<p>@4kidsdad Oh, no. Just a primary school :(</p>
<p>If your mom is a city teacher…but not at a college, it likely won’t matter at all for need based aid purposes.</p>
<p>And if she is a college employee, any aid you receive would not be need based…it would be a benefit of her job (and now tuition benefits are taxed).</p>
<p>ETA…have you taken the time to run the net price calculators for your colleges of choice? Do that.</p>
<p><<<
they are willing to pay around $25,000. When he graduates OR gets a job and begins to pay for his education, that will increase to around $35,000. So I’m not asking for much
,<<<</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter if you aren’t asking for much. it doesn’t matter that your family is willing to pay $25k. schools will expect them to pay more. </p>
<p>@mom2collegekids The point of this thread was to find ways to maximize my aid. I know that schools will expect me to pay more. I’m just trying to find ways to lower my EFC.</p>
<p>Your EFC is largely based on your parent income. There really are no loopholes,there. If they want to lower their EFC, they need to get lower paying jobs.</p>
<p>But even WITH a lower FAFSA EFC, the schools on your list do NOT guarantee to meet full need…or even half of it. So even IF your EFC was $15,000, a school like Syracuse could still expect you to pay all but the $5500 Direct Loan. They don’t guarantee to give need based grants to everyone…and they don’t. </p>
<p>I’m not sure what you don’t understand. Your parent income is too high to receive the kind of need based aid you seem to need. Your schools listed don’t guarantee to meet need anyway. Regardless of your EFC, it is the MINIMUM you should expect to pay to attend these listed colleges.</p>
<p>The NY instate options are within your budget. </p>
<p>Run the net price calculator for Syracuse. You will see your potential need based aid…potential. </p>
<p>ETA…the out of state public universities on your list also do NOT guarantee to meet full need. The only guarantee at those two schools is the $5500 Direct Loan. </p>
<p>@thumper1 I do get it. I was just restating the intent of the thread. Most people have just said that I won’t get aid or I should switch schools. However, I am asking with the schools that I do have on my list, is there anything I can do to essentially lower my EFC. I understand my family has a high income but I want to know if there is anything we can do to lower the EFC.</p>
<p>And I think that question has been answered. Your parents can get lower paying jobs…or quit working altogether. That will lower your EFC.</p>
<p>But even lowering your EFC will not mean higher financial aid at the schools on your list…it just won’t.</p>
<p>
Well yes, they can get lower paying jobs. Or quit working and lay on the porch.</p>
<p>@thumper1 Those can’t possibly be the only two options…</p>
<p>If majoring in journalism, you need to graduate with zero loans. Jobs in that field are scarce and low-paying.</p>
<p>You can’t choose schools based on personal preference in your situation. You need to look at schools based on their generosity. Try the NPC for a few schools that meet full need to see where you stand on need-based aid, and then look into generous schools for merit scholarships (see sticky threads at the top of this forum.) Forget about OOS publics for need-based.</p>
<p>Also, even if you do get an attractive answer for need-based at a generous college, run it again without the sibling, because that’s what you would have to pay after the sibling is out of school.</p>
<p>Sugar…your EFC is based on your family INCOME for the most part. Even with two in college, your EFC would be in the $30,000 range…at least.</p>
<p>But listen again! I’ll use Syracuse as my example. The college,does NOT meet full need for all,accepted students. So even with a lower EFC, you could very well not get any aid in excess of,that Direct Loan. And OOS public universities on your list also don’t guarantee to meet need. </p>
<p>The way to reduce EFC is to reduce income. </p>
<p>But if your family reduces their income, they won’t likely be able to even pay. $25k for you. Think of that.</p>
<p>Sure, apply to Syracuse, and Florida, and Wisconsin. But your parents have set a budget…if the schools don’t meet that, you will need to go where they can and will pay the bills.</p>
<p>You have many instate options to consider.</p>
<p>You can also look at schools that provide merit aid for your stats…see that thread referenced above.</p>
<p>But reduce EFC…yep…either get lower paying jobs or stop working. </p>
<p>Thank you guys so much for all the input!</p>
<p>Look at University of Missouri. COA is $39,000. They have an excellent journalism school. Retake the SAT or take the ACT, with a 27 or 1210 M & CR you would receive a $5000 scholarship. If you increase to a 30 or 1330 then that amount increases to $8500. </p>
<p>Agree about taking the ACT - some students do better on one test versus the other.</p>
<p>@YankeeBelle Wow! Thank you! I think I could definitely get my scores up there </p>
<p>@BobWallace I signed up to take both the ACT and SAT in a few weeks :)</p>
<p>Those are good options. Like a lot of us said…looking for merit awards is the way to go for you. It will be far more likely than reducing your EFC.</p>
<p>Thanks @thumper1 </p>
<p>You should also be aware that when people say that your EFC will be cut in half when your brother is in school, it only means the amt divided between the 2 of you, not that your parents EFC is cut in half.</p>
<p>You could also try reading this thread. Your situations sound identical.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1648061-upper-class-parents-won-t-pay-for-college-p1.html”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1648061-upper-class-parents-won-t-pay-for-college-p1.html</a></p>