<p>j07,
There IS a way to communicate that. You can attach a letter of explanation with the CSS Profile (and I think possibly the FAFSA too. In fact, financial aid officers encourage you to do so.
I haven't seen your stats, but the more schools you apply to, the better your opportunity to compare financial aid offers and possibly negotiate once you have admissions offers.
Your financial aid offers may vary greatly. Just be sure that when you do your applications, you have a "financial safety" too.</p>