<p>Are you talking about $40,000 for a year, or $40,000 total over 4 years? </p>
<p>Also, are you assuming that your financial aid will all be grants? Not usually a safe assumption. If your EFC is $10,000 and you’re getting significant aid anywhere other than the few places that have “no loan” policies, your aid package is likely to include loans starting with $5500 in government backed loans your first year, and more in later years. Need doesn’t have to be met with grants and scholarship - it can be met with loans - and not all schools pledge to meet need.</p>
<p>Also, if you get outside scholarships, the school may see those as meeting your need, and reduce your aid package. That’s fine if it reduces the loans and work requriements within the aid package, but it still doesn’t reduce your family contribution.</p>