<p>How easily can your parents “take on extra hours” and pay off any loans that they would take out to meet this difference? If it would be mostly loans, can they even qualify for those loans in the first place? What is your family FAFSA EFC?</p>
<p>Swarthmore is one of the very few institutions for which I would consider combining the maximum Stafford loans for my child and taking on some parent loans in order to meet our full family EFC. However, you notice that I used the word “consider”. After going through all of the numbers with a very sharp pencil, the decision could come down on the anti-Swarthmore side.</p>
<p>Only you and your parents really know what is possible for you financially. Sit down with them and talk about what this kind of expense would mean for your family. Find out just exactly what the rest of your family would need to sacrifice for you to have a Swarthmore education. All of you need to make this decision with clear heads, not with your emotions.</p>