Student loans, other potential aid for dream college

Paying for College
1

<p>Right now I'm on the waitlist for Brandeis and I want to do everything I can to try to get in, but my parents are saying that even if I were to get in, they wouldn't pay full tuition. I would get no need based aid and since I still haven't even been accepted yet, I obviously wouldn't get merit aid either. Brandeis has always been my first choice school and I want to get in, but I can't go ahead with my intense plans for getting in until I know my parents would pay. So...</p>

<p>1) My parents' major argument is that my brother is 2 years younger than me and though they could hypothetically pay full tuition for me, they couldn't pay for him also. Would it be possible to get need based aid from Brandeis for the second two years? Does this depend on the FAFSA? Is there any way I could find out about it?
2) How big of a student loan could I possibly take??</p>

2

<p>the family EFC would be less with another sibling in college -- it is usually about 60% of your current EFC.</p>

<p>I would not advise taking out more than $20,000 in student loans -- that is total for all four years.</p>

<p>look at summer earning and work-study to fill in some of the gaps.</p>

3

<p>thanks. anyone else?</p>