<p>When a college asks how much you can pay, I'd go with a lower number. They'll base the amount you should pay on their EFC calculation anyway.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>The EFC amount is USUALLY the amount of money that the parents would feel COMFORTABLE paying</p> </blockquote>
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<p>Actually, the EFC is the amount calculated by the University that they expect the family to pay. The EFC can be quite UNcomfortable for many families. For instance, a family with high income/high expenses but few assets may find the EFC far beyond what they can pay from current income; with low savings, loans for the EFC are the only option.</p>