If your family’s EFC exceeds a college’s tuition by 8k to begin with, is there any chance of getting need-based financial aid? Is that surplus a legitimate reason for them to say no?
Run the college’s net price calculator (NPC) to get an estimated cost of attendance. NPCs may not be accurate if your parents are divorced, own a business, or own real estate beyond a primary home.
You say your EFC is greater than tuition…are you going to be living at home and commuting? Otherwise you have to add in room and board costs too.
EFC is really a misnomer…the vast majority of FAFSA only schools don’t meet full need, and schools that require CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA use the information from Profile to calculate the family’s contribution.