Here’s an actual f. aid package from Penn for a particular student. Perhaps it can help you, though if your friend chooses not to share his EFC, you really have nothing to go on other than Penn’s NPC (net price calculator) or your EFC from the FAFSA, assuming you filled it out.
COA (cost of attendance includes tuition, housing, meals, books, personal expenses):
$70,340
EFC: $7,110
FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY: $63,230
Endowed Scholarship (need-based): $40,000
Penn Grant: $19,830
Total Grants: $59,830
Total Loans: $ 0
Federal Work Study Job $ 3400
Total Aid Award: $63,230
NOW, caveat:
Billed amount (tuition, room, board): $66,000 (This removes books and personal expenses, which aren’t billed)
SO, technically, this student would only pay $2,770 rather than his EFC of $7,110 if he took the work study. If he didn’t, He’d pay $6170, which is still under the EFC.
SECOND caveat:
Said student was allowed to bring in $5950 in outside scholarships a year, which he had. Therefore, his total billed amount for the year (declining work study) was: $220 a year.
LESSON:
There are a number of factors that you can’t know unless your friend shares details of both the financial aid package and any outside scholarships. It’s certainly possible for a student to be billed for less than his EFC.