<p>How does one affect the other? I received $60,000 over four years in scholarships, but that's only tuition, plus there is no way that will keep me out of the deep end of the financial debt pool...if I get a lot of scholarship money, does that affect how much financial aid money I will receive from FAFSA and such?</p>
<p>And how do I get them to realize that, just because my parents make $60,000 a year doesn't mean they can help me with my college money so much? HELP!</p>
<p>FAFSA doesn’t give money. It’s just an app that will give you an EFC.</p>
<p>What is your EFC?</p>
<p>Anyway…merit money usually gets applied to “need” first…not to EFC.</p>
<p>How much does your school cost? Are you saying that your tuition is $15k? </p>
<p>Is this a PA state school? Most state schools do not meet need. If your EFC exceeds Pell Grant awards or state aid, then you might only get a student loan and maybe some work-study.</p>
<p>It may not matter that your family can’t afford much to give…many schools don’t really care about that because they don’t have the funds to give out.<br>
How much can your parents contribute? You need to ask them.</p>
<p>You may need to plan on working over the summer and during the school year to help pay for college.</p>
<p>I know the FAFSA is just a form, I guess I just worded it incorrectly. </p>
<p>I’m really not sure what my EFC is: my parents haven’t done taxes yet and my parents and I don’t know how accurate the estimated info my parents have given me is. My school is $26K a year, and it’s a PA private school.</p>
<p>This private school’s tuition is only $15k per year??? and has a total cost of $26k per year? </p>
<p>Can you do FAFSA with the estimated numbers that your parents gave you and select “will file” to get an idea of your EFC?</p>
<p>Unless your EFC is very low, I don’t see how you’d get more grants from this school, since the $15k in merit, leaves only $11k. So, if your EFC is $6k or so, the school is likely just going to give you a $5500 loan to cover the rest of your need.</p>
<p>No, no; my TUITION is $26K a year, total is about 36k. With my scholarship money my total cost of schooling per year is about $24,000.</p>
<p>Is this Gannon?</p>
<p>if so, the cost is a lot more than $26k unless you can commute from home. Can you?</p>
<p>tuition and fees: …$25,522<br>
Room and board: $10,230 </p>
<h2>Books and supplies: $1,230 </h2>
<p>Basic costs: about $37k per year</p>
<p>Gannon doesn’t meet need, so you may likely be gapped.</p>
<p>With the exception of the Pell grant, need-based aid is limited to the amount of need (COA - EFC = need) that you have. FAFSA determines the federal EFC and your eligibility for federal financial aid programs. It sounds like your initial need would be $24K, so your scholarship is not going to limit your access to federal aid, but your EFC might! No one here can give you any estimates of what federal aid you might be awarded, other than Stafford loans, until you know your EFC.</p>
<p>My total costs are about $38K, but with my scholarship I’m at $23K per year. </p>
<p>sk8rmom - Thanks! That answers my question perfectly, actually.</p>
<p>*My total costs are about $38K, but with my scholarship I’m at $23K per year. </p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Yes, but the scholarship goes towards “determined need.”</p>
<p>It won’t cover your family’s EFC, and the school doesn’t meet need.</p>
<p>Do you have an affordable alternative?</p>