<p>From attending private school, I know that my family's contribution estimate would be $0. (I don't need the FAFSA to know this...) Most of the schools I want to attend cost much more than our income (at around $30k, 2 adults, 2 children (one disabled))</p>
<p>The schools I'm looking at are:
American University
Furman University (in state)
University of South Carolina
Appalachian State University</p>
<p>So if anyone could give me any idea of how much aid I would recieve, I'd love you forever. And how much debt I'd end with?</p>
<p>Scott’s method is a good starting point, but I wouldn’t rely too heavily on averages if you have a 0 EFC. Averages include people with much higher EFC’s who will not qualify for the grants and loans that are available to you. Also, you’re likely to get additional grants as a SC resident if you stay instate.</p>
<p>Briefly, a 0 EFC means you’ll be eligible for:
Pell grant ($5350 for 09/10)
ACG ($750 year 1) if you meet academic criteria
FSEOG, if available - amount is determined by the school
Perkins subsidized loan - amount is determined by the school
Stafford subsidized loan ($3500 year 1)
Stafford unsubsidized loan ($2000 year 1)
Work study - amount is determined by the school
State aid - research aid available if you stay instate
Institutional aid - this is where the average percentages can give you an idea if you’ll get merit or need based aid from the schools.</p>
<p>Which is a great reason why you want to make sure you apply to at least 6, preferably 10 colleges. Averages are good for evaluating, but it’s a good college selection list that will do the most to get you the money you need.</p>
<p>American’s FA statistics are not that impressive! </p>
<p>If you register as a user at collegedata website & put in your parents income etc. to calculate your EFC, then when looking at the different colleges, it takes your income into consideration & it even estimates your “unmet need” at each college. It was pretty accurate for this last admission cycle with my D. The “unmet need” was very close to how much she was “gapped” at these colleges. It is just a tool, that is all. It isn’t 100% accurate, but it does help!</p>
<p>None of the above schools meets full need. So…truthfully, there really isn’t a way to predict your full financial aid package from any of them. </p>
<p>Are you a strong student who might qualify for some merit aid in addition to need based aid? I know that U of South Carolina allows “stacking” of financial aid up to the cost of attendance. In other words, you could receive need based aid, AND one of their merit scholarships up to the total cost of attendance. There are several scholarships at USC that are quite good…Cooper, Mckissick which offer a scholarship towards the instate tuition costs. The Carolina Scholars which I believe offers full tuition/room/board and a laptop to very highly qualified applicants.</p>
<p>You need to have at least one school on your list that you could attend barring financial aid issues.</p>
<p>Well, if I attend USC, I would be pretty much without aid issues. I’d have state scholarships (Life, I believe?), a potential military scholarship (my dad was in the military, and there are scholarships for military dependents), and some money saved up/given to me by family. It would be at a manageable point.</p>
<p>I don’t have a super GPA, but I’m hoping to improve it over the next year (which, with the classes I’m taking, if I do well in them, should skyrocket my weighted GPA.)</p>
<p>I forgot to mention that USC is also instate for me. I’m not sure if USC offers scholarships to alumni children, but my dad was a graduate there. (I don’t think they do.)</p>
<p>Although, I’ve read that Appalachian does offer scholarships to alumni children. (My father graduated undergrad there.)</p>
<p>And maybe I should mention that my school’s most recent graduating class was awarded over 2.7 million in scholarships for only 38 students… so most graduating seniors from my school do receive some form of a scholarship.</p>
<p>The biggest issue is that USC meets 100% of need while the others schools on your list do not. With a zero EFC it’s a good idea to focus on schools that meet full need.</p>
<p>The “USC” the OP is talking about is University of South Carolina…not the one in CA. USC in South Carolina does NOT meet full need…but they DO allow “stacking” of financial aid (need based, merit, outside scholarships, etc…) up to the full cost of attendance. As an instate student in SC, it’s a GREAT bargain and a great school.</p>
<p>Until you apply, get accepted and have offers in hand, there is no telling what you will get. My brother’s closest friend is in the military and he got a grand total of about $1000 for all three kids combined in the way of any military related scholarships. I know a number of kids with low EFCs that did not get their need met or had it met with loans and other self help. You should cast a wide net looking at schools that do meet full need, schools that will consider you a good catch, low sticker prices, etc.</p>