<p>Hi, I'm a senior and my sister is a senior in college, graduating next may from SUNY new paltz. I know that we won't be attending college at the same time (she won't be going to graduate school, at least next year), but my parents didn't take out loans for my sister and managed to pay the total $80,000 or so cost of attendance for her undergraduate education.</p>
<p>My question is: Even though we won't be in college at the same time, will financial aid offices still take into account that my sister JUST graduated from college and that my parents have $80,000 or so less to spend for my college education, which could make attending my top choices a reality?</p>
<p>Second question: My mom's hospital is highly likely to be going on strike soon, meaning my mom will be out of work for that time. Will my family get more financial aid if that occurs, since my dad will be the sole provider of income when that occurs?</p>
<p>101 views and no response? Why view if you’re not going to post?</p>
<p>No, schools will not take into acct that your sister just graduated from college. Schools aren’t going to give your family more money just because they gave a DIFFERENT school more money.</p>
<p>*My mom’s hospital is highly likely to be going on strike soon, meaning my mom will be out of work for that time. Will my family get more financial aid if that occurs, since my dad will be the sole provider of income when that occurs? *</p>
<p>Just because a family has one income, it doesn’t mean that it will qualify for more money.</p>
<p>And, being on strike is not the same as being out of work. The strike won’t likely last a year. If your family ends up earning less in 2012, then maybe you’ll qualify for aid or more aid your soph year.</p>
<p>What was your family’s EFC with your sister in school?</p>
<p>Oh…and when a thread’s title is vague like yours, people will open and read it…that doesn’t mean that they have an answer or want to give an answer.</p>
<p>No, they will not take into account that your sister just graduated nor would most colleges take grad school into account if she goes. She is now considered independent of your parents for aid.</p>
<p>However, if your parents have $80,00 less in the bank now, they will show less assets which could impact your aid. If you go to a school that meets 100% of need it will have far more impact.</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>I may be wrong, but it sounds like the parents paid for the sister out of current income, not straight from savings.</p>
<p>However, if they did withdraw $80k from savings, that could make some difference.</p>
<p>That said, it sounds like this family has a strong income, so that’s what really matters. Plus, they’ll have one less person to declare in the household since sis will be graduated.</p>
<p>^ Yeah they paid for my sisters education out of income. They have like $5000 in assets. A lot of their money goes to bills, mortgage, and a significant amount of money is sent to my mom’s family in asia, who is very poor</p>
<p>Did your sister attend a college that meets need?</p>
<p>Your EFC is largely driven by parent income. Debt for things such as mortgage are not considered. Most colleges also not consider supporting family that doesn’t live with you, they think college tuition should be the priority.</p>
<p>Run your family’s financial info through your schoos’ calculator. You’ll get a good idea what they’ll expect you to pay. If your family can’t afford their EFC, you need to apply to they can afford and/or schools offering merit aid.</p>
<p>*Did your sister attend a college that meets need?</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>The OP said sister went to a SUNY…and if the family paid $80k, then it sounds like they paid full freight. Since the family is instate, they probably actually paid less than $80k.</p>
<p>*A lot of their money goes to bills, mortgage, and a significant amount of money is sent to my mom’s family in asia, who is very poor *</p>
<p>Bills and mortgage don’t really count. As for sending money out of the country, I don’t know how much (if anything) schools will take that into acct. Schools tend to believe that a family’s FIRST obligation is to the immediate family…not to extended family living elsewhere. Think about it…a school really isn’t going to want to give you money so that your family can send money elsewhere. If so, then the college is essentially really supporting the overseas family.</p>
<p>Your family needs to make a decision…either pay whatever a college expects them to pay…or have you apply where you’d get merit scholarships.</p>