EFC is a FAFSA term and the FAFSA EFC calculation excludes primary home equity.
Where is the $40k FAFSA EFC coming from on $100k of income?
Home Equity does NOT count.
Likely the family either has assets, or the income the student is talking about is net and not AGI.
lol…forge, not forage. I do know the difference, but my fingers don’t. lol
I’ve heard EFC used for CSS Profile and NPC as well, valid or not.
Is it just me, or does it sound like college is not the major issue in this family?
^^
It sounds like very poor communication and naive/emotional/impulsive stuff going on. The mom, who it appears has been hospitalized at some point, was naively or impulsively encouraging her child to attend an even pricier school as if she was totally unaware that her husband would refuse to pay??
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I will not be able to live at home because my father will be kicking me out after the summer ends.
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What does your mom say? It’s her home, too, right?
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My mother has no money.
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Your mom has whatever half of what the marriage has. You live in Calif, half of the marriage assets are HERS.
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have issues within my family that make it an unsafe environment.
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If I were your mom, I’d leave with you and take my half of money/assets…lol…but that’s just me.
That aside, I still can’t figure out why there was an assumption that with an EFC of $40k that FA would cover costs???
If OP is kicked out at the end of summer, foraging may be necessary!
This is true. My mother was told that someone’s daughter got a 60k scholarship, so I believe that she thought that these type of things were easy to come by. I am not sure what completely changed her attitude about helping pay for college, but she has blown up several times about paying for college. She doesn’t talk to me, and did not care to look at financial aid packets or talk to my father. She doesn’t talk to him. I think she’s completely ignoring our situation. Like if she pretends that problems don’t exist, they will disappear. I have tried talking to her about these things, but it either ends up with her getting angry and going on a rampage, or slinking away into her room.
That aside, I don’t think that my financial aid counselor was very intelligent. It was her first year, and the other counselor that we got mid-year quit one week in.
A high school financial aid counselor?
Your primary residence would not count as an asset on the FAFSA. With a family income of $100,000, your EFC per FAFSA,should not be $40,000 UNLESS there are some significant assets included. Does your family have a large amount of savings in non-retirement accounts? Do you own real estate other than your primary residence?
Something isn’t right with these numbers.
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This is true. My mother was told that someone's daughter got a 60k scholarship, so I believe that she thought that these type of things were easy to come by. <<<
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Likely, she knew that that family wouldn’t be paying for college, so when she heard (or misheard) that someone got a $60k scholarship (maybe for better stats?), she needed to think that you would, too. … because she knew that they weren’t paying.
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I am not sure what completely changed her attitude about helping pay for college, but she has blown up several times about paying for college.
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because, likely, she never intended on paying. She thought that these scholarships are easily had…she WANTED to believe that.
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She doesn’t talk to me, and did not care to look at financial aid packets or talk to my father.
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Of course she doesn’t look at the FA packets. They’re a pain in her side. they’re a reminder that they’re expected to pay.
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She doesn’t talk to him. I think she’s completely ignoring our situation. Like if she pretends that problems don’t exist, they will disappear. I have tried talking to her about these things, but it either ends up with her getting angry and going on a rampage, or slinking away into her room.
<<<
She’s upset that her wishful thinking didn’t turn out like she dreamed about.
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That aside, I don't think that my financial aid counselor was very intelligent. It was her first year, and the other counselor that we got mid-year quit one week in.
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Was this a counselor at your high school???
On a side note within a serious thread, “tuition fairy” made me laugh.
I think you need to start by listing what your ACTUAL options are. Can you go to live with someone else? What will you do when your father kicks you out? Live under bridges? Homeless in San Fran? Are you working over the summer? Saving up anything?
@sylvan8798 is right.
I first was hoping that the mom may end up being the savior in all of this by insisting that either their child could live in the house, or she’d pack her bags and go with him. But, it sounds like the mom and dad are both very dysfunctional and the mom has no interest in helping her child…she had been hoping that the scholarship gods would rain down mega dollars onto her modest-stats child. (My deceased in-laws frequently engaged in shallow magical-thinking, so this sort of thinking doesn’t surprise me.)
At this point, without parents paying, there is no way that this student will be attending this CSU this fall. So, now onto Plan B.
GET A JOB ASAP…it would be a good idea to get a job with a company that helps with tuition (Home Depot, Starbucks, Walmart, etc)
Do you have a car? Will you be allowed to take it with you?
I think the car issue will be a problem…1) if the parents are the legal owners. 2) if the parents are providing the insurance. 3) if the student has no means to pay for insurance, gas, etc.
It is very sad that this student doesnt’ have a “hero” in his life. Neither parent is “there” for him.
(ditto on the parents who engage/engaged in magical thinking…)
Conversely, instead of depending on his parents, my father went into the military and went to college on the GI bill. When he graduated, he was sending most of his money home and living in a YMCA. He ended up moving back home and not only giving his parents money, but giving his brother in college money too.
Sometimes we need to make difficult choices based on circumstances.
OP, are you in the Diablo Valley Community College area?
http://www.dvc.edu/
It is a great CC in the across the bay area and there are many transfer opportunities to a 4 year. Their bio/chem/micro/calc classes use the same text books and profs from UCB. The class and lab sizes are much smaller than the UC sections and CSU sections of the same classes. Especially great for someone who might have struggled initially. It would be affordable maybe if you were working and supporting yourself while attending part-time to get a feel for the level of classwork you would be taking.
This might be a blessing in disguise. Take advantage of the low cost CC classes while getting yourself on your feet and look for someone renting a room/looking for roommates close to the DVC campus. Should be on the bus route so you can look at little farther out and find yourself a job in the area. Use what you have at your disposable NOW, like internet and finding a job and enrolling at DVC.
Hope this helps.
Kat
I don’t think attending ANY college this fall is in this student’s future unless there is some change with the parents.
If he is kicked out, no car, with just his things, there’s no way he can get to work, get to school, and pay for school and housing,
It sounds like one or more of the parents are mentally-unhealthy so they’re not thinking rationally about the ramifications of their child suddenly being kicked out.
Normally, I don’t recommend joining the military, but in this case, it may end up being a blessing. He’ll be fed, housed, and paid…and can be educated. He won’t need a car or anything.
If this is amenable to this student, and he’s certain that his parents won’t change their minds, then contact one of the branches and see what’s available. No need to get an agreement with parents on this since at this point their position is worthless.
I agree - military service might be the best option. Enlisting in the National Guard may give the OP the money he needs to get by and the flexibility to pursue an education. A friend of my son enlisted right out of high school, was gone at basic training for a few months and back in time for the Spring semester at our CC. He goes in a weekend a month and a couple weeks each summer. He earns several thousand dollars and get’s some educational benefits.
He’s got time for school (Sac State) and another part time job. No way he could afford the Bay Area but, living in the Sac Valley with roommates is very doable.
(of course, he is subject to call up/deployment - nothing to sneeze at)
It is certainly worth a look.
Your first priority should be a safe place to live. Do you have any relatives you could live with?
I’m not sure why people keep bringing up the military as a foolproof option. The military is rejecting 71% of attempted enlistees. http://www.inquisitr.com/1324635/u-s-military-enlistment-recruiters-reject-71-percent-of-applicants-for-army-navy-marines-and-air-force/ You wouldn’t tell someone that a university with a 29% acceptance rate is a good backup plan. Why so with the military, which also requires physical fitness, which isn’t a sure thing for OP.
It takes months to enlist in the military and head to boot camp, assuming you are even accepted. I know a couple of people who have been working it for over a year.