<p>.......
Just filled out the FAFSA, my EFC = 0..... is that good or bad?</p>
<p>My parents are separated, I live with my mother, gross income $13000/year...
I don't work...</p>
<p>Congratulations. You just won the FA lottery. Make sure you have applied to schools with good financial track records, and try to position yourself in the top 25% at 2 or 3 of them. If you pick the schools well, you should be able to get through college with very little out of pocket expense.</p>
<p>What about your dad? Usually whether or not parents are separated, divorced or never married, colleges determine EFC by the income of both parents. This can be true even if one parent refuses to give any $ or provide any info.</p>
<p>Having such a low EFC is not good. There are very few colleges that have the endowments that allow them to provide full financial aid to extremely needy students. Most of those colleges are among the toughest colleges in the country to gain acceptance to: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Amherst.</p>
<p>The one college that I know that is easier to gain acceptance to and that definitely provides great aid to low income students is Berea College, a well respected Kentucky college that serves only low income people.</p>
<p>Otherwise, people in your situation often have to go to either a local public 4-year college, where they can live at home or they end up going to a community college for 2 years and then transferring.</p>
<p>If your state's public institutions offer good merit aid for students with your kind of stats, you may be able to financially afford such a college by living at home or taking out loans (to pay for costs like room and board that the merit aid doesn't cover).</p>
<p>Look carefully at the financial aid sites of all colleges you are considering. Don't set yourself up for disappointment by assuming that because you need $, the colleges willl give you that $. Probably the majority of colleges lack the bucks to give students 100% of their documented financial need. Many colleges give financial aid only to their top applicants who need $. Many colleges also gap aid, giving students as much as $20,000 a year less than the students need. Colleges also can provide aid by giving students large loans, not grants.</p>
<p>There's plenty of info about this on CC. Check the archives.</p>
<p>If you are NOT a US citizen, it will be very difficult to get financial aid as most colleges do NOT give aid to nonUS citizens. The few that do tend to be places like Harvard.</p>
<p>Public institutions are unlikely to give financial aid to students who reside outside of their states. They feel that they owe the scholarship money to their state's taxpayers.</p>
<p>Good night N-mom... I'm not certain what your experience has been, but a 0 EFC is no reason for doom and gloom.</p>
<p>Most schools do not consider non-custodial income, and there are plenty of schools that offer very generous FA packages. But you have to do your homework.</p>
<p>Scottaa,
If you check the OP's back posts, he immigrated here 2 years ago. He is an international, and will have a hard time getting aid for that reason.</p>
<p>He also is a New York state resident with mediocre stats (1200 or so v, m SAT) and has applied to many out of state public institutions. He does not have the stats for the relatively few colleges that are generous with internationals. </p>
<p>He needs to talk to his GC ASAP and get advice about the best places to apply now that are likely to give him the aid that he needs. More than likely, his best chance of being able to afford college is going locally to a public 4 year or 2 year institution.</p>
<p>This is what he posted earlier this month. He said that he applied Jan. 1 to the colleges. He's a longshot for most in terms of admisison (standards are higher for out of state admissions to public institutions, rolling admissions colleges are more difficult to gain admission to the later one applies), and probably is not likely to get decent financial aid or even any financial aid from any that accept him.</p>
<p>He needs to have a serious talk with his GC, and also look at 4-year and 2-year public colleges that are within commuting distance.</p>
<h2>"realistic chance...last minute HELP! </h2>
<p>With a 86.14 GPA and 1210 SAT (CR+M), decent essay
What are my chances at these schools?</p>
<p>Penn State
SUNY binghamton
SUNY baffalo
Indiana U
Ohio State U
Michigan state U
U of Maryland
U of Pittsburgh
Pace U
U of Connecticut
University of Delaware
Univ. of Massachusetts Amherst"</p>
<p>My apologies. You were obiously responding to your specific knowledge of his situation. From what you just showed with me, I would agree completely.</p>
<p>I checked the US News premium guide for SUNY Buffalo. The average percent of financial need that it met for first year students was 70%. 63% of first year students who applied for financial aid had their need fully met. Only 54% of all undergraduates who applied for financial aid had their need fully met. </p>
<p>Things considered in awarding need-based financial aid: "Criteria used in awarding institutional need-based aid:
academics, minority status, art, music/drama, athletics, religious affiliation, state/district residency "</p>
<p>Another example: Pace U. Only 8% of first year students had their financial need fully met excluding PLUS loans. Only 6% of other students had their financial need fully met. </p>
<p>Average total indebtedness of 2004 graduating class: $28,695</p>
<p>It's worth it to pay the $15 for the US News Premium on-line edition to check out this info for colleges before bothering to apply.</p>
<p>Op has applied to a list of public univerisites in states where he is not a resident. His chances of getting FA outside of loans is going to be pretty close to nil.</p>
<p>If he is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, the amount of federal aid s/he receives is going to be very limited. </p>
<p>As a NYS resident, OP will be eligible for TAP: </p>
<p>New York State residents who are full-time matriculated students may qualify for the Tuition Assistance Program. For eligible students, awards range from a minimum of $500 to a manimum of $2,750 per year.
<a href="http://www.sunysccc.edu/adm-fin/finnysgr.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.sunysccc.edu/adm-fin/finnysgr.htm</a></p>
<p>Even if OP gets the maximum amount of TAP, it is not going to make a dent in the COA at the SUNY schools.</p>
<p>Depending on his/her income may be eligible for the EOP at Binghamton and Buffalo (but they must apply).</p>
<p><a href="http://bingfa.binghamton.edu/eopaid.htm%5B/url%5D">http://bingfa.binghamton.edu/eopaid.htm</a> </p>
<p>It is in his/her best interest to apply to the HEOP programs in NYS, it money is a big issue because that is where they have the best chance of getting aid.</p>
<p>Thank you guys
I am a permanent resident of United States.
My father doesn't give any money to us.</p>
<p>It may be worth your while to look at a comm college for the first year and search out more generous schools where you would place well next year. This may sound dissappointing, but keep the big picture in mind.</p>
<p>As a permanent resident you are qualified for same amount of fin aid as US citizen.
Applying for state schools where you oos student is not going to give you fin aid- it is always given to instate students first. Very few oos students get some good merit money this way. Private schools have more flexibility BUT they also obligated to give federal aid first to their instate students.
If you have some significant achievement that will stand you out of crowd some schools might be interested in you enough to offer you money. Even your diversity card/being a recent immigrant, fluent in several languages etc./ might be attractive if you present it nicely to right college. You should look at colleges that traditionally offer nice FA and might be trying to increase their diversity, or admit more people from first generation college bound if you are the one.
Anyway, time is running and many schools already past their deadlines for merit schoarships. It might make sence to go to local community college for a year or commute to nearby state school and work out plan to transfer.
I have seen this idea many times on this forum if one has low EFC college will give them bunch of grant money and they will get their education almost for free.
I am glad that Northstarmom and Scottaa provide some reality check on this issue.</p>