<p>So I submitted my application and it says that my estimated family contribution is 5226. At first I thought that's the amount my parents were expected to pay...then I read a little closer and it says that it's NOT the amount parents have to pay...rather a number colleges use to determine how much parents pay.</p>
<p>So my question is....with na EFC of 5226....what should my parents expect to pay?</p>
<p>Also does 5226 seem right for a family who's stats look like this?</p>
<p>Parents are married and make 61k a year. I live with my parents and my younger brother (7 years old). And our total cash savings right now (checking accounts, banking accounts...etc) are about 2k. </p>
<p>With those stats does an EFC of 5226 seem right?</p>
<p>Yeah, that looks about right, Mr. California.</p>
<p>The EFC is the amount that the FAFSA calculations determine your family is able to pay towards college. Keep in mind that it’s a minimum estimate of what your family can pay. Depending on the particular schools you’re considering you could end up having to come up with far more than that.</p>
<p>Really all the EFC determines is what federal aid you might be eligible for. The amount of federal aid is quite limited, though, even for students with lower EFCs than yours.</p>
<p>Yes, that EFC looks very right.</p>
<p>*So my question is…with a EFC of 5226…what should my parents expect to pay?
*</p>
<p>There’s no real answer for this, because we don’t know which schools you applied to, whether they meet need without loans, whether they put gaps in FA packages, etc. Also, some schools are more generous with grants to students who have higher stats.</p>
<p>You don’t qualify for a Pell Grant.</p>
<p>What state are you in?</p>
<p>What schools did you apply to?</p>
<p>What are your stats?</p>