<p>My EFC was already calculated at around 21k. Does that mean I'll get about 45k in aid from Northwestern IF (a big if) I'm accepted?
45k would probably be broken down into $30k in scholarship and 15k in loans (I'm guessing).</p>
<p>It says directly on the Northwestern financial aid page that their awarded package is Cost - EFC, very explicitly I might add. And my EFC has already been calculated, so...?</p>
<p>Most private colleges and universities calculate your EFC based on their own formula, taking into account information from your FAFSA and CSS Profile. It may not be the same as the one calculated from the FAFSA or a NPC. The FAFSA does not take home equity into account while the CSS Profile does. </p>
<p>That said, if NU calculates your EFC at 21k, it is likely that your award would include $2500 in work-study money and it is likely that the scholarship portion is higher and the loan portion lower than your estimate. This excerpt is from their financial aid brochure:</p>
<p>“Our 2013 graduating seniors who borrowed through federal student loan programs had an average debt of $17,405.The University pledges that, in most circumstances, Northwestern scholarship recipients entering in fall 2013 will graduate with no more than $23,500 in need-based student loan debt.The median debt of students with private and need-based loans was $18,980.” <a href=“http://undergradaid.northwestern.edu/docs/FinancialAidOverview.pdf”>http://undergradaid.northwestern.edu/docs/FinancialAidOverview.pdf</a></p>
<p>I found the NPC at NU is pretty accurate. At the end, we got 10% more in scholarship and $1000 less in family contribution. The loan amount and work study are almost exactly as calculated. The increase in scholarship mainly covered the increase in CoA (my NPC was done 5 months ago).</p>