<p>What exactly is the EFC? Expected family contribution, so that's what my family is expected to pay for a year or semester? Furthermore, when my FAFSA was filled, was I supposed to include my very own income as a part-time employed hs student? I made around $15,000 in 9 months last year, so that definitely hurts my FA package, right?</p>
<p>Also, schools usually give some sort of aid when you're admitted right? What am I expected to actually pay, say a public vs private school? </p>
<p>I'm a bit confused, and research leads me nowhere, other than here and to ask personally.</p>
<p>You do have to include your income on FAFSA. Unfortunately your earnings will hurt your EFC as 50% of a students income over @ $3000 will go to the student portion of the EFC - so @ 6,000 in your case. </p>
<p>Each school has a COA (Cost of Attendance) which is an averaged annual student cost that includes tuition/fees/booksroom&board/miscellaneous/travel expenses. Schools take your EFC away from their COA to calculate your 'need' and base financial aid on this need.</p>
<p>So for instance if your EFC is 12,000 and the schools COA is 20,000 then your 'need' would be 8,000 and any financial aid would be based on that 8,000. If you have any merit scholarships it will usually reduce your need and therefore your aid. EFC plus merit money plus need based aid cannot generally exceed COA. </p>
<p>For instance if your EFC is 25,000 and the schools COA is 20,000 then your EFC is higher than the schools COA so you will not get need based aid. If your EFC is 10,000 and the schools COA is 20,000 then you can expect to get some financial aid.</p>
<p>Aid can consist of grants, loans and work study. If a school does not promise to meet full need there may also be a gap between your need and your aid. For instance your need may be $10,000 but you may only be offered $6,000 in aid. Most State Us do not promise to meet full need. Some private schools do. You would need to check the policy of your school.</p>
<p>It is impossible for anyone to say what you are expected to pay not knowing what your EFC is or what schools you have applied to and what their financial aid policies are. Private schools often require css/profile in addition to FAFSA and base their institutional aid on css/profile.</p>
<p>So you need to look at your EFC and your school's COA to see if you have financial 'need'. Then see what their policies on aid (full need met/loans/no loans etc) to get an idea of whether you can expect need based aid.</p>