<p>Here is a real situation…family cashed in all savings and spent the last three years sailing around the world on their yacht. Still have house and yacht, but when applying for FA, showed 0 income for last 3 years and no savings, so, guess what, full ride financial aid. Bear in mind this family was upper income and will probably be upper income again. It just chafes me that their kid (and this is a close relation and I love them but…) got full ride and mine got nothing. We have saved our butt off to pay for college instead of sailing around the world…</p>