<p>Ok, I want to start out stating that my EFC is 0, and I recieved a financial award from the school, and the school itself is only giving me 1,800 a year, plus a pell grant and workstudy ect. How am I supposed to pay for all of this when tuiton is 18k?</p>
<p>Should I call the school?</p>
<p>I really don't want to take out 12k in loans, and I'm not quite sure i'll get 13k in scholarships.</p>
<p>Any help would be needed.</p>
<p>I'm guessing this is for an instate public school. The sum of the pell grant, 1800, and work study, plus I'm guessing you also got a Stafford Loan, likely equals the cost of tuition at this school. The additional costs would be for your other expenses...room, board, books, personal expenses...am I correct or close? Sadly, state schools do not have huge sums of money nor do they meet full financial need...they simply have too many students and not enough money to do so. Plus, your education is partially funded by the taxes your family pays...thus your in state tuition status. Give the school a call and see if they can help you out.</p>
<p>I worked at a school that did not meet 100% of need. We simply could not, due to the fact that we didn't have the necessary funds to do so. Public or private, there are many schools that cannot meet every student's need. These schools distribute all available federal and institutional funds as equitably as possible, usually using a set formula --- and having financial aid complete by the priority filing date is especially important, in order to get in on the distribution. Once it gets doled out, the money is gone.</p>
<p>I had to apologize quite often to parents for the fact that we couldn't do more for them, but we just couldn't promise to meet 100% of need. Only you can decide what to do now. You may have to attend a community college for two years, then transfer. That is a great way to save money. You may choose to take out big loans. You may choose to attend a university that costs less than your original choice. There are options, although I understand that it's not an easy decision. Unfortunately, what is happening to you happens to a lot of students.</p>
<p>My EFC is 2k and one private school gave a scholarship and the federal loans/grants, but no merit aid. I would have to come up with 21k a year. The state school gave just the federal loans and grants and I have to come up with over 11k a year. One private school came up with alot of scholarship/grant and merit aid and I only owe 6K a year. I am wondering how there can be such a difference? What should I have been looking for in a school? I am a single parent with two kids and own or have nothing. I hope to gain more knowledge so I am better prepared for my 2nd child. What is a normal amount to loan? My child applied to a very competative program and she got into her dream school but I feel at 21k a year I cannot do this. We are waiting on one more school where she was told she was getting a scholarship. I feel she should go to the school that gives her the most money.</p>