<p>so my family filled out the fafsa form in february and i'm still mad!
my EFC is 39,999, which is stupid!
i have no idea how they figure this stuff out but that is a ridiculous number and i am going to get zero aid. My parents cant pay that much, so how is it my 'expected family contribution'
arrrrgghh.
im getting such a headache over aid, anyone have any suggestions as to how i can get aid or afford a 4 year? because its very possible i am going to do community and then transfer, but i would SOOOO rather not do that.</p>
<p>A CSU might be doable with modest loans if your parents can contribute a third of your EFC. At about $17K, if they pay $10K, you borrow $5K and you make $2K/yr or so, you graduate with average debt.</p>
<p>The formula is the same for everyone. It assumes that your parents contribute from their income, money they should have saved for college, assets they have, your savings, and money you earn. </p>
<p>With an EFC that that high your parents either have substantial income, assets, or both. You never ran an EFC calculator before now?</p>
<p>If you told us your parents Adjusted gross income and gave us a range for their home equity and other investment and savings assets, we could give you an opinion on whether the EFC you got is "right" or a mistake based on "bad inputs" into the EFC calculator.</p>
<p>No home equity needed for FAFSA.</p>
<p>When I read posts like OP's, I see that college applicants need to be reminded that they are merely consumers of a product that people are expected to pay for, not possessors of a right to something they deserve. If you apply to a college that costs say, $50K, you should expect to pay for it. If you end up getting FA that makes it affordable to you, well that is a wonderful gift for which you should be grateful.</p>
<p>of course i ran an EFC before now, but its just ridiculous that by parents are EXPECTED to pay like, a fourth of their income while they are reaching retirement age and their savings have shrunk and the economy is bad. I dont want them paying my college loans for the rest of their lives or for them to struggle at in in their retirement. </p>
<p>i also know that i am consuming a product, thats pretty obvious, but the increase in prices in these products has been inflated way beyond what is realistic. Five years ago my parents would have been able to send be to some of the schools i have applied to with minimal loans, but some schools' tuitions have gone up so much in just the last five years.</p>
<p>another thing is that my parents insist on as much as possible for me to go to college, they say they would mortage our home and everything, and i think its a cultural thing. Asian parents tend to hold college or grad school above anything else and would do anything in order for their kids to go, including sacrifice their own retirements, but i dont want them to do that for me because they wouldnt have a secure future. i guess i just want to know where i can go for loans in my name so they wont have so much of a burden.</p>
<p>I agree that college costs have gone up a ridiculous amount. I think keeping costs down should be a priority.</p>
<p>That said, though, I must ask you a question ... WHO should be picking up the tab for you to go to the schools you want to attend?</p>
<p>I feel that my parents should pay for my undergrad, with me definitely taking out a fourth or a third of the cost in my own loans, but my parents say they want to cover more. Grad school will be completely up to me of course, and to not go to Grad schools is definitely not an option. I also will pay back my parents for undergrad, because its VERY disrespectful of them to take and not give it back, even if i still will be under eighteen when i go to college and even if they are supposed to take care of me by law. They dont want me to pay them back, but that would be rather ungrateful, dont you think?</p>
<p>I think its just an Asian thing that its assumed that parents are supposed to pay or do whatever they can to get their kids ahead, even if it means going into debt or working far longer than they should, although i think its kind of a disturbing cycle of constant destructive self sacrifice.</p>
<p>I have to admire your attitude. Find out what your parents are actually willing and able to do for you, then accept that gracefully. If you would like to pay them back later, you can help them to enjoy their old age comfortably (assuming they will ever stop working even when they don't have to! :)).</p>
<p>ha, thanks. I just want to give them what they deserve, as every kid should. i think its just because im leaving my teen years and growing up a little, I gotta be mature and ready for the work place at some point.</p>
<p>You have such a good, affordable option in CA to go to a CC for two years and then easily transfer to a UC. A UCLA or Berkeley Degree for about $60K is a heck of a deal.</p>
<p>yeah that is an option, albeit my last one. My parents would prefer that i didnt go to a community college, they think its embarrassing, and that i would get stuck in a rut. but i actually think its a good idea, except for i would transfer to a private school, as i dont really like UCLA or Berkley.</p>
<p>I'm not sure it's the best option if you want a top private school. It's not nearly as simple to trasfer from a CC into a good private.</p>
<p>My friend is a CC prof. She has students who went on to attend all sorts of great schools, including Harvard. Sure, it's not "easy" - but it is possible. Dedicate yourself to doing the best you can - get to know your profs - get involved in your community.</p>
<p>thanks for all the input everyone!</p>
<p>I was not at all trying to say it's not possible. But the CA system is set up for easy transfers between CA CC's and UC's. The kids from CCC's have priority. They can sign transfer agreements with even top UC's that allow the transfer to top UC's with modest GPA's, no SAT scores and no look at high school. </p>
<p>Many think this system extends to private colleges because in the world of a CCC, most are looking at transfers to a CSU or UC. So the fact is, many can transfer to strong colleges like Berkeley and LA with much less than would be needed at a comparable school.</p>