<p>college still is asking for 20K!</p>
<p>Is is a college that meet 100% demonstrated need? Most colleges do not meet 100% need (gap). It will be on you to fill the gap. Do you have a financial safety?</p>
<p>Most colleges do not meet full need for most of their students. In fact, it’s the very rare college that does. And the colleges that do, use PROFILE, not FAFSA to come up with need.</p>
<p>My close friend was on food stamps and had her kids had zero EFCs and they did not qualify for a dime of financial aid that came out of any of the PROFILE college’s accounts. Only the federal and state entitlements were what some schools reputed to be generous would give because there was a well to do non custodial parent around, even though he refused to pay. So it is possible to be a zero EFC and still not be eligible to college aid.</p>
<p>But in most cases, it’s simply that the college doesn’t have the money to give. So they gap most students.</p>
<p>This is why the feds HAVE to get rid of that misnomer EFC. It makes people think that if they have a 0 EFC then they pay nothing. </p>
<p>EFC is rather meaningless. Schools aren’t obligated to do anything with that except see what FED aid you qualify for…which isn’t much.</p>
<p>The fed gov’t can’t require schools to magically produce thousands of dollars to cover their students’ bills.</p>
<p>
What is your question?
They would pay nothing if their child go to their state’s community colleges or in-state schools.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Not necessarily. There are instate univs that cost more than federal aid…especially if the student has to pay room and board.</p>
<p>I agree with mom2collegekids, unless you do not consider taking loans to be paying (I would consider it paying). In California, which is on the cheaper end, I’ll have to take out federal loans for a CSU. In community college I don’t pay at all, but some of that aid is state tuition waivers (AB540 and BOG). So, my situation is state specific, as is every situation here.</p>
<p>
True for community college, but not for in-state 4 year schools. I don’t know what in State schools cost where you live, but they are a LOT more than the max Pell where I live. The COA for our State schools is over $20,000 (and I suspect we are in one of the cheaper States).</p>
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<p>This myth makes me pull my hair out. It’s a MYTH. CC? Yes.
Just the TUITION at most of my state’s universities are far more than twice the the full Pell grant. Even above Pell + federal loans. Total COA is 4-5x full Pell at our top state Us.</p>
<p>^^ Agree, Most of the kids our family know with families that could not afford college started at CC (and worked) then commuted to the state U (and worked). Some states you cannot fund college tuition, even 2 years without working and carrying a lower load. I think the “pay nothing” state universities are pretty rare birds these days.</p>
<p>And not everyone lives in a city within commuting distance to a University. We do have a CC about 30 miles away, so that’s commutable. But the nearest 4 year is much further away. And there is no public transportation between cities in this area (no bus, no train).</p>
<p>^^Yes and for kids in that situation they need to be able to pony up for rent on top of the tuition (and working0.</p>
<p>For New York State resident student attending SUNY UB, the financial aid could be within $100 of the COA. Your mileage may vary.</p>
<p>UB On Campus COA is $23,721. See <a href=“http://financialaid.buffalo.edu/costs/undergradcost.php[/url]”>http://financialaid.buffalo.edu/costs/undergradcost.php</a></p>
<p>If your EFC is 0, then your Financial Aid could be $23,639:
Pell Grant - $5,644
NYS TAP - $5,000
SUNY Tuition Credit - $595
SEOG - $400
Direct Loans - $7,500
Perkins Loans - $1,000
Work Study - $3,500</p>
<p>I must admit that not every “0 EFC” student gets SEOG and Perkins Loans.</p>
<p>And many (most?) states have no funding programs for their students. Federal aid is the only guaranteed aid. </p>
<p>FWIW, I was a 0 EFC student for 3 years and never got a SEOG.</p>
<p>Also, ditto what swim said. We have no public transportation and most people in northern Michigan and the UP don’t have a commutable university. This is extremely common, especially in large (geographically) states. I’m commuting to Michigan next year and even though on paper it’s only a 20 mile drive, it’s about an hour commute due to poor parking. That’s a huge chunk of time every day and for poor students holding down a job, it might be too much.</p>
<p>For families who are truly under the financial gun and are already not making ends meet, even local state and community college costs can be a challenge. It’s even a challenge having a kid out of high school that works or has to get somewhere. Unless you live in an area that has public transportation or unless you have an extra car, an extra person with the time to drive, for the new high school grad to get ANYWHERE on a regular consistent basis is a real problem. </p>
<p>I’ve seen this many, many times. Public transportation options non existant. Everyone in the family is just barely getting to where they need to go with already unreliable transportation, and there is no money. It’s not just the college that is the issue but for that high schooler to get anywhere. Realistically, the kid needs a car or someone to drive him. I remember my DH’s aunt getting up at 5 AM with her son, dropping him off where he could take a bus to college. Every day he had a class she would do that because she had to be at work by a certain time, and so if she didn’t do it then, she couldn’t do it. Kid got to college around 7AM , and the bus cost was not cheap either, and stayed till he could bum a ride back close enough to home to make his way back there. That was the local school for him. It took a lot of concerted effort from him and family to make it work, because they could not afford another car and insurance/maintenance for it. Some years later in a different scenario, I tried to GIVE a car to someone in our family who could not afford to take it. I rememeber another family member who could not afford the upright freezer I wanted to GIVE them because they lived counting every dollar and extra electric costs were not in the picture. I have been humbled many times by those who are truly living counting every mile they drive in their cars, every kilo watt of electricity. A kid graduating from high school represents new costs and problems regardless of what he does, if not in a area that is accessible.</p>
<p>I live in an area that does have public transportation, but the cost of a bus ride is very high these days. To buy a pass, requires outlay of funds some don’t have. When you live a life where you pay for these things without blinking an eye, you can lose touch on how difficult it is for those who have NO leeway. It’s not just a college problem. Some of them have trouble coming up with the upfront money to even get a job and get to it regularly. Flat broke can mean not even a dime extra.</p>
<p>Romanigypsyeyes, my cousin did find a job on campus, the cousin who went to state U every day at 7AM. His mother got him to a bus by 6AM, got him to campus by 7AM regardless of when his class started. He had to spend the day on campus studying and finding things to do around his class. And he initially brought a water bottle and a bag of food from home. But in time, he found a job–really nearly full time before it was all over, and that gave him and the family breathing room. BUt when one is flat broke or worse, there is often no way to come up with even a dollar a day for transportation.</p>
<p>Every student is also not going to get a direct loan for $7500. You ate making an assumption that the parent will;</p>
<p>Apply for the PLUS loan ( as I have met parents who absolutely refuse to apply for loans)</p>
<p>If the parent does apply for a loan that they will automatically be rejected.</p>