<p>Assuming income stays the same, if you have one child in college and your EFC 1s 17K, if a second child enters college will your EFC be be split between both children? What I mean is in total your EFC will still be 17K but split between both children?</p>
<p>When FAFSA calculates each student’s EFC it will divide the part of the EFC generated by parent income/assets equally between the number of students reported on FAFSA. Any part of the EFC generated by the student’s income/assets will stay with that student.</p>
<p>Your EFC will be sort of split in half. It’s usually not exactly in half as student income/assets tend to vary between siblings.</p>
<p>However, just because your child’s EFC is 1/2 doesn’t mean that their aid will double. That completely depends on the need based financial aid policies of the colleges they are attending. If the school doesn’t meet full need, you might not see a penny of increased aid.</p>
<p>thumper is EXACTLY right.</p>
<p>Your efc may split because of 2 kids, but you may not see a dime more of aid because your EFC would still be above Pell amounts and most schools don’t meet need.</p>
<p>And…schools that use CSS Profile often do more of a 60/60 split (if they meet need).</p>
<p>What kinds of schools are/will your kids be attending?</p>
<p>Private schools known for excellent aid? (Often requiring CSS Profile)</p>
<p>Instate publics (which often don’t meet need)</p>
<p>Out of state publics (which OFTEN don’t meet need.)</p>
<p>Edited to add…I see that your Child #1 goes to Vassar. Does it use CSS Profile? If so, then the 50/50 doesn’t often apply.</p>
<p>Son attends Vassar as you know. They use the CSS profile. Can I expect to see some type of increase in financial aid once my second child enters college? They meet 100% need. My son is applying to Dartmouth for the 3-2 program. Three years at Vassar(physics degree), two years at Dartmouth(Engineering degree). How is Dartmouth with financial aid? I don’t know where my daughter will be going, she is entering her junior year in high school. My son is entering 2nd year of college. I was wondering about his years 4 and 5 and my daughters years 1 and 2.</p>
<p>Dartmouth College meets full need of all accepted students as THEY calculate that need to be. They also use the CSS Profile to determine the awarding of institutional aid.</p>
<p>Re: your son’s years 4-5, you will need to check with the college to see if they extend institutional aid for the 5th year of study. Some schools do and some schools don’t. If the 5th year is deemed graduate school study, you might not see the same types of aid as for undergrad. Inquire with Dartmouth about this.</p>
<p>It’s not graduate study as he would get two Bachelor degrees, one from Vassar and one from Dartmouth. Do you think with his senior year at Vassar with my daughter in her freshman year at whatever college there would be an increase in financial aid from Vassar because of the split EFC, since they are supposed to meet 100% need?</p>
<p>You still need to inquire about eligibility for need based aid for the FIFTH year of study. Some schools provide it and some do NOT!</p>
<p>Your aid should increase for your son’s senior year at Vassar (the year both kids are in college) but it’s very hard to tell you by how much. I’m sure you could call Vassar and inquire. They won’t be able to give you exact amounts because your need based aid for that year will be based on the previous year’s income and your assets at the time of filing the financial aid forms for that school year…but they CAN tell you their policies.</p>
<p>Thanks!****</p>