<p>I've been accepted to Medill at NU and I would love to go. NU has been my dream school for years and I fell in love when I visited last week! :) That said, I cannot afford to pay tuition unless I take out tons of loans. Fafsa calculated my EFC to be 51k, and my dad has only 25k or so left after mortgages, retirement funds, cost of living and the like. I am middle-class and I don't mind taking a smaller loan but I can't imagine taking out 20k. That said, I want to appeal or at least call but I don't know what to say. The aid office originally told us their hands are tied because they count retirement as untaxed income.</p>
<p>I hope I'm not sounding ignorant, but I'm at a loss (as are my parents) and may 1 is coming soon. What can I tell the aid office or at least attempt to do? Is anyone else in a similar situation?</p>