<p>Just did the FAFSA for my D. EFC is $37,125.. just about what her school costs. So no help for now. However if our income remains unchanged does this mean that this time next year, when my S is a HS senior and a few short months away from college I can expect some help? I've got to believe that paying two tuitions with an EFC of 37K I might get some help other than loans. What do you folks think? We had been looking at only State schools but should we expand our son's search to the privates in anticipation of some FED aid?</p>
<p>when you have 2 in college in the same year, your efc will be split between the 2 kids. So if your income stays the same, the efc could be 18.5K for each. The ONLY federal aid at this EFC level is stafford loans, You will not get Pell grants or other grants for low income, ALL aid other than stafford (or PLUS loans for parents) will be given by the school either in the form of scholarships, merit aid, or leaving you with a gap.</p>
<p>It will depend on the schools but I have twins in college now. My EFC is 26K and when they do their fafsa each son has an EFC of 13K.</p>
<p>Both of the schools have met full need with grants, scholarships, and stafford loans. One school is a large private and the other a tier 3 public. For example the private school costs over 50K per year in costs but they are providing 37K in grants and scholarships. He also has a 2,000 Fed stafford loan this year. The public has provided a 5K grant and 6.5K in scholarships to offset that cost although the stafford was a 4K loan.</p>
<p>the only difference I see is that the private has increased aid as tuition went up while at the public aid is flat for all four years. I am anticipating a gap next year at the public with costs above my EFC due to climbing costs.</p>
<p>It pays to have two in school at the same time if you are at the right schools :)</p>
<p>I guess I need to find private collegel interested in a “B” student located in NE, NJ, NY. S will probably score (max) 1200 SAT. One varsity sport has some AP’s and honors courses. Obviously the elite privates are out. A second or third tier private that meets full need, (or close), would seem a good match. S does not know what he wants to major in, possibly engineering. Someone throw me a bone as far as a good bet for “need met” at this level.</p>
<p>Nightingale - suggest you start a new thread for that. You’ll get more replies :).</p>
<p>Nightingale-- Private colleges often determine EFC by something other than just the FAFSA. They often have their own forms or use the College Profile so you may want to use the online calculators to estimate EFC using “institutional methodology” – just be aware that it’s a rougher estimate than a FAFSA efc. Institutional methodology takes some other things into account including equity on primary residence.</p>