Cali, are you interpreting the EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) as the maximum your parents will be expected to pay per child? The EFC is the MINIMUM they’ll be expected to pay. That’s why other posters are saying that if your sister’s total expenses are less than $10k, colleges may expect your parents to come up with a much larger chunk for you. It makes sense from their perspective because if your parents combined EFC for 2 children is $70k but they’re only spending $10k on child 1, theoretically they have ~$60k to spend on child 2.
@austinmshauri The schools in applying to meet full need and that would be making up the difference. Look, I’m not concerned about that right now. It’s not what I’m asking about.
@CaliCash, colleges meet full need according to THEIR definition of need. If your EFC is $35k, that’s the least you’ll be expected to pay. Don’t be surprised if the figure they give you is much higher. My point is that if you’re going to ask your grandpa for help, wait for acceptances and financial aid offers so you have solid numbers to discuss or you run the risk of getting him to agree to $35k/year and end up needing $50k or more/year.
Getting help from grandparents isn’t a bad thing. How you approach it makes all the difference. I wouldn’t offer your opinions about the rest of the family because while your aunts, uncles, and much older cousins may seem like distant relatives to you, they’re your grandpa’s very own children and grandchildren. Focusing the discussions on program costs and benefits will likely yield better results.
^#(^
@ProudMomX3 =D>
Yeah, if you’ve used NPC’s to calculate your EFC with checking off 1 sibling in college (meaning they’d half your original estimate of 70k to 35k), it’s probably inaccurate and will rise when you have to submit your sibling’s tuition price and they realize you can afford a lot more than 35k.
Soooooo here is an update. I ended up getting a lot of scholarship money from most of my schools 5/8 so far, so I’m not gonna be asking for money. It just seemed selfish. Instead, I shall be flying down to my grandfathers wedding just to be with him 
Terrific.
Congrats to both you, for your scholarships, and to your grandpa on his nuptuals. Is he an optimist - is he planning to buy a house near an elementary school?
Congratulations, by happenstance you have chosen the correct course of action!
The problem wasn’t that it would seem selfish, the problem was that asking your grandfather for money would have been exploitative. He doesn’t owe you (or your parents) a thing; he worked for his money, he raised his children, and he should be able to live his life and spend his time and money however he pleases.
This is not like a situation where you had actual NEED for money, like being charged with murder and needing a top defense attorney, or having a rare form of cancer that can only be treated with an experimental procedure that your insurance doesn’t cover, or whatever. This was purely a situation where you simply wanted to go to a college that was outside your budget, and instead of just accepting the financial limitations, you were thinking, “Gramps has money - I could use it!”
Many years ago, my grandmother was living in an old victorian house with these awesome clawfoot bathtubs. I once asked her if she would leave me one when she died. She got very upset and said I was waiting for her to die! Years later when she died, her estate was simply divided straight up among her children, and I don’t care about the tub - I’m working, I can buy my own if I want - but I’d give anything to have my grandmother back.
A few years ago the subject of inheritance came up when I was talking with my Dad. I told him I really hoped he and Mom enjoyed their money in retirement, they worked hard enough for it, and I hoped that it ran out just exactly at the end of their lives so they got full use of it. I also said, we all have careers and don’t need anything, but if you DO leave anything, just treat us all equally.
Be sure that when you welcome your new stepgrandmother to the family, you tell her that she makes grandpa happy and that’s all that matters to anyone.
Congratulations, CaliCash! Great job.
@3puppies He’s moving in with her and letting my dad keep his house. I don’t even wanna think about what that asset is gonna do to my financial aid. 
I looked at this thread earlier today and laughed out loud. Go grandpa! Out of curiosity, how old is your grandfather;'s bride to be?? Will she really sign a prenup that says she gets nothing?? Thats really nuts.
If grandpa maintains ownership of the house, it won’t do anything to your aid.
@jym626 She’s a little more than 20 years younger than him
Maybe she has more $$ than he does, and HE should sign the prenup!!
So, upper 60s and a 90 year old? Wow!