<p>Interesting thread. And after dozens of posts it boils down to FA will never be fair. That is what the OP originally said, and was reiterated by dstark. Where all of the contrary posts came from..... not sure. Everyone has their own agenda and story. But the bottom line is the scenario presented by the OP illustrates the inequities in the FA system in our country. No one can deny this. Sacrifice the luxuries, new cars, bigger home, etc. and "save" for college or spend, spend, spend and end up with no assets to speak of. Example #2 makes out better FA wise. </p>
<p>I also have a real problem with how many years of income they look at. Just because you may have high earnings in the year of filing FAFSA, doesn't mean you have had that income consistently and can afford x percentage for tuition.</p>
<p>No, I don't think that's what it boils down to. I think it boils down to--some people will always look for the personal complaint--why life isn't fair to them. Others, like unregister in his/her thoughts that I quoted above, take a more sanguine view.</p>
<p>Paying for college is something we all on CC have in common; starting a thread to bemoan the supposed tricks of the rich (and poor) to get over on one, is not.</p>
<p>I spend every day working with students who are truly poor, and really struggling to get through college. Perhaps that changes my perspective; the great, great majority of CC'ers seem pretty fortunate compared to them.</p>
<p>garland, not a personal complaint. Just stating a fact. Of course it is far more popular (especially on CC) to take the opposite view. That the hard working middle class should be thankful that they have been able to save a few bucks over the years only to find that they are expected to spend their retirement money on their kids college education, vs. a family that has p*****d away all their earnings on fancy cars, vacations, etc. and are now being rewarded with FA to the "elite" schools that the OP talks about.</p>
<p>Well, I don't think it is a fact, but it's late and I'm not up to further arguing. I know that saving worked for us, and we are happy with how it worked out. Guess we'll end it on a shrug.</p>
<p>Do you think 99% of the world's population gives a rats-patooey about which kid from a family with an income that puts them in the top 10% of all Americans gets into and gets two extra bits of financial aid from Harvard?</p>
<p>In the global scheme of unfairness, this has gotta rank with the reduction in size of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.</p>
<p>While your post #129 is true, this is CC for goodness sake! This is exactly the type of thing we care about here, and I see no shame in it. If we are only allowed to care about what matters in the "global scheme of unfairness," we'd have nothing to debate that goes with the theme of this website.</p>
<p>Well, let's have a contest to see who is the most unfortunate. Then, only that person can feel angry or sad, and everybody else must walk around with a smiley face and a vacuous brain.</p>
<p>Who wants to start with his/her sob story?</p>
<p>I have a story. I am sure some have better, some have worse.</p>
<p>Forgive me if I occasionally feel mad or unhappy.</p>
<p>I'll try to control those human emotions. Maybe in my next life, I will come back as a plant.</p>
<p>So we've established it's "unfair", and actually affects a tiny, and I mean REALLY tiny percentage of the college-going population. Took 132 posts. Big deal. Tough nuggies.</p>
<p>"Who wants to start with their sob story?"</p>
<p>Ya want my wife's cancer or my heart attack? :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Well, let me tell you, neither helped us in the least with financial aid, and the cost we are paying for D2 is a little more than three times our EFC.</p>
<p>"Well, let me tell you, neither helped us in the least with financial aid, and the cost we are paying for D2 is a little more than three times our EFC.</p>
<p>For those who think the subject of this thread is trivial, why bother to participate let alone read it? Why not just shrug and go to bed, and leave those of us who care to work it out. No offense, but I don't think you will be missed.</p>