<p>What?! My parents cannot afford even a few grand! Ugh, financial aid is soooo confusing!</p>
<p>Have you gotten your financial aid package, Olive_Tree? I believe jcmail56 is assuming that your parents are already paying some of the COA. If they aren’t, then after your outside scholarships, your parents are still paying the same (which could be $0 anyway). In other words, your parents have a parent contribution, and you have a student contribution; outside scholarships affect ONLY student contribution (i.e. work-study and summer earnings).</p>
<p>I did. I only have to pay $2,000 every year. My parents’ contribution is $0.</p>