EFC increased by $27,000, but how?

Of course being away at school, there are things I am not privy to that go on at home. I was just informed that my sibling was dismissed from school this semester after being on academic probation and not improving. The numbers all looked the same but that important detail was left out. The dismissal lasts for a year and as such, my mom did not list them as being enrolled in college. My sibling is technically still a student, they’re just a student who cannot take classes for academic reasons. Should we maintain that my parents only have one student in college? This is embarrassing and I apologize for the mix-up.

My parents could afford both of us before because it was just my tuition + the cost of a local commuter school (roughly 1/5 the cost of my tuition, after aid). This is essentially doubling what my parents would be required to pay in tuition, which is not feasible. Should I speak to the finaid office ahead of time or just wait to see what they say and appeal?

Your parents indeed only have one student in college. The fact that your sibling is a “college student” but is not actually enrolled in college (i.e. no tuition is being paid) isn’t relevant.

Your mom filled out the form correctly since your sibling is not enrolled in college.

Don’t be embarrassed- be glad you found out now before your meeting with NU.

Yes, because your brother is not in school. Even if he were taking classes somewhere else, he would not be a matriculated (pursuing a degree) student at that school.

While the news is disappointing, at least you now know why there is a change in your EFC

@CaliCash Don’t worry about the mix-up, stuff happens. When do you expect to hear about your FA package? Was it all need based aid or was some merit aid?

Better to,ask…and find out…than not to know. No need to be embarrassed.

But yes…your family now only has one student in college. And this likely will have an impact on your need based aid award at NU. Right now…that is an important detail for you to discuss with your parents…in terms of covering the costs.

Can they cover these costs for your two remaining years at NU? That, now, is the important conversation to have.

ETA. You certainly can talk to the financial aid office about this issue… but I’m not sure how they will respond. The fact is…there is now only one student in college…not two.

I think I would have this conversation with your parents…and make an appointment with financial,aid sooner than later. You need to understand where you stand on the financial front.

@CaliCash as of today your parents have one child in school. Your sibling is not taking classes and your parents are not paying tuition for him/her.

Don’t be embarrassed- you had every right to be confused and ask these questions. It does not hurt to speak with the FA office but do not expect them to count your sibling as being in college. EFCs go up for everybody once a sibling graduates or leaves. Good luck- I hope you can make this work.

I had a kid who went to a meets need school and I had 2 in college. But once I had only 1 in college the amount of money we were expected to pay effectively doubled as it should.

We felt lucky that the school was able to help us as we had 2 in college but knew that when one of those kids graduated our costs would be as there were one in school.

It was great when there were 2 in school, one school did not meet need and we did not get any FA help from one. But we knew when the one kid graduated that our costs would go up.

Does your sibling have student loans?

The family needs to understand that IF the sibling returns to college in one year, he will be 25 and he STILL will not be counted.

I’m concerned that the family may put “2” down next year, get a wrong estimate of aid, be happy, and then when everything shakes out, the aid would get pulled away.

@mom2collegekids Just to clarify? Once you’re 25, you can no longer be considered a dependent, even if you’re relying on your parents and live with them? And also, what you’re saying is, my senior year, even if my parents are paying for two kids? They’ll only look at it as them paying for one? Is that at the federal level or institutional level, or both?

@Fishnlines29 My aid is only need based. I’ll get my package in maybe a month or so? Not exactly sure when.

@mommdc No. My parents covered everything. I do have loans though. I have the unsubsidized Stafford loans. Right now, in at $9,000 and I really don’t want to take out private loans.

I just wondered if sibling might have student loans that could come due when not in school.

@kelsmom can a 25 yr old who is attending (undergraduate) college still be counted as member of household AND student in college if parents are supporting them?
Even if they are independent for federal aid purposes?

How would Northwestern treat this? That’s what you need to find out.

I had a friend who had a college son living at home. She claimed that once he was over 24 for financial aid purposes he was independent and pell grant eligible. I think he spent 6 years in college and once he was independent he was eligible for federal financial aid.

Iit is not Calicash who would be Pell eligible but her sibling. This sibling was attending a low cost public school and just paying tuition, but Calicash was receiving credit for having a sibling in school, a benefit of $27000 to her even though parents were only paying $3-5k in tuition.

Because NU is a CSS school, no idea how the school will treat this change. Calicash was not receiving federal Pell benefits.

@twoinanddone I was answering @CaliCash question that her sibling would no longer be considered a dependent even if he was still living at home and relying on the parents for support.

i was giving an example that even though he was living at home, once he passed that 24 year age, he was considered independent for financial aid purposes and pell grant eligible.

Unfortunately in @CaliCash case, it would be much more beneficial for her sibling to be a dependent and for her parents to pay for the siblings school. But unless I’m very wrong, I don’t see that the sibling will be able to be counted as part of her financial aid once they are over 24.

She will have to talk to her school and see how they see it.

Each college determines how they treat independent siblings who are still in college. But that isn’t going to help calicash AT ALL for the upcoming school year. Her sibling will not be on college.

@CaliCash print out your 2017-2018 fafsa. Print out your 2017-2018 Profile.

Make an appointment with financial aid ASAP…like this week…and see what they can tell you.

For the upcoming year…there will only be one in college…period…and the age doesn’t matter…because there is ONLY one student in college for 2017-2018.

@CaliCash needs to find out how NU will treat this situation for institutional aid purposes…if and when the sibling returns to college. But really…that’s a total unknown…and not a slam dunk that the sib will return to college…or when that will happen.

Most important is the 2017-2018 school year! No sibling in college.

  1. What can your parents pay out of current earnings for your college costs?
  2. Run the net price calculator for a gross estimate of your need based aid. It won't be perfect because it's for incoming freshmen...but since NU meets full need for all...it should,give you an idea of what your need based aid award will be.
  3. Your federally funded loan will be $7500 next year. Every penny counts.
  4. If you don't already have a job...get one. And I hope you have a full time paid job for the summer as well.
  5. You have $9000 total in loans so far? So what would the loan amounts be for two remaining years? And will your parents cosign.
  6. I forget your major...will you have the potential to repay $60,000 total in student loans when you graduate? What is the job market like for students in your major...entry level salaries, etc.

The FAFSA uses skip logic. The minute it asks him about the year that he was born, it is automatically not going to ask him for his parents information because it will determine that he is independent for federal aid purposes.

The challenge will be for brother, as a independent student, if he is eligible for federal/state aid, parents would need to pay more than half of his cost of attendance. Northwestern will ultimately decide if he should be considered as one in college for CaliCash’s FA. Northwestern will most likely ask for his financial aid package to see how much parents will be paying for brother after financial aid.

@thumper1

My parents are telling me that the finances are none of my business and that I’m being “obsessive” and distracting from my school work by worrying about the finances. They said my job is being a student.

  1. I don't have an exact amount but my parents are telling me not to worry about it because they've never approached me to ask me to pay for my education.
  2. I'll run an NPC.

3/5. I’m hesitant to take out even more loans. My parents are saying they are willing to pay my loans for right now. We have no intention of me borrowing more.

  1. I do have a part time job. It will be tough to get a summer job because NU students finish school so late.
  2. I am a journalism major. Journalists aren't exactly raking in the big bucks straight out of college.

I think at this point, aside from running a NPC, my options are limited. There’s only so much I can do when my parents are telling me repeatedly to not worry about it. I’ve always been the type to be proactive and look to the future. If my parents are telling me to focus on the now, my hands are tied. All I can do is continue to save from my job.

^^Good way to proceed. You are doing your part to keep costs down and save your earnings. I think you can be helpful once the package comes out for next year and you can appeal while you are still at school.