My S is applying to several elite/selective need blind schools. I have not filed the FAFSA yet, but using the estimator, our EFC would be around 32K. I filed the CSS Profile to meet deadlines and when it got to the question of what parents could afford to pay, I suddenly changed my answer of $20K to $10K. Now, I am worried my son could be in the accept/deny pile because I put too low of an answer. We were hoping for as good a financial aid package as possible so that if he were to be accepted at one of these elite/selective schools, he could actually afford to attend. Do you think I ruined it for him by putting too low of an answer relative to our estimated EFC?
No, it will likely have no effect. See this thread and other related threads.
Other posts suggest that your son has applied to HYPS schools. They’re need blind, so they don’t consider that.
Unless your son has retested and has gotten higher scores, his ACT is more likely going to be an issue an an unhooked applicant.
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We were hoping for as good a financial aid package as possible so that if he were to be accepted at one of these elite/selective schools, he could actually afford to attend
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In the end, what you wrote above is the biggest issue. Your EFC is much higher than you seem to be able to afford. Your EFC is in the $30k range, you first put that you can pay $20k, and then put $10k. All this really indicates is that if your son were to be accepted, he’d likely get an unaffordable aid pkg and then, according to you, he couldn’t afford to attend.
BTW…you and your son are using the same account and that’s a no no. get your own account.
He retested. He has a composite 34 now.
It’s a need blind school. They won’t know a thing about your financial aid application or status in terms of need when they review the application for admission.