<p>My parents make a combined income of <40,000. I am applying to Cornell, Dartmouth, Amherst, Northwestern, U of M- Ann Arbor (instate), and GVSU (instate, total safety). Assuming I get accepted to these schools, would my parents be expected to contribute a lot? My parents say they can't afford to pay a couple hundred per month and that it better fall on my shoulers. Am I to worry that even though I may get accepted to any of these schools, I may not be able to go?</p>
<p>Try the EFC</a> Calculator to get a rough idea of what colleges might expect, although the method of calculation will vary from school to school.</p>
<p>There's almost always some EFC - the student is expected to contribute (presumably by working during the summer). If finances are a huge issue, apply to an extra safety or two where your scores put you among the top applicants. Private schools in particular often have merit money they can shower on their most qualified applicants.</p>
<p>I don't know all the specifics that EFC calculators require in figuring the amounts. I'm really not going to know what I'm expected to pay until the school sends word in the spring. I just read somewhere else that families aren't expected to pay a lot if they make a small income. My father doesn't work at all, my parents are divorced, and my mom only makes a little over 35000 I think between two jobs. Should I be accepted to any of my schools I apply, do I have good chances at big financial aid packages-- my mom doesn't have good credit so loans aren't exactly available.</p>
<p>We don't really have all the info needed to tell you what your finaid will look like. Most of the schools listed use the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA. This considers things like home equity and other assets that the FAFSA does not look at. Will you get sufficient finaid to attend your schools if accepted? Maybe. Remember that even schools that meet 100% of need (beyond your EFC) still require a student contribution (this varies, but figure about $2500), and your package may include loans. At schools that do NOT guarantee to meet full need, you may not receive the full amount in finaid between your EFC and the cost of attendance.</p>
<p>I know that Williams and Amherst have rather generous packages for people with need..... I was accepted to both, my EFC was 400 I believe, and their packages included a work study of 1550 (Will) and umm....1800?(Amh), no loans at all, and then I was left to cover under 700 (will) and about 1200 (amh). Both were very generous.</p>
<p>students will still be expected to contribute their summer earnings as far as I know- generally $3,000 to $2,000.
Subsidized or even unsubsidized loans will likley be part of your package as will work study.
always apply to financial as well as academic sure bets- you don't want a school to give you a snow job freshman year and sophmore year turn the grants into loans</p>
<p>Amherst doesn't give loans to low income students, and I know there are several other schools with the same sort of policy. Most of the colleges I applied to were relatively generous with financial aid, but most did include loans, and I believe loans often increase each year. You should definitely make sure to apply to a financial safety where you know you will get a full scholarship. Probably at least a couple of the schools you mentioned will give you very good fin aid if you are accepted, though you will be expected to work during the summer and have a work study. Outside scholarships reduce the loans/work study at most schools also, so apply for as many as you can. Your parent contribution shouldn't be too high, but it sounds like you might have to cover part it.</p>
<p>Cornell does not offer provisions for low income students. I don't think that Northwestern does nto meet 100% of demonstrated need. </p>
<p>Please read and keep in mind the following threads because they provide useful information and cautionary tales:</p>
<p>Single Parent seeking Financial aid- One mother's story
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=78617%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=78617</a></p>
<p>financial aid crisis (student at northwestern)</p>
<p>I am in a pickle affording schools advice that you have already been given, that is not really changing much.</p>
<p>Financial vs. Admissions safety/reach/match</p>
<p>At Dartmouth students whose family incomes are less than $30,000 will receive financial aid packages without student loans. The portion of the package that normally would be composed of loans will be replaced with additional scholarship funds. Barring significant changes to family financial circumstances, this no-loan financial aid package will be renewed each year for all four years. </p>
<p>All students how ever will have a student contribution of $2250 (summer earnings or savings ) freshman year and the amount increases in subsequent years. Work study will be included in the financial aid package.</p>
<p>I suggest that you keep in mind the following:</p>
<p>As thumper stated, most of these colleges use the CSS profile which includes home equity. The home equity in addition to all other income and assets will be used in calculating your EFC.</p>
<p>Your father will still have to file his financial aid paperwork. IF either of your parents have remarried the stepparent will also have to file their paperwork in order for you to get financial aid. YOur EFC may change to the extend that your parent is benefitting from the marriage (example: you state your father does not work at all, lets say you have a stepmom that earns a considerable amount of $$, owns a house etc. Her income and assets may be used in calculating your FA. The same holds true if your mother has remarried). </p>
<p>There are also incremental cost involved with going to college -computers, books etc. At Dartmouth there have very specific computer requirements and do not provide technical support for systems not purchased through the school. So if you need a computer, you may have to take a loan.</p>
<p>Lastly:
You should be truthful and consistent about your tale of woe, and stop spinning your story to the point that it seems you are grasping at straws looking for the answer that you want to hear. The world of cyberspace is smaller than you think. People will think that you are just looking for a way to B.S. the system and will not be forth coming in helping you.</p>
