Help me with Financial Aid appeal! Thanks

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I'm a sophomore at USC, this year's financial aid package gives me a big headache :(</p>

<p>my fafsa EFC is 611 but EFC for usc is 8500! There's definitely a HUGE difference in EFC. I really don't know how they got this number! ;( </p>

<p>anyways..
they gave me a total grant of 3.8k ; total loans (6.5k) + workstudy (2.8k) =9.3k, leaving 8.5k for my family to cover.</p>

<p>how should i go about an appeal for financial aid? would it work? would it affect the package i already got?</p>

<p>ps: I'm expecting 3.5k scholarship from engineering school.</p>

<p>could anyone give me some suggestions? THANKS :)</p>