<p>I made just under 10,000 in 2004...my EFC is 1660....
21 year old Independent Student.</p>
<p>Aviva, </p>
<p>Please make sure that you meet all of the requirements for the colleges to consider you an idependent student, or you must also use your Parent's income</p>
<p>The paper FAFSA as well as the FAFSA online clearly state the conditions by which a student is considered to be independent student. Unless you are a returning college student it is unlikely that you are an Independent student. If you should qualify for independent student status it means your parents income and assets are not included on the either the paper FAFSA or the FAFSA online. </p>
<p>How To Determine Your Dependency Status</p>
<p>The following 7 questions, which are listed on the FAFSA, determine your dependency status. If the student answers yes to any of the following questions the student is independent otherwise you are dependent. Nothing else matters in the dependency analysis, it doesn't matter where the student lives or who does or doesn't claim the student for tax purposes. </p>
<p>*The Following Questions Determine Your Status *</p>
<p>Are you 24 year of age or older?
Are you married?
Are you enrolled in a master or doctorate program?
Do you have children who receive more than half of their support form you?
Do you have dependents other than your children or spouse who live with you?
Are you an orphan or ward of the state?
Are you a veteran of the U.S. armed forces? </p>
<p>If you answered yes to any one of the above questions you're an independent student and you should consider how to maximize your financial aid package for an adult student or returning adult student. </p>
<p>Otherwise, you must use your parent's information on the FAFSA and any other financial aid form.</p>
<p>Sybbie:
I was a ward of the court until my 18th birthday. That's why I'm an independent student. I also have a good relationship with my family and I never lost that even with what has transpired. I'm sorry that I never fully explained that.....
California had a grant for students who were "Former Foster Youth" as they like to put it. It's 5,000 dollars a year. I used mine to pay for a computer ( which makes papers so much easier to do when I have the internet to do some research, and the various World Processing preograms to type everything up right at my fingertips!) , books for two terms and I put the rest up to cover any school expenses that might not be covered in the future with grants and scholarships.</p>
<p>Aviva,</p>
<p>That's really inspiring that you have not allowed the past to define your future. You prove that you can overcome diversity if you have the will to do so. I hope that everything continues to fall into place for you and you are able to fulfill all your dreams.</p>
<p>All the best</p>
<p>the CC EFC calculator was accurate to within $5 for me</p>
<p>will someone explain what the EFC means. Like i know it means expected family contribution but is it for 1 yr or all 4 yrs??? Mine is WAYYYYYY HIGH, 97,072 is mine. So does that mean they think my family has the ability to pay 97 grand a year for a college? that means i have like no chance of gettin n e financial aid scholarships from schools cause they think im too rich. ARG!</p>
<p>EFC is for one year. It is calculated annually.</p>
<p>holy ****, that means i get nothin</p>
<p>That EFC is a little high Umardarr....you should double check all of the information on your FAFSA and make sure that it's completely correct.</p>
<p>My EFC which I just got today is 56! I'm pretty happy but I still expected it to be 0.</p>
<p>Yea, it's odd that a few of ours came out 0 on the calculator but came out higher on the fasfa. Oh well, still can't complain.</p>