I filled out the net price calculator for the college I’m interested in and it says that after grants and scholarships my estimated price is $19,405 and I can’t afford that. Is that the price I am actually going to have to pay? The college is Oral Roberts University.
I don’t know if this matters, but when I filled out the EFC calculator on the FAFSA website it said $0.
Oral Roberts does not meet full need. Based on the info from their NPC, that would be your net cost to attend…per year. I would view that as the minimum you will be paying.
You’re looking at this the wrong way ‘round. Here’s what you need to do:
(1) Run the net price calculators at many different schools (dozens, if not more!) until you find several that appear to be affordable.
(2) From those, decide which ones you want to apply to.
It does not matter what your EFC is. Most schools do not meet your need. NPC would give you an idea how much it is going to cost you. If it is not affordable and you are not eligible to merit aid, that school should be off the list.
It doesn’t matter what your EFC is. That’s just some federal number. The feds do not order colleges to only charge EFC. The fed has no power to do so.
And, frankly, most schools do not have the money to give free rides or near-free rides to low income students. they would have to shut down if that were expected.
The term EFC has got to go. It confuses too many people every year.
What are your other schools? Did you apply to any safeties? (these are schools that you KNOW that you have all costs covered as well as likely acceptance.)