<p>I'm currently committed to Ithaca College. My parents thought they would be able be able to handle the 31k EFC but they've realize with my dad 7 years away from retirement, an increase in their mortgage, and the fact that my brother goes to RIT, they probably can't do it. They both make 96k a year together but it's expected to go down next year since my dad is cutting back on his hours. </p>
<p>They told me I can't not go to school in September. But the thing is all the other schools I applied to basically gave me the same amount. They all gave me half even the state schools. </p>
<p>Ithaca is my top choice and I've already found a roommate and put down my deposit. I really don't want to go through the hassle of trying to figure an alternative. </p>
<p>Do you think it's too late to appeal my financial aid? Or at least talk to a financial director about it? </p>
<p>I understand that my family technically makes a lot but they're foreign so they really didn't understand the concept of saving money for college. At least bringing the EFC to 25k would make them feel better.</p>
<p>Can anyone help me out? I'm not here for rudeness either. I'm very stressed out at the moment and I really wouldn't appreciate someone being rude.</p>
<p>It should also be noted that I did my FASFA and CSS on my own (once again when you foreign parents you’re expected to do those things on your own) and I’m not even sure if I did it correctly. </p>
<p>@Gigi92, I’m sorry that you are going through this worry. I understand how stressful it must feel to hear that you may not be able to attend school this September.</p>
<p>Since you did the FAFSA and CSS profile on your own, is there any way that you can call the Financial Aid department at Ithaca and ask them to go over these documents with you? I think they are difficult documents to navigate, and I say that as a parent who has filled them out many times. Perhaps in talking to the people in Financial Aid, and going over the details with them, you could understand if there could potentially be some fields that you did not fully understand what the forms were asking. Correcting these numbers may potentially help your situation.</p>
<p>Please note that I am not an expert in these things, and that the Financial Aid office would be the best place to advise you.</p>
<p>“Basically, your financial need is the difference between what it costs to go to Ithaca and what you are expected to pay. However, Ithaca College cannot always meet all of that need.”</p>
<p>Thus, one thing to keep in mind is that even if there were errors on the FAFSA and/or CSS profile and your EFC decreases to $25k, for example, Ithaca does not always meet full need.</p>
<p>Were all of your applications to schools that cost the same amount as Ithaca? Public universities in YOUR star should have a cost of attendance that is HALF of what Ithaca costs per year.</p>
<p>Your NET cost…amount you would be expected to pay, is more important than the amount any school offers you.</p>
<p>Of course, you can call the financial aid director and appeal. How successful you will be is up in the air. Give it a go. Did you not say on another thread that you have a lower EFC now than originally given? That is a good way to open the conversation. </p>
<p>You need to know how much you and your family can pay for the year. However, as noted above, Ithaca does not guarantee to meet full need, so you many just get a referral to PLUS parent loans and that’s that. If that is the case, you cannot go there. You need to look for affordable options which are usually schools within commuting distance. Start checking out state schools to which you can commute. </p>
<p>Even if you get enough to eke by this year, bear in mind that if your family income is slated to go down for next, this may be a good early warning so that you don’t end up struggling with you and family borrowing more than you should just because Ithaca becomes overly important. That happens too often with families. IThaca is not the be all to end all. Check into some SUNY options if you are in state NY. They are reasonably priced and if you commute, your parents can cover a lot of the discretionary costs. Also, hopefully you are working this summer.</p>
<p>Well…the OP committed to going to Ithaca with a financial aid package based on a $30,000 plus EFC.</p>
<p>The OP should ask Ithaca for a review, but as noted, this might net them no additional aid.</p>
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<p>Are these things new? Your dad’s retirement, and your sibling going to college also were financial issues that were there when you accepted Ithaca’s offer. Ditto your increase in mortgage (these things are usually very predictable).</p>
<p>YES…do ask Ithaca for a review. But if no additional aid is forthcoming, you might have to make alternate plans. I know you don’t want to do so. But you may have to.</p>
<p>And remember…college is a four year plan. Don’t cobble together the first year! Make sure your plan to pay is for FOUR years.</p>
<p>why is your efc so high if you have a sibling in college??? did you put 2 in college>? If so, then your parents must have a LOT of money in non-retirement savings.</p>
<p>what is your brother’s efc? </p>
<p>there may be a mistake. Your family’s total efc would not be 62k with that income unless they have a LOT in assets.</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids I don’t know why my EFC when my older brother is in college. My mom is also in college but the FAFSA question said “How many people in your family are going to be attending college but blah blah date” and it said in bold “don’t include your parents” so I put down 2. </p>
<p>My parents don’t have a lot of money in their savings. They don’t have any money saved for college either. </p>
<p>My brother’s EFC was 24k but since he’s part deaf he got some sort of extra help so now it’s 12k. </p>
<p>On my parents tax papers the assets were listed as 0 if I remember correct. </p>
<p>Honestly, I did the FAFSA on my own so I don’t even know if I did it right. </p>
<p>You need to check your FAFSA. Something isn’t right. Make sure that your parent income is ONLY listed under PARENT and not under your name as well. </p>
<p>Your EFC with $100,000 in income should be $33,000 TOTAL or so…adding yours and your brother’s together. </p>
<p>I’ll look over it right now. I’ll try to find the mistakes as best as I can. I had a feeling I did something wrong because some of the questions confused me. </p>
<p>I think the actual problem might be with the CSS profile because I remember putting in the 96k number twice. I might have put it where I wasn’t suppose too. </p>
<p>I just checked my fafsa and everything seemed to be okay?</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids When you say “or you for each parent you listed both incomes?” what do you mean? Their individual incomes or their joint one?</p>
<p>I have a feeling the student’s FAFSA EFC is not 31K, but rather 31K is how much Ithaca is expecting the family to pay (not meeting full need). @Gigi92 can you check and see what your FAFSA SAR says your EFC is? </p>
<p>Yes, you confused everybody. In this case there’s probably nothing wrong with how you filled out the forms ($8375 is very reasonable for your family’s situation – possibly even lower than it ought to be) but the problem is that Ithaca is expecting you to pay a lot more than your FAFSA EFC. You need to call and tell them that your family cannot afford that, and you will have to withdraw unless they can offer you additional grant aid. And ask if you can get your deposit back if you have to withdraw. Probably not, but you can ask.</p>
<p>Ah! That FAFSA EFC is correct. Ithaca does NOT guarantee to meet full need. And they don’t. Plus, Ithaca uses the Profile as well as the FAFSA to determine their need based aid awards.</p>
<p>Thank you for clarifying that EFC. In the vast majority of cases, the amount the college expects your family to pay exceeds the FAFSA EFC. </p>
<p>The cost of attending Ithaca is about $50,000, isn’t it? That means you got $20,000 in financial aid. Or am I incorrect.</p>
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<p>The above is what was confusing…it was on your other thread. The college never told you your EFC. The college told you what THEY expected your family to pay. </p>
<p>@Thumper1 That’s the term Ithaca used on their financial aid award. “Expected Family Contribution: 31, 216” so that’s why I used it in my original post. I thought that was clear since I talked about appealing the school’s financial aid, haha sorry!</p>
<p>Gigi, has there been ANY change in your financial situation since you got your financial aid award…? Parent job loss, significant medical expenses, etc? If so, you have a good basis for asking for a review. If the only reason is because your parents are having second thoughts, you really don’t have a basis for asking for a review.</p>
<p>So…what has changed other than your parents having second thoughts on being able to pay what Ithaca is asking them to pay?</p>