<p>According to every calculator I tried, my EFC is 0. Can I still apply ED to universities that offer full financial aid? Say, Columbia? </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Applying ED anywhere as a high-financial need student is risky. Applying to 100% need, no loans schools (such as Columbia, but also Stanford, Yale, Rice, Chicago, etc.) can be a positive experience for high-need students. However, you must be 100% sure that your EFC will be assessed at 0. It is the school that determines the EFC they will use to calculate your financial aid package, not FAFSA. If you have any assets, a non-custodial parent, or other circumstances, I would strongly advise against applying even to the most financially generous schools. I, for example, knew that my EFC would be assessed at $0 because</p>
<p>a) my family is below the poverty line
b) we have absolutely no savings, home equity (we don’t even own a home), retirement plans, investments, etc.
c) I have had 0 contact with my NCP for over ten years, my parents were never married, he had at least four other children (at last check), and I have no idea where he is (grounds for a waiver)
d) I qualify for federal means-tested benefits (free and reduced lunch)</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply!</p>
<p>Wow, that’s intense!</p>
<p>“It is the school that determines the EFC they will use to calculate your financial aid package, not FAFSA.”
I know, it’s just that Columbia, as well as other full FA schools have stated that families with an income under $60000 are expected to contribute with nothing. My parents make $20000 at the most, so I was thinking that if I do get accepted ED, then I should receive full FA.</p>
<p>As a 0 EFC kid, you need to be careful where you apply.</p>
<p>You need to apply to schools that meet 100% of need with little to no loans. </p>
<p>For financial safeties, you need to apply to schools that will give you huge merit for stats.</p>
<p>Since you’re considering Columbia, what are your stats?</p>
<p>I would love to be able to tell you that, but living in Romania, our system is different. I will try, tho
First of all, a little clarification: our GPA scale is 1-10, with 1 being lowest and 10 highest.We don’t weigh GPA’s.We do not choose classes, we choose profiles (Math-Computer science with or without extensive English, Philology also with or without English, Biochemistry and Social studies. Generally, Math-CS w/ English is the most demanding of all, with Social studies coming in last) We have an average of 15 mandatory subjects, but it’s different from profile to profile. We don’t have AP or Honours. EC’s are also scarce.</p>
<p>My current stats are as follows:
GPA: 9.97, ranking 1st in a sophomore class of 200
I haven’t taken my SAT’s yet, and I know that’s what counts a lot in “chancing”
I’m in the math-CS w/ english profile
I’m president of the student council, delegate(last year) and also chair person(this year) in the European Youth Parliament, 84h of community work, have won a number of awards in art, 1st place national with the highschool’s handball team, I play bass in the school’s band and am also a representative of the “Movement of resistance” in my city (which encourages reading among young people). I am a 2x national English Olympic and county Biology olympic. </p>
<p>And that’s really everything I can think of right now.
Ugh, I really feel like I have absolutely NO chance, not that I look at it</p>
<p>Are you an American citizen? If not, how do you have an EFC? EFC is figured by FAFSA which is for American citizens and green card residents.</p>
<p>Once you have SAT scores, it will be easier to advise you.</p>
<p>I am not, but I tried the calculator just to see what it would say. And now I’m really confused. What do I have to fill in, as a foreign student, to receive FA?</p>
<p>You’ll need to do a CSS Profile and anything else the school requires.</p>
<p>^ International students are offered full financial aid by many fewer United States colleges than domestic students, for the simple reason that much financial aid is funded by federal taxes paid by domestic residents. But apply to the places where international students are able to receive financial aid and see what happens.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies!</p>
<p>To tokenadult: Yes, I know, I realized that when I saw that my first pick (UCLA) didn’t offer financial aid at all to international students. That’s why I’m going with Columbia, even though it isn’t need-blind to me</p>
<p>Being an international student puts a very different spin on financial aid, since non-citizens are not eligible for any of the Federal aid programs such as Pell grants, Stafford loans, etc. Check very carefully with each college/university you are interested in to make sure that they do offer financial aid to international students, because many (maybe most?) do not.</p>
<p>That’s true, and as far as I’ve seen, the ones that do offer aid are the Ivy ones. There may be a handful of other universities that are international-friendly, but seeing as we don’t have counselors, I don’t really have anyone to ask. I know of Columbia just because my friend just got admitted ED with full aid.</p>
<p>Completely unrelated, but is it wise to apply for citizenship during college? I really wouldn’t mind getting a job outside of campus, but I’m preeetty sure it also changes my eligibility for aid</p>
<p>As an international student, you ability to pay will be a factor in the admissions process at Columbia and pretty much every other university. There are approx 8 schools that are need blind to international students.</p>
<p>Every case is different, just because your friend got accepted with full financial aid, does not mean you will be accepted as the financial landscape is not the same as it were a year ago.</p>
<p>Nope, you will not be able to obtain US citiizenship coming over as a student.</p>
<p>As an int’l student you’ll need to apply to schools that meet 100% of need for internationals.</p>
<p>Will your parents contribute anything towards your education? If so, then you can also apply to some safety schools that will give int’l students big merit for high stats. But, if your parents won’t pay anything (or very little) then you’ll have to hope for acceptance to a top school that meets need without big loans.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the help!</p>