<p>University of Virginia has a great low income program, with no loana and realistic family contributions for low income families. They do require a fair amount of additional detailed forms besides the FAFSA. It is called Access UVa and they seem to be really trying to help those unfamiliar with the system utilising follow-up phone calls and they will even review how to fill out their forms if your parents are unsure.</p>
<p>I would suggest that you run the fafsa estimator and see what you get using your mom's income and assets. Perhaps you can discuss the information required with your mom and between the two of you fill in the estimator. The bottom line is that eventually you will need to do this on the REAL FAFSA and Profile forms. Perhaps this is a good time to get some of that information as it will give you a head start when the time comes to do the FAFSA AND it will give you a little sense of what your need based finaid will be.</p>
<p>Now...my opinions...</p>
<p>Cornell- If you get accepted, they will meet your need as calculated using the FAFSA and Profile. Cornell package will likely include some loans.</p>
<p>Dartmouth- see above post....it really gives better detail for Dartmouth. BUT if you get accepted, Dartmouth will meet your need as calculated by the FAFSA and Profile but Dartmouth requires a student contribution.</p>
<p>Amherst- Good finaid. Uses FAFSA and Profile</p>
<p>Northwestern- Northwestern does not always meet need, and they are notorious for providing loan heavy finaid, with loans increasing after the freshman year. They use the FAFSA and Profile.</p>
<p>U of M- Ann Arbor (instate)-No guarantee to meet full need. FAFSA only (I think).</p>
<p>GVSU (instate, total safety)- I don't know what these letters stand for, but I'm guessing that "su" is "state university". No guarantee to meet full aid at most state schools. Usually use FAFSA only.</p>
<p>The financial aid process is a little more tricky if you've never had prior experience with it. I had to figure most of it out myself because my dad had left and so we were seeing none of his income, and neither parent had gone to college. Also, my mom's income was under 25 or 20 k at the time. But hey, don't sweat it too much. It can be done. Schools were pretty generous with non-custodial finaid info waivers too.</p>
<p>No one is dogging you about your posts the truth can sometimes be a bitter pill to swallow. Your "yelling" and directing it at me still does not change your situation. Most of the people who are giving you advice have gone through the process and some have even been in your situation and are trying to advise you as truthfully as possible. You have asked the same question on this forum and on the parents forum and you are still getting the same answers. What is that that they say about insanity?
Also remember a hard head makes a soft________.</p>
<p>At the end of the day it is you my dear who is really still the one on the down side of the power dynamic because as you stated, you and your parents are the ones who have not gone through the process. You have asked for information, you have gotten information but you seem to think that if you spin your story a different way, that the financial aid process is going to change. You are collecting income from your father but at the same time you are looking for a waiver and making excuses as to why you are not eligible for one. Financial aid at all schools first look to *your parents * as the first step in paying for *your education *. Your story is not unique at all because FA offices hear them all of the time.</p>
<p>It does not matter if your afather is a jerk, you mome works 2 jobs, what they promise all they say the can afford the they are the first ones who have to pull out the check book. If your parents can't afford the EFC and you can't get a loans, guess what, you still won't be going to school. </p>
<p>The net net is this, you have 2 parents with income (yes your father has income) you are an only child, your mother makes $40,000. At some schools (the ones with the deepest pockets) you will be condsidered low income. At the overwhelming majority, you won't because your income is theoretically middle income and there are families supporting more people on less. </p>
<p>Based on your other posts</p>
<p>what are my chances</p>
<p>As the parent of a child who was accepted to 2 of the schools on your list (Dartmouth and Amherst but our best FA package came from Williams which D used to negotiate her Dartmouth aid) and someone who works with students and colleges in this process, I can tell you first hand that with a 27 composite ACT score, the schools where low income will be a factor and will meet 100% of your demonstrated need are going to be extreme reaches for you regardless of your low income status. So if you really want some advice, you need to start putting together a list with more realistic choices that include match and safety schools including a financial safety that if admitted, your family will be able to afford it.</p>
<p>Yes, you really do have a bit of an attitude problem, if you come across like this in your real life this process is really going to be an uphill battle for you because no one is going to want to give you the face to face help you need. Don't be one of those cases where people think about you the same way they think about trying to teach a pig to dance; waste of time and upsets the pig.</p>
<p>Looking for financial aid and looking for schools that will likely admit you should go hand in hand. There is no sense in seeking finaid info about schools where you will be an unlikely or chancy admit. Most of the need blind/meet 100% of need schools are the most competitive and would require SAT scores well into the 700's for each section, or an ACT in the 30's....or a nobel prize or patent for some well needed item. I would suggest that you look at schools that are within your safety range FIRST. Then build your list UP to your reaches. When I say "safety" I mean a financial as well as academic safety...one you can pay for and which you would be happy to attend. Re: your standardized tests scores...any chance you can retake them? Now that you know the time element, you could budget your time better. The reality is that for those competitive schools, you are not yet in the ballpark...never mind the game.</p>