<p>Ok, I am asking this for my gf, but anyway here it is: She comes from a family of 6, 2 parents and 4 kids including herself. Their parents really don't have any savings at all, and really havn't paid off much of their house. I am pretty confident that their total family income is around 46-50 k before taxes. How much of a grant do you think this is worth. I am guessing that this is an efc close to 0 but just a hunch.</p>
<p>i dont think i could tell you how much they would give, but i do know that they do take into consideration debt owed on houses. i talked to a fin aid person and they did tell me that</p>
<p>There are several sites with quick estimators of EFC, or Estimated Family Contribution. No school will give you more than the difference between total cost and EFC. Elite schools, including Wash U, generally guarantee to meet full need, which means they will put together a package that covers the difference between EFC and total cost. That package may include some loans and work study. The quailty of the package varies from one school to the next, and most schools cannot cover the whole gap. </p>
<p>One estimator can be found at: FinAid</a> | Calculators | QuickEFC</p>
<p>In general, I would say do NOT be afraid to apply anywhere because of cost. Apply, and find out what aid they can offer. If it is not enough, then don't attend. But you will never find out if you do not ask.</p>
<p>Since, wash u is about 45 thousand total and they give 20 percent in loans. Assuming she has an efc of around 0 that would make her take loans on 9-15 k a year with the rest being covered in grants? Does that sound about right.</p>
<p>Really too hard to speculate. Elite schools also try to limit the total debt load of its students, so that they will move away from a standard package as debt increases. I will stick with my advice that if she wants to go there, apply. They will work very hard to build a fair package. She can always say no.</p>
<p>My family income was well above that, and I'm paying about half tuition (mostly scholarships, with some loans and a work study). I really think that if WashU wants a student, they find a way to make it possible for them to attend.</p>
<p>One more piece of advice...</p>
<p>Do not hesitate to call or write the Financial Aid office well before you get a decision, or even before you apply. They will be happy to discuss their program with you and help you with the aid application process.</p>