<p>So what the FAFSA is expecting my family to pay is...way higher than what we can actually afford. For Ivy League schools or schools like Williams/Amherst that say they meet 100% demonstrated need, is the demonstrated need determined solely by the FAFSA and CSS PROFILE?</p>
<p>A better answer for your specific schools will be to use the Net Price Calculator at each school. Each school calculates need a little differently, and the calculator at the school is the best estimate of aid. That being said, while some Ivies are super generous with aid, most schools, even ones that claim to meet full need, are going to be around where the FAFSA EFC is, and it is not uncommon for private school EFCs to be even higher.</p>
<p>Alright thanks. Ugh this is not very great news…but I guess I should have been expecting it.</p>
<p>Private school EFCs can be higher or lower than FAFSA EFC. My daughter was offered $20K more financial aid from one private school than FAFSA EFC would have predicted.</p>
<p>Try the NPCs for some schools you are interested in.</p>
<p>A very small number of the tippy top schools offer “super aid” and may determine your “family contribution” to be less - sometimes much less - than your FAFSA EFC.</p>
<p>however, some privates who use CSS Profile may determine that your family contribution should be more than FAFSA EFC. </p>
<p>As Bob mentions, you need to use the NPCs on each school’s site. don’t be mislead by Harvard or Williams NPCs…those school do give super aid. A school like Cornell or JHU probably won’t be as generous.</p>
<p>It all depends on your particualr situation as to whether or not FAFSA or PROFILE is more favorable to you and what factors the indifvidual school examines in PROFILE. Some school, particularly Catholic ones, will take into account tuition paid for siblings of student in private school k-12, for instance. FAFSA does not. But for most people the FAFSA EFC will be lower than what most PROFILE school will come up with as and expected contribution. </p>
<p>The thing with PROFILE schools, however, is that you may not find out what they expect you to pay through their financial aid formula if they have merit within aid situations. A family that qualifies for say $5K of aid, may get a $10K or whatever amount grant that is offered only to those who qualify for financial aid, so an award could be a combination of need and merit. Such awards generally go to those students the school most wants. </p>
<p>NPCs tend to be most accurate on those schools that guarantee to meet full need and have no merit awards. Once you throw in other factors, those calculations have too many variables for an average to be accurate for any given person.</p>
<p>That’s one of the major reasons why I’m really hoping to get into Yale or Williams, etc. I got deferred EA from Yale. But I applied to a bunch of safeties in hopes of getting some decent merit aid. Worst comes to worst I go to UConn tuition free - valedictorians of CT high schools only need to pay room or board I believe. But thanks again. I’ll try to look at those NPC when I get some free time. Such a stressful process!</p>
<p>And right, I’d only rely on the NPC’s for schools that are strictly need based.</p>
<p>Sounds like you already have a good financial safety in UConn. Good luck with the reach schools, and the merit possibilities!</p>
<p>Thank you! What will be heartbreaking is if I manage to get into one of my top choices but can’t attend because of money. I guess I’ll deal with that when the time comes.</p>
<p>Every year many students learn that their “top choices” are unaffordable too late in the game to readily come up with decent second or even third choices. You are way ahead of them because you have decent options that you do like.</p>
<p>ealdi94, sounds like you have a good grasp of how this whole “affordability” thing works. One piece of advice - don’t get caught up in the college’s “dream school” scam. Well, maybe “scam” isn’t the right word, but colleges have fostered this whole “one right school for each kid” idea to try to lock kids/parents in regardless of cost so junior isn’t heartbroken that he/she can’t go the “the RIGHT” college for them. Hogwash! </p>
<p>Most kids can succeed at many different colleges. Heck, for most, the biggest influence in the whole “college experience” is really the kids on your floor freshman year - NOT the college itself. So don’t get into a mindset that you may have to “settle” for a “lesser” college! Be proud that you have options and select one you’ll enjoy, learn at and be able to afford. Don’t go into it expecting the one you choose (for academic, social and cost reasons) won’t be “right” for you - it will be right if YOU make it right.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Each school determines need its own way. Most schools will just use the FAFSA EFC but they do not guarantee, nor do they give everyone 100% of what their need ends up being. The schools like Williams, Amherst, etc who do guarnantee to meet all need, almost all request PROFILE information or other info, and use that to determine need, their definition of it. Only a relatively small number of schools guarantee to meet need, even as they define it themselves and then even fewer meet it with pure grants. </p>
<p>You do get federal grants, loans and workstudy, and usually state money based on the FAFSA EFC. It is entirely possible to get aid that way and not be eligbile for a dime of a college’s money. Happens all of the time to those with non custodial parent situations or whose parents have a lot of equity in a primary home.</p>