<p>So here's my situation</p>
<p>My EFC according to FAFSA is 0043.</p>
<p>My EFC according to the CSS PROFILE is 11,000.</p>
<p>The private school that I applied to is expecting my parents to contribute 11,000 per year to my college education.</p>
<p>How can my parents pay that when they only make 21,000 a year! for a family of 6!</p>
<p>There's no way that they can pay even a penny towards my college education.</p>
<p>My mom will most likely also be quitting her job in the fall when I leave for college. So that will make our income even lower for the years to come. </p>
<p>My CSS PROFILE EFC is high because it says that my parents have home equity. Can someone explain that to me? </p>
<p>What is the best way I can appeal my fin aid award? I am willing to take up to 20,000 in loans for undergrad. How can I tell them indirectly that I NEED the maximum grants they offer? That's like 10,600 more.</p>
<p>And honestly, do you guys think that my appeal will go through? If I don't go to this school, I will most likely have to go to UCI. There's nothing wrong with UCI, it just doesn't have my major.</p>
<p>Please, I really need advice. It'll be really nice of you guys to help me out.</p>
<p>I hope it does. Poor people get screwed. My parents earn 44,000 and are expected to contribute a bunch too but by no means am I in your situation. I honestly hope it does.</p>
<p>Call your school's financial aid office with all the numbers ready in hand and emotional appeals ready. Be calm and nice about explaining your situation. Follow-up with a written letter, recommendations from faculty in your school, guidance counselor, etc.</p>
<p>Are your inputs correct? Read the instrutions carefully. Do not make interpretations of the instructions-put down what they ask.</p>
<p>Yeah it is. It's the home equity thing. Ughhhhh</p>
<p>"The private school that I applied to is expecting my parents to contribute 11,000 per year to my college education.</p>
<p>How can my parents pay that when they only make 21,000 a year! for a family of 6!"</p>
<p>?- why the heck would your mother quit her job- if she has a family of six- with less than $25,000?</p>
<p>crazy</p>
<p>Quite a bit of information missing in your explanation.
Your college either has a very unrealistic expectation of your
parent's ability to tap into home equity based on an income of
$21,000 or they are seeing something you don't. The FAO is probably
wondering how a parent can provide for a family of six on $21K. </p>
<p>If that income is from self employment, for instance, your IM EFC
could be even higher than $11,000. Private colleges vary in their
methodologies determining how financial aid is distributed. Too bad
you did not understand how your school did before you applied. Then,
if you still wanted to attend the school, and you were in the top 25% of the applicant pool (preferential packaging) you could have written a special letter of circumstances to the financial aid offices in January, a week after you filed the forms. This strategy is 90% more effective than trying
to appeal after the horse has broken out of the corral. </p>
<p>By the way, many more of the more competitive
colleges that used to assess home equity, no longer do so if the combined family income is $150,000 or less. I assume
you have not applied to a college with such a policy.</p>
<p>Actually, I don't think sw_sloan's mom puposely quit her job, probably laid off like the rest of my family. As for the home equity, I am in the same situation at another private college. My EFC is pretty high because of the home equity thing, but my house was inherited from my grandfather. So, I really think they should review my profile. Im guessing you must be in a similiar situation.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Actually, I don't think sw_sloan's mom puposely quit her job, probably laid off like the rest of my family
[/quote]
You will find that espcially in college- preciseness of language is important- it is very different to be laid off than it is to quit a job</p>
<p>
[quote]
My mom will most likely also be quitting her job in the fall when I leave for college. So that will make our income even lower for the years to come.
[/quote]
</p>