Need help making a plan- What to do if my parents cannot afford the EFC?

[austinmshauri]

That involves looking at the downside and the upside. It’s very easy to castrophize the downside so that it appears more likely than it actually is. This type of fear often prevents people from taking calculated but often worthwhile risks.

It’s not “catastrophizing the downside” to calculate all the things that have to go right for a plan to work. Families who can afford to repay the loans if their children aren’t able to can afford to take the risk. Not everyone is in that position.