<p>I've sent in my information, and they've responded saying I'm not eligible for a Pell grant and that the school will determine aid using my EFC. What the heck does that mean?</p>
<p>Along with the response you got, on the upper right corner of the SAR it says something like EFC:00000. If after "EFC" it says, for example, EFC: 15000, the amount that your family is expected to contribute for the next school year only is $15,000. Pell grants are only intended for the neediest of families. Using 15K as an EFC, if the school's cost of attendance is $30K and the school meets 100% of the need, the school would come up with a financial aid package of 15K which could include grants, scholarships and loans.</p>