<p>I agree that 25K is good compared to private schools. But the UCs are not private. That is a hefty price, especially since it makes no guarantee nor does it meet all need. </p>
<p>There are flaws in the fin aid system, and OP has hit on some of them; the situation of kids whose parents won’t or can’t pay EFC, cost of living in high rent areas not taken into account, and prior years’ of income not taken into account. I have complained about those items myself and sent that and a list of other “flaws” to several places, in hopes that if reform or change is done that those discrepancies are addressed. </p>
<p>What is particularly frustrating is the complexity of our financial aid, affordable college process. I know as a kid I had no idea of how it worked; nor did my parents. It was a fluke that I found some schools that would pay my way as I did not know the ropes. My GCs were useless in that regard. My father who should have known more than he did, did not. And when my kids applied to schools, I found that I had a lot of misconceptions and did not know how things worked either, despite the fact that I was more informed than most parents. The GCs, considered top drawer, at S’s school was not helpful in that regard either. The information sessions did not help either. I don’t know how parents who have to do all of this on their own, much less the kids, can figure all of this out, until too late. With S1, we ended up with just one scholarship, when we had thought his way would be paid (national level athlete). S2, we really bungled when he wanted to get into a difficult to get accepted program. S3, we finally kind of got it right, but still surprises along the way. For us the results were not disasterous as we have the income to pay college costs, and had enough options so that low cost alternatives were available, but we did not do the best we could have. For first generation kids in this country, it is truly difficult, and many of the GCs do not give adequate help. The woman who does my hair got horrible advice to the point that I felt I had to get involved, from her school GC regarding her kids. This is considered a good, top 100 high school. When it comes to financial/merit, the schools here do a lousy job. THe catholic schools here seem to do the best job in that regard.</p>