I’ve calmed down a little, and it’s time for problem solving to begin. I can think of a few possibilities:

  1. The PFS doesn’t take dependents into account? On the Family Contribution Report, it does not list any of the dependents I filled in, just the parents and children.
  2. The “Estimated Family Contribution”, that heart-stopping number I saw, is for all kids, not just the applicant, in the family? It says “Parent Contribution for all students”.
    I’m sorry if I seem overly frantic. But just now, when my father saw the numbers, he flat-out told me to forget about BS and stop trying. I used the ‘full scholarship’ idea to persuade the 'rents to let me apply in the first place, and the reality is that if I don’t get the full aid (or something very close to it) there is no way that I can go. Of course, that’s assuming I get in, but… I don’t need more numbers in my head right now.</p>

<p>Please… I need some advice.</p>

<p>CherryRose. Do not worry. If they want you, they will give you enough money.</p>

<p>Our FA has never matched the PFS–I think the schools just use it as a starting point. And remember that PFS isn’t run by the schools with specific FA initiatives–if your family income is below the free tuition level at a school like SPS or Andover, there’s not reason to think the schools wouldn’t honor their promise if you get in.</p>

<p>Make sure you really look it over – especially the summary on the parent report. SSS made a major mistake on ours last year – they put down my income twice, and therefore my EFC was double what it was the year before. No one caught it even though I asked why there was just a huge difference between 2010 and 2011 – but since i had just started a new job and making more money, I thought that was the difference. SSS and the school didn’t notice why the EFC was 1/3 of my total salary. I did call the school once i received the offer (which was almost exactly what my EFC was) but they never called me back. At this point, I was out of options, public school isn’t an option (inner city) and it was now june so all other admissions, fin aid and appeals were over. I didn’t have a choice so I accepted it. I have been killing myself this year paying this – to the point of not being able to purchase groceries for several days before payday. the tuition monthly payment is half my take home.</p>

<p>I have been just praying that next years aid package is better and was writting a letter throwing myself on the mercy of the fin aid committee for 2012=2013 when i look at the EFC for 2012-2013 – it is 16K less than last year and I make more than I did in last years round. I have just been sick about it – I have been killing myself trying to pay this because i though that is what SSS said I could afford. Don’t understand why no one noticed the huge difference between the submitted W2s and the EFC – or why my tuition was nearly double.</p>

<p>Please check and double check – there are mistakes made even when they tell you they are double checking the info – they certaintly did not in my case. It clearly states there is ONE parent on the summary, yet my salary is down for parent A and parent B. (and I checked my actual PFS form, I filled it out properly).</p>

<p>After re-reading this thread and other discussions about FA and PFS several times, I am even more confused and worried. We answered the question about how much we were able to pay as under $10K. The EFC came back over $40. Some people say that if a school wants you they will make you an offer. (Would they offer more money if the EFC says we can pay???) Others say schools will calculate a number based on ALL the answers in the application, regardless of what the EFS says. Still others say a school may straight out reject the candidate because we think we can only pay $10K, but the EFC says we can pay almost entire amount. And another scenario - the school disregards our reported ability to pay, works with the EFC amount, and makes an offer based on that, (which means that we’d not be given nearly enough to make this work). I do understand that we need to put ourselves out and take loans, and we are willing to do that to a reasonable extent, but we’ll be lucky if that gets us halfway there… Has anyone else been in this position?</p>

<p>You are not alone. Please look at the thread called “PFS shock”. My understanding is that the school may think that you are low-balling as there is such a big difference. (Same situation here). They may not want to deal with you unless they really want your child. You may send them a letter explaining the difference and offer to pay more…</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>And I ask you (yet again!), where are you getting this information??? You’ve told us several times that you are new to this process yourself, f2000sa.</p>

<p>eileenbeth - Every family’s situation is different. The schools understand this. And it is not uncommon for the EFC to be significantly greater than a family’s actual ability to pay. True, some schools follow the EFC, but many don’t - they run the numbers themselves. If you think something needs to be explained, then explain it and give them the chance to understand your family’s situation.</p>

<p>Do not offer to pay more unless you can actually afford it. Getting yourselves in over your heads doesn’t help anybody!</p>

<p>My daughter is a freshman this year at a boarding school. I was very concerned last year with our EFC, because it was twice as much as I estimated we could pay. My daughter applied to 2 schools. One went exactly by the EFC with the FA offer, and that school was not affordable for us in the end. The school that my child attends (and loves) offered FA that matched what we said we could pay. When I did the pfs, I entered what I knew we could realistically come up with for tuition, and hoped for enough FA to make it happen.</p>

<p>Thanks for sharing, seashoremom, and welcome to CC!</p>

<p>And I ask you (yet again!), where are you getting this information??? You’ve told us several times that you are new to this process yourself, f2000sa.</p>

<p>First page of this thread, Lesson learned by baseballmom, and lessons from other old threads. </p>

<p>Being new member does not mean that I do not have the right to voice my opinion. You can spend many hours reading old threads and can know a lot of things. Also many people here are no AO. So An opinion is just an opinion.</p>

<p>Has anyone had issues with the SSS website this year? I’m having issues with my uploaded documents still not showing as received. I uploaded them 5 days ago.</p>

<p>I did hear that they had issues a while ago, but that they were resolved. Perhaps they are backed up?</p>

<p>SSS now has a statement on their website saying that they are experiencing a 72 hour delay. The notice also says that all documents are timestamped when submitted, so schools will see that you submitted them on time. My documents uploaded 4 days ago are not showing as received either. I emailed the FA office at my childs school because I was concerned about the deadline. They said not to worry, they are well aware of SSS’s delays.</p>

<p>Now the SSS website says they are changing servers this weekend and are down for maintenance.</p>